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  • Imports and Export

Why a Import Export License Can Help South African Businesses Grow in 2025

Grow your SA business with import export license through the help of Company Partners

International market growth isn’t just for big companies; it’s also a great opportunity for small and medium-sized businesses in South Africa to grow. Whether you want to sell your goods in Europe, USA, South America, or simply bring them into the country at a good price, international trade can help you grow, cut costs, and make more money.

To achieve this, you will need to register an import and export license for your business at SARS. 232 South African SMEs have trusted Company Partners this year to assist with their growth by acquiring an Import and export license.

What will change when your small business get an import permit for South Africa

What changes when a small business imports or exports goods?

This is something that many South African business owners don’t know: importing items or raw materials can lower costs, improve product quality, and raise profit margins. But exporting South African goods, like manufactured goods, agriculture products, and goods made in South Africa itself, can bring in new money and help businesses grow outside of South Africa.

By taking part in the import and export market, businesses can get the following main benefits:

  • Save money: Bringing in goods or materials from other countries can raise the quality while lowering costs. Just think of all the big manufacturers in South Africa like Volkswagen who manufactures vehicles in SA with parts coming from across the globe. They wouldn’t have done that if they were losing money.
  • Grow your business: Exporting lets you sell to people outside of South Africa. It’s a new market with new customers waiting to be explored which can be very lucrative considering foreign exchange.
  • If South African startups and small businesses get an import export license and registrations they need ahead of time, they can take advantage of opportunities in foreign trade and enter the import/export market with confidence.


Here, we explain everything your business needs to start trading with other countries and grow in 2025.

This is how your business will benefit from importing to South Africa

How to Get an Import/Export License

South African law says that anyone or any business that brings into South Africa or sends out goods worth more than R50,000 a year, must apply for an import or export license.

It could take up to 25 business days to finish the registration process. With our help, this time can be cut down to just 2 weeks.

After you register, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) will give you a unique Customs Code. For the customs clearance process to go smoothly, this code must match the name on the trade bills.

Need a license to import or export goods legally?

Our Import/Export Specialists have helped tens of thousands of South African businesses get their import and export licenses since 2006. Here’s a great resource on what you need to know to get an import license for your South African import business.
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Why is an export and import license so important?

  • Customs Clearance is needed for goods to legally pass through South African ports and borders.
  • Tax Compliance: Import and export registration is used by SARS to keep an eye on taxes like fees, VAT, and tariffs.
  • Trade Deals: Businesses that do business under deals like the AfCFTA or AGOA need to sign up to benefit from the trade agreements.
  • Avoid Penalties and Delays: If you don’t have the right papers, you could face fines, seizures, or shipping delays.

What you need to know about Trade Agreements

Trade deals or agreements are important agreements between countries that lower or get rid of import taxes, tariffs, and other things that get in the way of trade. These deals are very important for making it easier for countries to work together on the economy and get their goods to global markets.

You can see it as being able to get your products into a country for much cheaper than a competitor can from another country. In most cases you will require a SADC or EUR1 certificate to accompany your goods to benefit from these agreements.

These 5 options are the most popular with SMEs, although South Africa is a part of a number of important trade agreements:

  1. It is easier for Namibia, Botswana, Eswatini, and Lesotho to deal with each other because they are all part of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU).
  2. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a big trade deal that 54 African countries have signed. Its goal is to get rid of tariffs on 90% of goods.
  3. The Southern African Development Community, or SADC, is a trade deal between 15 countries in Southern Africa that makes it easier for them to do business with each other.
  4. The EU-SADC Economic Partnership Agreement, or EU-SADC EPA, is a trade deal that makes it easier for South Africa to sell its goods in Europe.
  5. A trade deal between the US and South Africa called the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) lets South African companies bring more than 6,500 goods into the US duty-free.
Have your SME benefit from different trade agreements available

Secure your SARS Import/Export Number in just a few steps. Trusted by thousands of South African businesses.

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What are the main benefits of trade agreements?

Trade Agreements

Due to trade agreements, South African businesses are better prepared to compete in global markets, which means they have better market chances.

Lower Tariffs

When customs taxes are lowered or taken away, you can sell your goods at more fair and competitive prices.

Lower Production Costs

When businesses buy raw materials, the prices are lower, which helps them make more money overall.

Do you have more questions about imports/exports?

