Customs and clearing

Importing a used vehicle into Tanzania

Q: Who inspects used cars from Japan for Tanzania?

EAA Company Limited, under the TBS PVoC programme.

Q: How much is vehicle registration in Tanzania?

TRA gives TZS 250,000 for first registration. A HIV Response Levy of TZS 50,000 to TZS 200,000 applies at first registration.

Last checked 24 October 2026 · 10 sources

Short answer

A used vehicle bound for Tanzania needs a Certificate of Roadworthiness from a TBS-appointed inspection firm in the country of export ¹. A vehicle that arrives without one pays a penalty of 15% of its invoice value, as assessed by TRA ². On top of import duty, excise is charged by engine size and age ^3,4. From 1 July 2026, vehicles aged 8 to 10 years pay 18% extra excise and older bands pay 35% or 40% ⁴. The owner then registers the vehicle with TRA ⁵.

Inspection: TBS Pre-shipment Verification of Conformity, Certificate of Roadworthiness ¹
Certificate valid for: Three months from issue ¹
Penalty without certificate: 15% of invoice value as assessed by TRA ²
Age excise from 1 July 2026: 18% at 8 to 10 years, 35% to 20 years, 40% over 20 years ⁴
First registration fee: TZS 250,000 for any vehicle, per TRA ⁵
HIV Response Levy at first registration: TZS 50,000 to TZS 200,000 by engine size ⁶
Port wharfage, domestic imports: 1.6% ad valorem ⁷

Inspection before shipping

Used vehicles are regulated under the TBS Pre-shipment Verification of Conformity (PVoC) programme. Each vehicle needs a Certificate of Roadworthiness (CoR) from an authorised PVoC contractor. The CoR is valid for three months from issue. TBS may reject a non-conforming vehicle at the port of entry ¹.

The TBS guideline for 2025 names these inspection firms by country of export ¹.

Country of export	Inspection firm
Japan and the United Kingdom ¹	EAA Company Limited ¹
Dubai, UAE ¹	Quality Inspection Services Inc. Japan (QISJ) ¹
China Mainland, Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan ¹	China Certification and Inspection Group (CCIC), agreement to April 2027 ¹

Vehicles that arrive without a certificate

A TBS notice on uninspected used vehicles sets a penalty of 15% of the total invoice value of the vehicle, as assessed by TRA. A vehicle that fails destination inspection must be repaired and presented again within 21 days. A vehicle that cannot be repaired is sent back or destroyed at the importer's cost ². The notice carries no date and cites no law ².

Duty and excise

Excise on motor vehicles is charged by engine size. A TRA page gives 0% up to 1000 cc, 5% from 1001 to 2000 cc and 10% above 2000 cc ³. Used vehicles pay extra excise by age. Section 8 of the Finance Act, 2026, in force 1 July 2026, sets "18% in respect of the imported vehicle aged eight years but not more than ten years", "35% in respect of the imported vehicle aged more than ten years but not more than twenty years" and "40% in respect of the imported vehicle aged more than twenty years" ⁴. The undated TRA page still shows the earlier rates ³.

The Citizen reported on 1 July 2026 that importing a used car costs more as the Finance Act, 2026 takes effect ⁸.
The Finance Act, 2025 amended the Investment and Special Economic Zones Act so that vehicles made more than eight years before import do not get tax incentives ⁶.

Vehicle age	TRA page, undated [3]	Finance Act, 2026 [4]
8 to 10 years ^3,4	15% ³	18% ⁴
More than 10 years, up to 20 ^3,4	30% ³	35% ⁴
More than 20 years ^3,4	30%, as part of the more than 10 years band, no separate band ³	40% ⁴
Used buses over 5 years ³	10% ³	Not named in section 8 of the Act ⁴

How used vehicles are valued

A WTO Secretariat review of the EAC, dated 13 February 2019, said valuing used vehicles is a challenge for many EAC countries. Methods based on domestic retail prices are used, and the customs value is set by applying an approved depreciation rate ⁹. It said the Council of Ministers adopted rules in 2015 that cut depreciation rates by five percentage points, to a range from 20% for one-year-old vehicles to 80% for vehicles ten years old or over ⁹.

