Tanzania Customs Regulations 2026

Travellers entering Tanzania may bring the following items without paying customs duty:

Items exceeding these allowances are subject to customs duty. Duty rates vary by item category, typically 0-25% for most consumer goods.

The following items are strictly prohibited and will be confiscated with potential criminal prosecution:

Plastic Bag Ban: Tanzania banned single-use plastic bags in June 2019. Do NOT bring plastic carrier bags into the country. Zip-lock bags for toiletries are generally tolerated for personal use, but regular shopping bags will be confiscated at the border. Use cloth, paper, or reusable bags instead.

Tanzania has specific rules regarding the import and export of currency:

• Declaration Threshold: You must declare any amount of foreign currency exceeding USD $10,000 (or equivalent) when entering or leaving Tanzania
• Tanzanian Shillings: Import and export of Tanzanian Shillings is limited to TSh 500,000 (approximately $200)
• Foreign Currency: No limit on the amount of foreign currency you can bring in, but amounts over $10,000 must be declared
• Declaration Form: Complete the currency declaration section on your customs form honestly
• Penalties: Failure to declare currency over the threshold can result in seizure of funds and criminal prosecution

When departing Tanzania, you may export foreign currency up to the amount you declared on arrival (minus legitimate expenses). Keep your declaration form and exchange receipts as proof.

All travellers entering Tanzania must complete a customs declaration form. Here is what to expect:

Information Required

• Full name and passport details
• Flight/vessel number and country of departure
• Purpose of visit
• Accommodation address in Tanzania
• List of goods being brought in (especially those exceeding duty-free limits)
• Currency declaration (amounts of foreign currency and Tanzanian Shillings)
• Declaration of any restricted items

Process

• Forms are distributed on the aircraft before landing or available at the airport
• Complete the form in English or Swahili
• Present the form along with your passport and visa at the customs desk after collecting your luggage
• If you have nothing to declare, proceed through the green channel. If declaring goods, use the red channel.
• Random inspections may occur in either channel

Tanzania applies customs duties based on the East African Community Common External Tariff (EAC-CET):

In addition to customs duty, imported goods may be subject to VAT (18%), excise duty (varies), and other levies. The total tax can be 40-80% on some items.

TANCIS (Tanzania Customs Integrated System) is the electronic platform used by the Tanzania Revenue Authority for all customs operations:

• Purpose: Manages customs declarations, duty assessments, payments, and clearance electronically
• Who Uses It: Primarily customs brokers, importers, and exporters. Regular travellers interact with it indirectly through the customs declaration process.
• For Business: If you are importing commercial goods into Tanzania, your customs broker will use TANCIS to submit the Import Declaration Form (IDF), pay duties, and obtain clearance
• Access: Available at tancis.tra.go.tz
• Benefits: Faster clearance, reduced paperwork, transparent duty calculations, electronic payment

Major Airports

• Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) - Dar es Salaam. Main international gateway. Full customs facilities with green/red channels.
• Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) - Between Arusha and Moshi. Gateway for Kilimanjaro and safari tourism.
• Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) - Zanzibar. Separate customs on arrival.

Major Land Border Crossings

• Namanga - Kenya border (busiest crossing, Arusha to Nairobi route)
• Holili/Taveta - Kenya border (alternative to Namanga)
• Horohoro/Lunga Lunga - Kenya border (coast route, Dar to Mombasa)
• Rusumo - Rwanda border
• Kobero - Burundi border
• Mutukula - Uganda border
• Songwe/Kaporo - Malawi border
• Unity Bridge/Negomano - Mozambique border
• Tunduma - Zambia border (TAZARA railway route)

Tanzania takes customs violations seriously. Penalties include:

• Undeclared Goods: Confiscation of goods plus fines up to twice the value of the goods
• Currency Violations: Seizure of undeclared currency, fines, and potential criminal prosecution
• Prohibited Items: Immediate confiscation, arrest, and criminal prosecution. Drug trafficking carries severe penalties including life imprisonment.
• Wildlife Products: Trafficking ivory or endangered species products carries penalties of 20-30 years imprisonment or fines of $200,000-$500,000 under the Wildlife Conservation Act
• Smuggling: Criminal prosecution with imprisonment and fines proportional to the value of smuggled goods