Customs Information
Egypt - Returning Citizen
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED 
- Original Bill of Lading or Express released / Seaway bill for sea freight
- Air Way Bill for airfreight “original (2) for consignee should be sent attached”.
- Original valid Passport with newly dated entry stamp with maximum 3 months old.
- Copy of client house purchase or rental contract in Egypt per customs request to proof that that client has residence in Egypt & house space can accommodate the volume of shipment.
- Typed Inventory (Egyptian Customs do not accept handwritten Inventories)
- Keys for car or any locked baggage, safes
- Authorization letters (SAMPLE in Arabic) to handle the shipment, locally issued in Egypt, and letter forms can be provided to client
- Power of Attorney prior to shipment booked for departure from origin if sea freight - used to obtain ACID number for clearance and to be listed on the BL.
CUSTOMS REGULATIONS
- NOTE: Customs Clearance is a long and difficult process therefore all regulations should be followed correctly to avoid delay in customs clearance process
- Household goods and personal effects are subject to 100% physical inspection by Egyptian customs authorities
- Egyptian Citizens have to pay full duties & taxes to import their used household goods, including consumables. All household shipments for Egyptian citizens are fully duty paid.
- All audio visual goods (tapes, video, books, DVD, CD ROMS, etc.) will be inspected, viewed, read by Customs and released no sooner than 3 weeks after import.
- Consignee must be present in the country upon customs clearance of his used household goods, while attendance in person during customs inspection is not required.
- All shipments, from private to half-diplomatic are subject to Customs inspection.
- Extra charges may be applied for the inspection of special items, including: alcohol, food, phones, paintings, etc.; check with agent for details.
- Inspection fees and taxes are paid by the owner of the goods.
- All private owners of the goods not having a letter of guarantee must pay duties and taxes in cash.
- The letter of guarantee states an amount of money corresponding to the amount of duties and taxes to be paid; these funds are placed into a bank account and released to the owner of the goods when moving out of Egypt; at that time, all items must be exported, otherwise taxes and fines will be paid on each missing item.
- The inventory must state the model, brand, size and content (e.g., Sony 40” television) for all electrical and electronic items.
- Instruction manuals must be attached to printers and fax machines.
- Wood packaging must be treated and stamped as per ISPM15 standards; Wooden crates in air or sea shipments must be fumigated.
- Advanced Cargo Identification Declaration (ACID) number - agent in country will provide
- For Egyptian consignee, newly dated entry stamp on passport of not older than 3 months along with copy of valid Egypt ID.
- As per new customs regulations effective on 11/11/2020, approx US$ 2000.00 to be paid for each required amendment on B/L – AWB per exact customs receipt.
- As per new regulations in Egypt, in order to obtain ACID number for sea freight shipment the destination agent should upload the POA on ACI system first – accordingly they will not be able to obtain ACID number unless they have the POA issued from the Notary in Egypt from clients.
- Incoming HHG & PE shipments may include no more than 150kg of clothes per shipment per year. Any quantity exceeding this limit is strictly prohibited.
MOTOR VEHICLES
- All motor vehicles for Egyptians are dutiable.
- Vehicle must be new.
- If the vehicle is used, the owner must be the first owner of the vehicle at the same year of production and other documentation will be needed for clearance. Please work with the destination agent to determine those documents.
- Current rules are subject to sudden change.
- Consignee must be the first owner/buyer of his imported vehicle
- Requirements are: Ownership certificate from Traffic Authority at country of origin (notarized by Egyptian Consulate/Embassy)
- For non-diplomats, taxes will range from 70% to 170 % CIF value (the value is assessed by the Customs officers).
ANIMALS & PETS
Animals and pets can be imported into Egypt by providing:
- Legalized health condition certificate. Legalization must be by Egyptian embassy at origin country.
- Vaccination certificate from a registered veterinarian.
- Original passport of pet.
- Original passport of owner and newly dated entry stamp
- Authorization letter, locally issued in Egypt. - if pet is travelling in with owner, no letter is required.
DUTIABLE ITEMS
- All household shipments for Egyptian citizens are duly duty paid.
- Updated duty & tax rates as of Jan 2009 are:
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Type: value+duty
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Duty % of value:
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Taxes % of:
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Vehicles: - as per CC: Duty + taxes range: 61% to 250 %. See below categories:
a) less than 1000 CC: 61%
b) from 1000 –to- 1599 CC: 67%
c) from 1600 –to- 1999 CC: 200%
d) from 2000 CC & over: 250%
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Electronics
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30 %
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25 %
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Furniture
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30 %
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10 %
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Computers
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Free
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10 %
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Books
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5 %
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Free
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Consumable
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30 %
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10 %
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Clothes (used) Free
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Free
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Free
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New clothes Duty & tax range:
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US$ 10 - 250.00 /each piece
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RESTRICTED ITEMS
- Incoming HHG & PE shipments may include no more than 150kg of clothes per shipment per year. Any quantity exceeding this limit is strictly prohibited.
- Video tapes, computer disks, cassette tapes, CD's, DVD's, Records, and slides are subject to censorship authority approval and are subject to confiscation in the event that they fall into the category of prohibited items listed below
- Printers ink-jet, scanners, fax machines, copiers, and satellite receivers require additional approval by the Ministry of Interior. The brand and model number of any such items must be included on the packing inventory. Inclusion of the owner manual for any such item will assist in clearance from the Ministry
- High value works of art, including carpets, statues and paintings,…etc. will be examined by a special committee for evaluation purposes & subject to committees inspection approvals after actual inspection of goods. This evaluation is time consuming and costly and will delay customs clearance process
- Carpets made in Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan & India
- Foods, medicine & cosmetics in small quantities (1 or max 2 bottle) to be examined by Health / Nutrition authorities & the Pharmaceutical authority
- Kitchenware to be approved from the Health Nutrition authority
- Kite surfing & any kind of water games to be examined by Civil Aviation
- The Holly Koran
PROHIBITED ITEMS
- Alcohol
- Cigarettes.
- Supplements (Amino).
- Antiques.
- All telephones (mobile, wireless, normal home phones)
- Pornographic Materials
- Perishable foods & honey.
- Drugs
- Firearms and weapons, ammunition, daggers and swords (even as decorative items)
- Any kind of Torture tools.
- Anti-Islamic religious materials
- Any kind of cutting machine & saw.
- Gold and silver (tableware permitted)
- All kind of coins (paper money or metal).
- Passports.
- Seeds
- Any kind of drones, airplanes with remote control with / without video cameras &UPS
- Motor Cycles of two stroke engine.
- Microscope, telescopes & binoculars.
- Any kinds of Maps or Globes
- GPS.
- Dangers goods (Chemical)
- Electronic water Pipe (Electronic Shisha)
- New/ Used medical equipment or machines
- Army clothes / Clothes looks like “Army clothes”
- High quantity of the same item i.e Cosmetics, medicines, shampoo, cream, spices, etc.
- Honey.
- Mummified animals / Real Elephant Tusk.
- Hair wigs / hair extension.
- 3D Printers