All exporters need to register as such with the South African Revenue Services (SARS). In fact, you will actually register as an exporter with Customs and Excise; a division of SARS. The process is really not very difficult, but SARS/Customs and Excise have unfortunately managed to complicate the process with the use of a multitude of interconnected forms that you need to complete for different requirements, combined with the use of a somewhat confusing numbering system, and a website that does not make the process any easier.

ExportHelp will try and make this process easier for you to follow. Really there are six different registration options:

1. You want to register as a general exporter and do not plan to take advantage of any of the trade agreements that South Africa has in place.
2. You want to register as an exporter under the AGOA (African Growth and Opportunity Act) trade agreement
3. You want to register as an exporter of GSP (General System of Preferences) goods to the following countries; the European Community, Norway, Switzerland, Russia and Turkey
4. You want to register as an approved exporter in terms of the TDCA (Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement) that exists between the European Community (EC) and South Africa
5. You want to register as an approved exporter in terms of the SACU/EFTA (South African Customs Union/European Free Trade Agreement) trade agreement
6. You want to register as an exporter in terms of the SADC (Southern African Development Community) trade agreement

To learn more about each of these above-mentioned alternatives, click on the link in question.

Do it alone or get someone to help you?

The process of registering as an exporter should be a simple task, but with Customs and Excise making it so difficult, I actually recommend that you make use of a customs consultant to assist you with customs registration and other customs and tariff matters. The following are individuals who you can contact in this regard:

• Mr Riaan de Lange – Tariff and Trade Intelligence – 082 8237097
• Mr Eugene Marais – Ginamar – 012 6614771
• Mr Keith Andrew – Keith Andrew Customs Coaching and Consulting – 011 8278198
• Mr Andre Potgieter – J&A Customs Consulting (no website yet) – 012 7345608
• Mr Leon Marais – N.C. Customs Consultants – 076 6271100

You may also want to try the following customs brokers

• ZA Trans
• Customs Liaison Services
• Customs Services
• Aviocean

Exporter registration alternatives

1. General registration as an exporter

If you intend to export goods even only occasionally or once off, you will need to register as an exporter. Individuals, sole proprietors, companies, closed corporations and trusts can all register as exporters. When you register, you will be issued with a customs client number and an exporter registration number.

If you simply want to register as an exporter then you need to complete two forms. These two forms are:

1. Form DA 185 – Application Form for Registration Licensing of Customs and Excise Clients
2. Form DA 185.4A2 – Registration Client Type 4A2 – Exporter (this is an annexure to form DA 185 and UNLESS you plan to register for one of the trade agreements mentioned below, you can ignore Sections A, B and C of this form)

• Completing these forms
• Form DA 185
• Form DA 185.4A2 (ignore sections A, B and C)

2. Registration as an exporter in terms of the AGOA trade agreement

If you wish to take advantage of the provisions of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) enacted by the US Government to allow more than 1800 tariff line items duty-free access into the USA from certain sub-Saharan countries including South Africa, then you will need to complete the following documents:

• Form DA 185 – Application Form for Registration Licensing of Customs and Excise Clients
• Form DA 185.4A2 – Registration Client Type 4A2 – Exporter (this is an annexure to form DA 185)
• Form DA 46A1.02 – Exporter’s Application for Registration for the Purposes of the AGOA (this is Section A of form DA 185.4A2 mentioned above – you need not complete Sections B & C of form DA 185.4A2)
• Form DA 185.4A4 – Registration Client Type 4A4 – Manufacturer (this is also an annexure to form DA185, but is available as a separate document and only needs to be completed if you are a manufacturer and your products are being exported directly or indirectly to the US under the AGOA agreement)
• Form DA 46A1.03 – Manufacturer’s Application for Registration for the Purposes of the AGOA (this is Section A of form DA 185.4A4 and only needs to be completed if you are a manufacturer and plan to export to the US under the AGOA agreement)

• What is the AGOA trade agreement all about?
• More information about the AGOA trade agreement
• Completing these forms
• Form DA 185
• Form DA 185.4A2 (incorporates form DA 46A1.02 – section A)
• Form DA 185.4A4 (incorporates form DA 46A1.03 – section A)

  3. I want to register as an exporter of GSP goods

  If you plan to export to a country that offers South Africa General System of Preferences benefits, then you will need to complete the following forms:

  • Form DA 185 – Application Form for Registration Licensing of Customs and Excise Clients
  • Form DA 185.4A2 – Registration Client Type 4A2 – Exporter (this is an annexure to form DA 185)
  • Form DA
• What are the GSP agreements all about?
• More information about the GSP agreements
• Completing these forms
• Form DA 185
• Form DA 185.4A2 (incorporates form

  4. I want to register as an approved exporter in terms of the TDCA trade agreement

  If you wish to export to the European Community (EC – also referred to as the European Union) in terms of the Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement (TDCA) that the EC member states have in place with South Africa, then you will need to register as an ‘approved exporter’. To this end, you will need to complete the following documents:

  • Form DA 185 – Application Form for Registration Licensing of Customs and Excise Clients
  • Form DA 185.4A2 – Registration Client Type 4A2 – Exporter (this is an annexure to form DA 185)
  • Form DA 49A.02 – Application for Approved Exporter Status (this is Section B of form DA185.4A2)
• What is the TDCA trade agreement all about?
• More information about the TDCA trade agreement
• Completing these forms
• Form DA 185
• Form DA 185.4A2 (incorporates form DA 49A.02 – section B)

  5. I want to register as an approved exporter in terms of the SACU/EFTA trade agreement

  If you wish to export to any of the European Free Trade Agreement (EFTA) member states in terms of the Southern African Customs Union SACU/EFTA trade agreement, then you will need to register as an ‘approved exporter’. To this end, you will need to complete the following documents:

  • Form DA 185 – Application Form for Registration Licensing of Customs and Excise Clients
  • Form DA 185.4A2 – Registration Client Type 4A2 – Exporter (this is an annexure to form DA 185)
  • Form DA 49A.02 – Application for Approved Exporter Status (this is Section B of form DA185.4A2)
• What is the SACU/EFTA trade agreement all about?
• More information about the SACU/EFTA trade agreement
• Completing these forms
• Form DA 185
• Form DA 185.4A2 (incorporates form DA 49A.02 – section B)

  6. I want to register as an exporter in terms of the SADC trade agreement

  If you wish to export to any of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states, then you will need complete the following documents:

  • Form DA 185 – Application Form for Registration Licensing of Customs and Excise Clients
  • Form DA 185.4A2 – Registration Client Type 4A2 – Exporter (this is an annexure to form DA 185)
• What is the SADC trade agreement all about?
• More information about the SADC trade agreement
• Completing these forms
• Form DA 185
• Form DA 185.4A2