The EAC Customs Management (Amendment) Act, 2025 came into force on 26 September 2025. It adds section 122(1A), under which the EAC Council issues directives on ad valorem values for used goods ¹⁰.

Port charges at Dar es Salaam

Wharfage on vehicles for domestic import is 1.6% ad valorem. Transit imports pay US$4.00 per harbour ton ⁷.
Stevedoring for vehicles discharged from LoLo or RoRo ships is US$5.50 per harbour ton ⁷.
Shore handling for domestic breakbulk imports, vehicles included, is US$7.00 per harbour ton ⁷.
The Green Port charge on motor vehicles is US$1.00 per cubic metre ⁷.
Domestic conventional imports get 5 free storage days after discharge and TRA posting. Then storage is US$1.00 per harbour ton a day for 30 days, then US$1.50 ⁷.

Registering the vehicle with TRA

TRA lists these documents for registering a vehicle at a TRA office ⁵.

Form MV 10, filled in by the applicant ⁵.
The TANSAD customs declaration and release order for an imported vehicle, and the bank pay-in slip showing duty was paid ⁵.
A copy of the TIN certificate ⁵.
The cancellation certificate or registration card for a used vehicle, and an Interpol letter if it comes from a SADC country ⁵.

Registration charges

TRA gives a first registration fee of TZS 250,000 for any vehicle. Its vehicle licence fees run from TZS 200,000 for 501 to 1500 cc to TZS 300,000 for 2501 cc and above ⁵.

The Finance Act, 2025 added a HIV Response Levy on first registration. It splits the money 70% to the AIDS Trust Fund and 30% to the Universal Health Insurance Fund ⁶.

Engine size	HIV Response Levy
Up to 1000 cc ⁶	TZS 50,000 ⁶
1001 to 1500 cc ⁶	TZS 100,000 ⁶
1501 to 2500 cc ⁶	TZS 150,000 ⁶
2501 cc and above ⁶	TZS 200,000 ⁶

Common questions

Is there an age limit for importing used cars into Tanzania?

The sources read for this page set no age ban. Older vehicles pay more excise. From 1 July 2026 the extra excise is 18%, 35% or 40% by age ⁴.

Who inspects used cars from Japan for Tanzania?

EAA Company Limited, under the TBS PVoC programme ¹.

What happens if my car arrives without a roadworthiness certificate?

TBS charges a penalty of 15% of the invoice value as assessed by TRA, and the car goes through destination inspection ².

How much is vehicle registration in Tanzania?

TRA gives TZS 250,000 for first registration ⁵. A HIV Response Levy of TZS 50,000 to TZS 200,000 applies at first registration ⁶.

Rules and charges change. Check the official source linked on this page before you pay or travel. Spotted an error? Email [email protected].

Sources

TBS import inspection and the PVoC programme
How the Tanzania Bureau of Standards checks imports: PVoC certificates before shipping, fees by route, destination inspection and penalties.
Excise duty on imported goods in Tanzania
Which imports pay excise duty in Tanzania, how the base is worked out, motor vehicle rates, and the changes made by the 2024, 2025 and 2026 Finance Acts.
How customs clearance works in Tanzania
The steps to clear imported goods in Tanzania, from appointing a licensed agent and lodging in TANCIS to paying port charges and collecting cargo.
Cargo release at Dar es Salaam port
How imported cargo leaves Dar es Salaam port: Release Order, Delivery Order, TePP invoice, Gate-in-Ticket, storage charges and operators.
Customs valuation and rulings in Tanzania
How customs value is set under the EAC Customs Management Act, the 2025 changes, private rulings under the Tax Administration Act, and value disputes.