Exporting goods from South Africa means clearing your shipment with SARS, presenting the correct documents, and handing the consignment to a courier or freight forwarder that can move it to your buyer abroad. In practice it comes down to eight steps: check whether your goods need a permit, register as an exporter with SARS, classify the goods under the correct HS code, prepare your documents, choose how the goods travel, lodge the SARS declaration, keep your proof of export, and track the shipment to delivery. This guide walks through each step for 2026, with the documents and regulations laid out so you can ship with confidence.
JLog is a Cape Town-based 3PL and logistics company that exports daily through direct FedEx and DHL accounts, and handles sea and air freight. We are the official carrier for the Investec Cape Town Art Fair and handle everything from commercial e-commerce consignments to high-value, fragile goods.
At its simplest, a compliant export needs three things to line up: a registered exporter, a correct customs declaration, and the right transport document. Get those right and the freight itself is routine. Most shipments that are held at the border are held because of a paperwork error — a missing customs code, an under-described invoice, or a declaration that does not match the goods — not because of the transport.
The full process from booking to handoff follows the eight steps below. You can run it yourself, or hand the customs and documentation side to a broker so you only deal with the goods.
The core rule is simple: to export commercially you must be registered with SARS as an exporter, and every shipment must be declared to SARS before it leaves the country. Beyond that, certain goods are controlled and need a permit, and some destinations need extra certificates to qualify for lower duties.
The bodies you may deal with are:
Prohibited and restricted goods exist for good reason, and shipping controlled goods without the right permit is the fastest way to have a consignment seized. If you are unsure whether your product is controlled, confirm it before you book. New exporters can read our step-by-step guide to the SARS exporter’s code and registration, or have JLog handle the registration for you.
Most everyday commercial goods do not need a permit — but controlled goods do. Before booking, check whether your goods fall into a controlled category. The most common are:
To export commercially you need a SARS customs client number (your exporter’s code), which links you to every declaration you make. To register you will need a valid CIPC company registration (or an identity document if you trade as an individual), a SARS income tax number, and proof of address and banking details. Registration is done through the SARS Registration, Licensing and Accreditation (RLA) system on eFiling, or at a SARS Customs branch.
Once issued, the customs code appears on every bill of entry. The full requirements and the common reasons applications are rejected are covered in our exporter’s code guide.
Every shipment must be declared under the correct Harmonised System (HS) tariff code — an internationally standardised number, administered by the World Customs Organization, that identifies exactly what you are shipping. In South Africa, SARS uses an 8-digit version of this code. The HS code determines export controls, feeds trade statistics, and decides whether your buyer can claim a preferential duty rate in the destination country.
Use the SARS tariff schedule, or look up your product in JLog’s HS code database, to find the correct 8-digit code before you prepare your documents. Getting the code right at this stage prevents declaration corrections and delays later.
Every shipment needs a commercial invoice, a packing list and a SARS declaration; most also need a transport document, and some need a certificate of origin or a permit. The table below sets out each document, what it is, who issues it, and when you need it.
| Document | What it is | Who issues it | When you need it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Declares the value, description and terms of sale of the goods for customs. | You (the exporter) | All shipments |
| Packing list | Itemises the contents, weight and dimensions of each package. | You (the exporter) | All shipments |
| Exporter’s customs code | The SARS customs client number that ties you to every declaration. | SARS (via the RLA system) | Before your first commercial shipment — how to register |
| SAD 500 (export bill of entry) | The official SARS declaration for the shipment. | Your customs broker | All commercial shipments — documents checklist |
| Bill of lading / air waybill | The transport contract and receipt issued by the carrier (sea = bill of lading, air = air waybill). | Courier / freight forwarder | All shipments |
| Certificate of origin | Proves where the goods were manufactured. | Chamber of commerce / SARS | When the buyer or destination customs requires it |
| EUR.1 movement certificate | Lets qualifying South African goods enter the EU, EFTA or UK at preferential (reduced) duty under trade agreements. | SARS (issued on a stamped application) | EU/UK shipments claiming trade-agreement rates — about the EUR.1 |
| Export permit | Authorisation to ship controlled or restricted goods. | Relevant authority (ITAC, DALRRD, NCACC, etc.) | Only for controlled goods |
JLog can prepare and check this paperwork for you as part of a booking — see our full export documentation guide for templates and worked examples.
