Customs Rebate Manufacturing Stores

Reduce your import duty and VAT costs with a Customs Rebate Manufacturing Store.

That’s right, reduce or completely rebate your import Customs duties by registering a Customs Rebate Manufacturing Store. You may never have to pay import duties again.

The requirements for managing a Rebate Manufacturing Store are not so difficult, provided you understand some basic criteria.

For example, you need to understand:

  1. How to qualify for a Rebate of duties
  2. What is required to manage a Rebate Store, and
  3. If there are any Permits required.

We specialise in identifying opportunities for Importers to qualify for Rebates of duty.

A Rebate Manufacturing Store is a Customs facility designed to “permanently rebate” the full or partial import duties.

In some cases, taxes (such as VAT) may also be “exempted” at time of importation. This would apply for companies who import, manufacture, and re-export goods.

The physical store must be owned and situated on the import manufacturers premises.

Once imported, the goods are stored in the Rebate Store. Thereafter they may be dispatched into production. The liability for duties (and taxes, if applicable) generally ends when manufacturing ends. In some cases, the liability for duties and taxes ends when goods become re-exported.

Goods may also be transferred between rebate stores when selling imported stock to third party manufacturers.

Outsourcing or subcontracting the manufacturing process is possible provided one obtains permission from SARS Customs.

Broadly speaking, there are two types of Rebate facilities available:

Industrial Rebates

These are designed for specific purposes for example, for local distribution of goods after manufacture. Goods may also be re-exported.

General Rebates

These are designed for a multitude of purposes and circumstances. Many of these require the imported goods to be manufactured and re-exported to qualify for a rebate of duties.

The physical store requirements are largely about good governance, for example:

  • Clean and tidy, no “stuff” lying around
  • Stock clearly marked
  • Stock packed well in proper bays
  • Provision for quarantine areas (i.e. broken or damaged stock)
  • Health and safety, fire hydrants and fire extinguishers
  • Security (i.e. armed response, CCTV), and so forth.

In some cases, a Rebate Facility requires a permit to be issued by ITAC before the commencement of production.

While some rebate provisions require a permit for specific products, most do not require a permit.

Goods may be stored in a Rebate Manufacturing Store for up to two years.

If one has not manufactured within this time frame, then one is compelled to bring duties and taxes to account.

Extensions of the two-year period are allowed, provided one applies in advance of the expiry date.

Please Contact us for advice or a quotation for a Customs Rebate Manufacturing Store.

We will help you with:

  1. Qualification of Import Goods for Rebate Purposes
  2. Application Process and the Customs Inspection
  3. Supporting Documents and Guidelines
  4. Permit Applications (if applicable).

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Customs Licensing – e-Filing Relationship Management

Did you know… SARS Customs intends to manage the Customs supply chain (in part) through e-Filing? Correct, they intend to do so via the “Relationship Management” portal on e-Filing.

  • What does this mean?
  • Why are they doing this?
  • How will it impact you?
  • When will it become enforced?

e-Filing “Relationship Management”

Firstly, lets understand the concept. “Relationship Management” on the SARS Customs e-Filing portal requires that all clients to become linked to the Clearing Agent.

Similarly, ‘clients’ of other Customs license types too will become linked on the e-Filing system, i.e. ‘clients’ of Bonded Warehouses, Removers of Goods in Bond, Customs Licensed Depots, and so forth.

As an importer or exporter of goods, you must be linked to all of your Logistics Service Providers on e-Filing.

Examples include:

  • Customs Clearing Agents
  • Bonded Warehouses
  • Removers of Goods in Bond
  • Customs Licensed Depots
  • And so forth.

Soon, you will not be allowed to trade with Customs if you are not linked to a Logistics Service Provider.

Similarly, Logistics Service Providers will not be allowed to trade through Customs if they are not linked to their clients.

The onus will be on the Logistics Service Provider to link or invite their clients.

