What is a Customs?
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting tariffs and for controlling the flow of goods, including animals, transports, personal effects, and hazardous items, into and out of a country.
Customs Offices In South Africa
SARS: Customs & LBC Offices
Address: 22 Hans Strijdom Ave, Central, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
Hours: Open ⋅ Closes 4 pm
Phone: +27 21 413 5000
Customs And Excise
Address: Bay Terrace, South Beach, Durban, 4001, South Africa
Hours: Open ⋅ Closes 4 pm
Phone: +27 31 367 6214
Customs House Building
Address: Heerengracht St, Foreshore, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
Hours: Open ⋅ Closes 4 pm
Phone: +27 21 402 2160
SARS (Customs – International Mail)
Address: W P Park, Cape Town, 7460, South Africa
Hours: Open ⋅ Closes 3 pm
Phone: +27 21 590 5717
What to do if parcel is held at customs South Africa?
In the event the goods or parcels have been stopped or detained, SAPO informs the sender or recipient of the outcome of the inspection as well as the conditions or terms that must be met. In some cases a full clearance is needed for more information, you can go to on either import or export.
How does customs clearance work in South Africa?
The Customs officer will assess your goods to determine the value, the duties and VAT payable, and whether or not the goods fall within your duty-free allowance limits.
Similarly, certain restrictions exist when leaving South Africa. See our article on duty-free shopping for more.
How long does a parcel take to clear customs in South Africa?
The estimated time for exported and imported goods to clear South African customs can range from a few minutes to about five days. These are only rough averages and, as mentioned, these times can be impacted by a variety of factors that might slow the customs process down.
Does customs open packages in South Africa?
Customs has a right to open parcels and inspect them in detail. As you can imagine, this may compromise the appearance of the gift and damage gift wrap.
Customs does not normally open every parcel; these checks are rather random; however, their frequency increases when the declared gift value is over $100 USD.