Match the transport mode to the goods: courier or air freight for time-sensitive and high-value consignments, sea freight for large or heavy volumes where cost matters more than speed.
Shipping from Cape Town: The Port of Cape Town — the closest major port to Europe and the east coast of the Americas — is served by MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd, with direct connections to Rotterdam, Hamburg, Southampton, New York and Dubai. Typical sea freight transit times from Cape Town: Europe 14–18 days, UK 14–16 days, US east coast 18–22 days. Cape Town International Airport carries air freight via FedEx, DHL and UPS cargo hubs (plus belly cargo on passenger aircraft), with transit to major European cities in 1–3 days air.
For fragile, high-value and irregular items — fine art, designer furniture, ceramics and décor — the right packing matters as much as the carrier. JLog has handled this work for clients including leading Cape Town galleries and designer furniture makers, with specialist crating where it is needed. Where timber crates are used, the wood is heat-treated to the ISPM-15 standard so it meets destination biosecurity requirements.
Your customs broker lodges the SAD 500 declaration with SARS before the goods leave South Africa, using your customs code and the HS code for the goods. SARS may select a shipment for a physical examination — this is a routine inspection and, for a correctly declared shipment, should not cause significant delay. Once SARS releases the consignment, it can be loaded for departure.
Once the goods have left South Africa, keep your proof of export — you need it for tax and VAT purposes. Direct exports are zero-rated for VAT, which means you charge 0% VAT on the sale but can still claim back the input VAT on your costs (Source: SARS, Value-Added Tax Act). South Africa’s standard VAT rate is 15%, so this is a real cash-flow benefit worth documenting properly.
The proof you should retain includes:
Track your shipment using the air waybill or bill of lading number from your carrier. JLog clients follow every shipment in real time at app.jlog.co.za — including customs status, carrier updates and proof of delivery — so you always know where the consignment is.
Prefer to hand the whole thing over? Our export service handles collection, crating, SARS export clearance and international freight end to end — one team from quote to delivery.
JLog runs the whole export for you: exporter registration and customs codes, document preparation, the SARS declaration, packing and crating where needed, and the international leg through FedEx, DHL, air and sea freight — all tracked on one platform.
As Gerrit Dyman, Managing Director of JLog, puts it: “The exporters who never have a shipment held are the ones who get the paperwork right before the goods leave the warehouse — the customs code, the invoice and the declaration. The freight is the easy part.” That is exactly the part JLog takes off your plate.
You can also read more about our broader import and freight services, or speak to our customs team about customs clearance.
Get an export quote — or contact us on +27 21 300 6099 or [email protected].
Do I need to register with SARS to export from South Africa?
Yes. To export commercially you must be registered with SARS and hold a customs client number (your exporter’s code), which appears on every declaration.
What documents do I need to export goods from South Africa?
At minimum a commercial invoice, a packing list and a SARS declaration (SAD 500). Most shipments also need a transport document (bill of lading or air waybill), and some need a certificate of origin, an EUR.1 certificate, or a permit.
Is VAT charged on exports from South Africa?
Direct exports are zero-rated, so you charge 0% VAT on the sale while still claiming input VAT on your costs, provided you keep valid proof of export. South Africa’s standard VAT rate is 15%.
Do I need an export permit?
Only for controlled goods — for example certain agricultural products, strategic goods, scrap metal and some heritage items. Most everyday commercial goods do not need one.
How long does exporting take?
Courier and air freight typically reach major markets in 3–7 business days once declared; sea freight runs 3–6 weeks. Customs registration and document preparation are the steps to plan ahead for.
Last updated: June 2026 — Gerrit Dyman, Managing Director, JLog.