Customs & Duties
The SAD500 Customs Declaration Explained
The SAD500 is the form that actually clears your goods through SARS. Every commercial import and export runs on one. Here’s what it is, what goes on it, and why it has to be exactly right.
What the SAD500 is
The SAD500 — the Single Administrative Document — is South Africa’s customs declaration. It’s the formal document that enters your goods with SARS, whether for home consumption, warehousing, export or transit. No SAD500, no clearance: it’s the legal heart of the whole process.
What goes on it
The declaration captures the importer or exporter, the goods and their tariff classification, customs value, country of origin, the customs procedure code, and the duty and VAT calculated. It draws directly on your commercial invoice, transport document and supporting permits, which is why those have to agree with one another.
On the declaration
What the SAD500 captures
• Importer / exporter details
• Goods description & HS tariff heading
• Customs value & country of origin
• Customs procedure code (CPC)
• Duty and VAT payable
Lodged to SARS electronically via customs EDI by a registered clearing agent.
Customs procedure codes
Each SAD500 carries a customs procedure code (CPC) that tells SARS what’s happening to the goods — a permanent import, a bonded warehouse entry, a temporary import, a re-export, and so on. The CPC determines how duty and VAT are treated, so choosing the right one is part of getting the declaration right.
How it’s lodged
The SAD500 is submitted to SARS electronically, through customs EDI, by a registered clearing agent. SARS processes it and issues a release once it’s satisfied — or stops the consignment for a query or inspection if something doesn’t add up. A clean, accurate declaration is what gets a fast release.
Why accuracy matters
Errors on the SAD500 — a wrong tariff heading, an undervalued line, a mismatched document — cause stops, penalties and delay, with storage costs mounting while it’s sorted out. This is exactly the kind of declaration you want a professional preparing, which is what we do for every shipment we clear.
Related service
Customs Registration Services
Before you can import, you need a registered Importers Code and the right SARS registrations. Atrax sets all of this up for you and clears your cargo end to end.
Get a free quote
Need your declarations handled properly?
We prepare and lodge the SAD500 and clear your cargo end to end. Send your shipment details for a quote within 24 hours.