These are usually the most popular questions we get when asked about import/export permits and licenses:

Here’s what you’ll need to sign up for an import or export license:

South Africans who live outside of South Africa can still bring goods into and out of the country. Make sure you have a bank account and an RSA address ready before you start. You might want to get a South African contact to help you with your import and export business if it’s difficult to get the address and bank account information.

The license itself could be free if you go at it alone, getting it from SARS but it is quite a daunting task with a significant amount of potential pitfalls, backwards and forwards with the government, and not to mention all the paperwork.  However, there are other costs related to customs duty, customs clearance, and trade logistics.

No, you don’t have to be registered for VAT in order to get an importer/exporter license.  Depending on how much money you make, you may not have to register for VAT when you import or sell.

However, we are here to help you if you need help getting started or figuring out if you meet the requirements to register for VAT.

There are many things that can change how long it takes to get an Import or Export License. To make sure the application process goes easily, you need to know the exact steps and rules. Applicants should usually be ready to wait between a few weeks and a few months, depending on how hard their request is and how quickly the government can handle it. It can go much faster if you keep up with the process and are ready.

Not at all. Even if they are a friend or family member, you can’t use their code. You need to make sure that the name on your Commercial Invoice and the Customer Code that is listed under your name matches the name on your License.

This is a more general term for a group of different permits needed for doing business across foreign borders. A permit from the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) is needed to bring certain things into or out of a country. There is a big difference between the types of licenses and permits and the government agencies that give them out. Because of this, you need an ITAC permit to bring controlled goods into or out of the country.

Check out the most recent list of things that need an ITAC permit to know what’s going on in the world. Also, click on this page to get the most up-to-date rules on exports.

Making sure you know the rules for importing and exporting is important before you start.

Here are some examples. Most of the time, you need an ITAC pass to enter or leave the country with used items. Importing things like minerals (Sugilite) and jewels (Tiger’s Eye) is always limited and sometimes not allowed at all. The same goes for industrial resources and raw materials, such as scrap metal, used cars, and thrash metal and non-metal.

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) made an Advance Payment Notification (APN) a legal condition so that they can keep an eye on advance foreign exchange payments.

You can use eFiling to ask for an APN Number at any time, as long as your payment and shipment meet the following requirements:

  • If the payment is more than R50000.
  • If the goods haven’t been cleared by customs yet.

Your transaction could be delayed or blocked if you don’t have an APN Number. This could make things more difficult for your business or personal funds than they need to be. Get professional help from us to get your APN accepted quickly and easily.

It is very important to always follow South Africa’s Customs rules. If you don’t, you could face higher costs to import and export, shipping delays, or even big fines.

The following steps need to be at the top of the list for South African businesses:

  • For imports and exports, make sure you have a current registration number.
  • To do business across borders, everyone who brings things into or out of a country needs a customs number.
    When you buy or export, you need to follow the rules.
  • To bring certain restricted or strategic things into South Africa, you need special permits.
  • Make sure that the things are put in the right category.
  • If things are misclassified, they might have to pay more in taxes or fines.

Click on this link to learn more about SARS imports/exports legislation.

Need some help getting an ITAC permit? We can help you get an ITAC permit to bring used goods into South Africa in 2 weeks.

Contact us today!

How can we help you?

It can be hard to figure out customs rules and how to lower tax rates. On the other hand, business partners make it easier in the following ways.

  • Customs Registration Services: These services help businesses get their customs registration number.
  • Our compliance experts can help businesses understand customs rules so they don’t get fined and actually save you money.
  • The main goal of import/export licensing is to help businesses get and keep their buyer and seller licenses.
  • Import and Export Shelf Companies: We can help you buy and register a shelf company that already has a customs number if it does.
  • A dedicated expert in import/export licenses will be there for you every step of the way.
  • The best thing is that you don’t have to come to our building to do anything; you can do it all online. Even though you are allowed to come in, you are not required to, to get it. Talk to us, your business partner, about what you need when it comes to imports/exports requirements.
Wondering how much is an import license speak to Company Partners now

Finally, businesses in South Africa can be more competitive if they get the right Import and Export License and use trade deals to cut costs. If you implement these guidelines smartly, it can help you get your business known in global markets and help it grow.

Here are some more helpful links:

Get Your Business Trade-Ready Today

Let us help you today to get your business ready to trade, whether you need a license to import or export, a trade agreement, or a permit!
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