Customs agent licensing in Tanzania

Who licenses customs agents in Tanzania

Applications to act as a clearing agent for importers go to the TRA Commissioner for Customs and Excise ¹. TRA cites the East African Community Customs Management Act, 2004 as the basis for licensing ².

Tanzania's entry in the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement database says importers are not required to use clearing and forwarding agents. It says use of agents is highly recommended and refers to sections 145 to 148 of the Act ⁹.

Requirements for new applicants

TRA lists these conditions for new customs agent applicants ¹. Shortlisted applicants are contacted through TANCIS and by public notice for a written interview ¹.

• A company password obtained with form F-ITD-067-B, and Form C.20 signed by a director ¹.
• A non-refundable application fee of US$50 ¹.
• At least two clearance employees with a customs management diploma or certificate, or at least five years of customs experience ¹.
• An interviewee who is a director or permanent staff member and holds the East African Customs Clearing and Freight Forwarding Practicing Certificate ¹.
• A sworn declaration covering directors' histories, no TRA employees among directors or shareholders, service 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, and no shipping agency business at mainland sea or inland waterway ports ¹.
• TIN certificates, a tax clearance certificate, incorporation documents, certified IDs, photographs, guarantor letters, a BRELA letter on directors and shareholders and a lease or title deed for an office able to connect to TANCIS ¹.

Fees, bond and validity

The two TRA pages give different validity rules. The clearing and forwarding agents page says all licences are valid for a calendar year, 1 January to 31 December ². The customs licensing page says licences are valid for 12 months from issuance under the East African Community Customs Management Act, 2023 ¹. Neither page shows a date.

Renewal

TRA lists these renewal requirements ^1,2.

• A non-refundable US$50 application fee ¹.
• A TASAC certificate of registration for clearing and forwarding ¹.
• Proof of membership of a recognised clearing and forwarding association ¹.
• A valid licence from the preceding year ¹.
• Letters from guarantors confirming renewal of bond securities ².
• No outstanding customs matters such as audit queries, unpaid TANSADs or unresolved transit transactions ¹.

TANCIS

TANCIS is the Tanzania Customs Integrated System, a web-based platform that succeeded ASYCUDA++, which Tanzania used from 2005 ³. TRA says the earlier system could no longer support the needs of customs and business as transit and import volumes rose ⁴.

The World Customs Organization reported on 13 February 2017 that TANCIS had been in use since 2014. It said TRA was implementing an Electronic Single Window System through TANCIS ⁵.

As reported by Rosemary Mirondo in The Citizen on 4 March 2025, clearing agents said the newly introduced TANCIS had inefficiencies causing cargo delays. TRA taxpayer services and education director Richard Kayombo said the system was operating well ⁶.

TAFFA's role

The Tanzania Freight Forwarders Association (TAFFA) is a member of FEAFFA. The Zanzibar Freight Forwarders Bureau is a separate FEAFFA member ⁷.

A 2015 evaluation for TradeMark East Africa names TAFFA as the national association for the practising certificate programme in Tanzania. It names the Institute of Tax Administration as the revenue authority training institute there ⁸.

TRA renewal rules require proof of membership of a recognised clearing and forwarding association. The TRA page does not name the association ¹.