For more information on the new Registration, Licensing and Accreditation (RLA) system, click here.
What’s New ?
- 27 January 2021 – RLA WEBINAR FAQS NOVEMBER 2020
- 10 November 2020 – NCAP RLA Webinar Presentation to Trade
- 29 October 2020 – RLA FAQs
- 4 May 2020 – Various DA 185 / DA 8 forms were updated when the Rules to the Customs and Excise Act, 1964 were amended on 24 April 2020. This allowed for the electronic submission of applications for registration and licensing. Please click here for the amended forms.
- 17 April 2020 – Updated Letter to trade: Update on the new Registration, Licensing and Accreditation (RLA) system
- 20 March 2020 – Registration of Cargo reporter
This week SARS announced that it is taking measures to ensure the safety of its staff and clients, including encouraging social distancing and limiting the number of people visiting SARS offices. As a result, if Customs clients wish to register as a cargo reporter, instead of couriering their registration documents or handing them in at SARS head office in Pretoria, they are asked to scan them and mail them to NLegodi@sars.gov.za. For queries, you can call 012-422 8388.
Registration and licensing
Before goods can be imported or exported, a number of steps need to take place. If you want to perform any Customs related activities, SARS may require that you register in terms of Section 59A and / or get a license in terms of Section 60.
The person who must or may apply for registration and licensing:
Any natural person, juristic person, Association, partnership, Executor of an estate, Trustee, Organ of the State, Institution including foreign principals not located in South Africa may register and / or license to perform any act / activity regulated by the Act, except person who import or export goods in terms of the provisions of Rule 15.01.
The Commissioner may impose conditions that relate to:
- The protection of potential tax revenue on goods received, stored, handled, transported or in any way dealt with, managed or controlled by the licensee in terms of the licence;
- The inspection of such goods by Customs Officers;
- Assistance that the licensee must provide to Customs Officers to detained, seized or confiscated goods; or
- Compliance by the licensee with this Act or a tax levying Act in relation to such goods.
The Commissioner may also require an applicant to furnish security at any time, see Bonds external policy.
For all the info you need in order to get registered, licenced and accredited, see the Quick Links:
- Accreditation for Preferred Traders
- Authorised Economic Operator Programme
- APDP
- Clearing Agents
- Customs Storage Warehouse
- Deferments
- Depots
- Drawback Registration
- EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)
- Exporters
- Importers
- Preferred Trader and Authorised Economic Operator Programme landing page
- Rebate Users
- Registered Agents
- Remover of Goods
- Special Economic Zones
Need help with Registration and Licensing applications?
The DA 185 – Application form – Registration and licensing of Customs and Excise Clients – External Form, the relevant annexes and the supporting documents listed in the application form must be submitted to the nearest Customs office for processing. For more information on the required supporting documents, see Legal Entity – External Standard. The applicant or the applicant’s representative (Public Officer) as per the application form must also provide his / her ID book, proof of address and contact details to the Branch Front End agent. Other application forms (e.g. DA 64G.01; SC-CF-05-A23) must be submitted or forwarded to:
- Alberton Office
49 New Quay road
New Redruth
Alberton - Pretoria CBD Office
C/o Schoeman and Van Der Walt streets
SARS Main building
Pretoria - For enquiries please forward an email to the following email address, for:
- Application submitted via RLA (RLARegistration@sars.gov.za); or
- Application submitted manually to a Customs Branch Office (CustomsSSMReg@sars.gov.za)
Where are the registration and licensing forms available?
Application forms are available on this website or from any Customs office.
Where do you send the forms?
Application forms must be sent to the nearest Customs office.
How long is the registration valid?
The registration validity period is indefinite. For licensing you can refer to Schedule No 8.
What is the cost of registration?
No cost.
How long does it take for approval?
For Customs registrations, we will process and finalise the application within 5 business days, where no inspection is required. Where an inspection is required, we will process and finalise the application within 21 business days.
