The South African Revenue Service has notified traders, agents, and travellers across the Southern African Customs Union region that all foreign-registered motor vehicles entering South Africa will be required to complete a temporary importation declaration from 1 June 2026.
The directive, issued from the Office of the Head of Customs Land Modality and signed by Vonani Ntlhabyane, confirms that SACU-registered vehicles will no longer be exempt from the declaration obligation that applies to all other foreign vehicles. The requirement derives from Section 15 of the Customs and Excise Act, which mandates declaration of all goods, including vehicles, upon entry. SARS notes that the SACU Agreement does not exempt member states from compliance with South African national legislation on import controls.
Until now, SACU-registered vehicles had been temporarily exempted owing to operational constraints at border posts. SARS says that the introduction of improved systems has resolved those constraints and made uniform enforcement feasible.
Previously, SACU-registered vehicles were temporarily exempted from this requirement due to operational challenges at border posts. With the introduction of improved systems, these challenges have been addressed.
Central to the new regime is the Travel Management System, known as TMS, which enables travellers to submit customs declarations electronically before reaching the border. The system allows for preliminary processing, verification, and conditional approval in advance of arrival, which SARS says will significantly reduce congestion and accelerate the movement of travellers at all border crossings. Alongside TMS, SARS has introduced the Moabi app as a pre-declaration tool available to travellers.
Information on TMS registration, submission guidelines, and technical support is available at the SARS website at sars.gov.za/travellerdeclaration. SARS has also indicated that officials will be stationed at border posts to assist travellers during the transition period.
North West and Limpopo borders: Ms Memory Ndou — mndou1@sars.gov.za — 071 883 3457
Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal borders: Ms Rachel Sinthumule — rsinthumule@sars.gov.za — 083 577 2888
Free State and Northern Cape borders: Mr Isaac Tau — itau1@sars.gov.za — 082 447 3560
SARS has asked traders, clearing agents, tour operators, and all other stakeholders to communicate the new requirement to their clients and networks ahead of the 1 June enforcement date.
The move has direct implications for Lesotho nationals and businesses that routinely drive into South Africa, as well as for the significant number of SACU-registered vehicles that cross at Maseru Bridge, Caledonspoort, Qacha’s Nek, and other shared border posts. Travellers who fail to pre-declare through TMS or who arrive without completing the process on the Moabi app may face delays at the border.
SARS says it remains committed to stakeholder engagement and coordinated communication to ensure clarity, compliance, and minimal disruption to cross-border movement before the June deadline.
