How to Sell in South Africa as a Foreign Supplier: SARS, NRCS and Getting Started

Foreign suppliers who want to sell in South Africa as a foreign company work with two authorities. The South African Revenue Service (SARS) controls customs: who may import, how goods are declared and how duty and VAT are collected. The National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) decides whether certain regulated products may be sold at all, through compulsory specifications and Letters of Authority (LOAs). This guide explains how both work in plain terms, based on the official SARS and NRCS pages we checked in October 2026. Rules, lists and forms change, so confirm every detail with SARS, the NRCS or a licensed clearing agent before you ship.

Can a foreign company import into South Africa?

Yes, but with conditions. SARS says anyone, local or foreign, who imports goods into South Africa must register as an importer. A foreign individual or company must nominate a South African registered agent before it can be registered, using form DA 185 D. If no agent represents the foreign applicant, SARS says the application is suspended until one is approved, and the agent takes full liability for the foreign principal's customs business. A foreign company must also supply a certified copy of its founding document or an equivalent incorporation certificate from its home country.

Applications go through SARS eFiling. Supporting documents on SARS's list include proof of address, certified identity and company registration documents, SARS letters confirming tax registrations, proof of bank details, and a resolution or authority where applicable. SARS says registration does not require security up front, but Customs may impose one based on risk. Many foreign suppliers avoid doing this themselves and sell to a South African importer who is already registered and who works with a clearing agent. Our overview of South Africa as a sourcing gateway explains the market from the buyer side.

SARS customs: declarations, duty and VAT

SARS says clearance includes assessing and collecting duty and VAT, with customs value following the GATT valuation code. The SARS page we read gives no rates, so we do not quote any here. The rate depends on the tariff heading of your product, and your importer or agent should confirm it.

The importer or agent must make due entry within a deadline that starts when the goods land in South Africa: 7 days generally, 14 days for loose or break-bulk sea, air or rail cargo, and 28 days for goods in a container depot. If the deadline is missed, SARS says goods may be removed and detained in a State Warehouse. Clearance checks the declaration against supporting documents such as the invoice, bill of lading, certificate of origin and permits. Restricted goods need an import permit issued by ITAC, and other government departments can detain goods to check compliance with their own rules, which is where the NRCS comes in. SARS also publishes a Prohibited and Restricted Imports and Exports list; the version we saw is dated 26 February 2025, so check for a newer one.

NRCS compulsory specifications and Letters of Authority

The NRCS administers compulsory specifications, abbreviated VCs, which protect health, safety and the environment. On its electrotechnical page it states that the relevant VC, not the tariff or HS code, is the reference for whether a product must comply. Electrical and electronic products in scope include household appliances, power tools, ICT and audio-visual equipment, lighting, and parts such as plugs, adaptors and switches. The NRCS has other divisions with their own rules, for example for automotive products, so check the page for your category.

For electrotechnical products, the NRCS says:

• Each model or family within a VC's scope needs regulator approval, an LOA, before it enters the South African market. A product covered by both safety and energy efficiency requirements needs two LOAs.
• LOAs are valid for three years and can be renewed before expiry.
• Applications are made online. Evidence typically includes a full safety test report from an accredited, internationally recognised laboratory, not older than 36 months.
• Applications are processed within 120 calendar days, so plan production and shipping around that.
• The applicant must be an existing legal entity in South Africa, and an LOA cannot be sold, traded or ceded to anyone other than the listed applicant, so each importer must obtain its own.
• All importers and manufacturers of regulated products must register with the NRCS, and levies are payable on regulated products as gazetted.

The practical consequence for a foreign manufacturer: you generally cannot just ship regulated goods and hope. You need a South African entity that applies for the LOA, test reports that meet the NRCS's rules, and enough lead time.

Choosing a route to market

There are three common routes: sell to an established South African importer or distributor that holds the LOA and customs registration; appoint a South African partner to apply for the LOA and register as your agent; or sell to a limited set of resellers who each import small volumes. Agree who pays for testing, who owns the LOA application, who is the SARS registered agent, and who books the clearing agent. Quote with a clear Incoterm: see our Incoterms guide, and use landed cost to check your delivered price.

How Comilmart fits in

Comilmart is a marketplace for reaching African buyers. Foreign sellers can register for free and list products for buyers in South Africa and across the continent. You ship the goods yourself: Comilmart does not handle freight, customs clearance, import duties or delivery, and does not guarantee orders. You can display minimum order quantities and tiered pricing, offer sample orders, respond to requests for quotation and chat with buyers. Verified supplier checks (KYS) are optional but make a new supplier easier to trust. Buyers get buyer protection, with payment held until delivery is confirmed and a seven-day window to report issues. Read how buyer protection works to see the buyer's side.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a South African company to import into South Africa? SARS says a foreign company must nominate a South African registered agent to be registered as an importer. For NRCS electrotechnical LOAs, the applicant must be an existing legal entity in South Africa.

What is an NRCS Letter of Authority? It is the NRCS approval for a regulated product model to enter the South African market. For electrotechnical products it is valid for three years and processed within 120 calendar days.

How long do I have to clear goods? SARS gives 7, 14 or 28 days for due entry depending on how the goods arrive, counted from landing.

Does Comilmart clear goods through SARS for me? No. You ship the goods and your South African buyer or their agent handles customs.

Getting started

Find out if your product falls under a compulsory specification, identify a South African importer or agent, and ask a clearing agent for the duty and VAT for your tariff heading. Then create a free Comilmart account and list your products with MOQs and price tiers, and look at how B2B listings are laid out for buyers. Official pages used: SARS importer registration, SARS imports, NRCS electrotechnical overview and the SARS prohibited and restricted list notice.