‘Clients’ of Logistics Service Providers will need to accept the “linkage” invitation from the Logistics Service Provider. This is a pre-requisite for the link to become active.

Rational of Customs “Relationship Management”?

“A rotten apple in the Customs supply chain is likely to lead to another rotten apple in the same chain.”

In other words, a company linked to a dishonest entity may become suspected of being a dishonest role player. Therefore, Relationship management is a a risk management tool.

The concept of Customs supply chain Risk Management stems from Global Customs Supply Chain policy. Global policy instruments were developed as a result of the September 2011 attacks on the US. One policy instruments is the SAFE Framework of Standards. Another is the Revised Kyoto Convention. They contain a strong element of Customs supply chain security.

Global Customs policy is created by the World Customs Organisation and the World Trade Organisation, to mention a few.

Linked to this are the various Customs Accreditation models adopted around the world. Examples include:

  • PTA (Preferred Trader Accreditation) (South Africa)
  • AEO (Authorised Economic Operator) (Europe, Africa and now South Africa)
  • CTPAT (Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) (United States).

When will it become Enforced?

The first 100 Customs Clearing Agents were requested the start the process in 2022. Initially, the requirement to link will be a ‘soft’ approach requested by SARS. In time to come, one will become legally obligated to do so.

Migration and Linking is taking place in a staggered approach:

  • Firstly, Clearing Agents are being requested to migrate to the e-Filing platform
  • Secondly, Clearing Agents must “link” to their clients. Off-course, client acceptance on e-Filing is required
  • Thirdly, Importers, Exporters and Other Client Types will be requested to migrate to e-Filing
  • Fourthly, linking will at some point in the future become a legal obligation.

Please Contact us for advice or a quotation for Customs Licensing.

  1. Tax Type Mergers
  2. Access Permissions and Rights Issues
  3. APN (Advance Payment Notification)
  4. Registration of Registered Representatives.

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Customs Licensing – Migration to e-Filing

Did you know… SARS Customs e-Filing Migration has Begun? SARS Customs have begun the process to migrate existing clients to e-Filing.

New Customs clients can be registered by Customs Tax Practitioners directly on e-Filing. Practitioners can also re-register existing clients on e-Filing.

Migration to e-Filing

SARS Customs e-Filing migration can be described as a re-registration of an existing client on e-Filing.

The re-registration is similar to a new application. Therefore, all documents must be supplied as-if one is applying for a new license.

All documents submitted must be fresh, i.e. they must not be outdated.

Migration is taking place in a staggered approach:

  • Firstly, Clearing Agents are being requested to migrate
  • Secondly, Clearing Agents must “link” to their clients. Off-course, client acceptance on e-Filing is required
  • Thirdly, Importers, Exporters and Other Client Types will be requested to migrate to e-Filing.

License and Registration Types

Here is a list of the Major Customs Licensing and Registration types:

  1. Importer Exporter Code
  2. Bond Store Registration
  3. Rebate Manufacturing Store
  4. Clearing Agents License
  5. Deferment Accounts
  6. Remover of Goods in Bond
  7. Customs Road Consignor Bond
  8. Drawbacks of Duty Registration
  1. Company Name Change
  2. Foreign Registered Entities
  3. Trade Agreement Registrations
  4. Excise Rebate Manufacturing Stores
  5. Migration to e-Filing and Re-Registrations
  6. e-Filing Relationship Management, and
  7. RCG (Reporting and Conveyance of Goods).

Not all of these License and Registration types are on e-Filing.

Our Consultant and Managing Director, Graeme Lennie is a SARS Registered Customs Tax Practitioner.

We therefore have the unique ability to manage and submit SARS e-Filing registrations with approval from our clients.

Contact Us

Please Contact us for advice or a quotation.

We can help you with:

  1. Application Process and e-Filing Procedures
  2. Supporting Documents and Templates
  3. Overcoming any e-Filing challenges.

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