To access this page in different languages click on the links below:
Related Documents
ASPOA – Authority on Special Power of Attorney by Tax Practitioner – External Form
DA 133 – Return in respect of Spirits – External Form
DA 185.4A11 – Registration Client Type 4A11 – SEZ and or designation of a CCA – External Form
DA 185.4A12 – Registration Client Type 4A12 – Electricity producer – External Form
DA 185.4A14 – Registration Client Type 4A14 – Registered still – External Form
DA 185.4A16 – Client Type 4A16 – Non-commercial manufacturer of sugary beverages – External Form
DA 185.4A17 – Registration Client Type 4A17 – Tobacco Leaf Dealer – External Form
DA 185.4A3 – Registration Client Type 4A3 – Rebate user – External Form
DA 185.4A4 – Registration Client Type 4A4 – Manufacturer – External Form
DA 185.4A5 – Registration Client Type 4A5 – Manufacturing warehouse (APDP) – External Form
DA 185.4A6 – Registration Client Type 4A6 – Electronic user – External Form
DA 185.4A7 – Registration Client Type 4A7 – Producer – External (Form)
DA 185.4A9 – Registration Client Type 4A9 – Non-commercial manufacturer of biofuel – External Form
DA 185.4B1 – Licensing Client Type 4B1 – Special manufacturing warehouse – External Form
DA 185.4B12 – Licensing Client Type 4B12 – To own, possess or keep stills – External Form
DA 185.4B14 – Licensing Client Type 4B14 – Degrouping depot – External Form
DA 185.4B15 – Licensing Client Type 4B15 – Searcher of or searching for wreck – External Form
DA 185.4B16 – Licensing Client Type 4B16 – Container depot – External Form
DA 185.4B2 – Licensing Client Type 4B2 – Manufacturing warehouse – External Form
DA 185.4B9 – Licensing Client Type 4B9 – Storage warehouse – External Form
DA 185.C – Security particulars – External Form
DA 199 01 – Calculation Of The Value ito Note 29 To Rebate 317 04 – External Form
DA 1A – Cargo Declaration – External Form
DA 1B – Account for fish received into Exports Storage Warehouse – External Form
DA199 – Customs Account for The Purpose of Rebate Item 317
DA199.02 – VAA on Produced Vehicles for Sale This Quarter – External Account
DA199.02A – DFA Allocated to Vehicles on Production Exported This Quarter – External Account
DA199.03 – VAA Used This Quarter Excess Carried Forward to Next Quarter – External Account
DA199.04A -VAA iro Vehicles Produced and Ready for SACU Market This Quarter – External Account
DA199.04B – VAA iro Vehicles Produced and Exported Outside SACU – External Account
DA199.06A – Value of PRCCs Utilised This Quarter – External Account
DA199.06B – The Value of IRCCs Utilised This Quarter – External Account
DA199.10 – Customs Duty Value and Additional VAT on Imported OECs – External Account
DA199.12 – Value of Imported OECs Cleared Und Processing For Home Use Code – External Account
DA199.14 – OECs Used In Manufacture of OECs Exported This Quarter – External Account
DA199.15 – OEC Returned To Overseas Supplier This Quarter – External Account
DA199.16 -OECs Transferred To Parts And Accessories This Quarter – External Account
DA199.17 – Imported OECs Used In Manufacture Of Vehicles exported This Quarter – External Account
DA199.18 – Imported OECs Destroyed Under Customs Supervision This Quarter – External Account
DA199.20 – OECs Destroyed Under Customs Supervision This Quarter – External Account
DA199.24 – OECs From SACU Destroyed Under Customs Supervision – External Account
DA199A – Amended APDP Account – External Form
ECS-LER-03 – Legal Entity – External Standard
SC-CF-04 – Completion of declarations – External Manual
SC-CF-10 – Dangerous Goods – External Policy
SC-CF-19 – Registration Licensing and Designation – External Policy
SC-CF-23 – Completion of DA 185 and DA 186 – External Manual
SC-CF-26 – Application to Submit Cargo Reports – External Manual
SC-IT-03 – RLA Customs Trader Portal – External User Manual
SC-IT-16 – Relationship Management – External User Manual
SC-PA-01-11 – Traveller Processing – External Policy
SPPOA – Special Power of Attorney – External Form
TPPOA – Special Power of Attorney to Tax Practitioner – External Form