Clearing agent fees and official import charges in East Africa
- Tanzania agency fee, 20-foot container
- US$200 or 0.4% of value, whichever is higher 1
- Tanzania minimum agency fee
- US$50 per consignment 1
- Kenya import declaration fee
- 2.5% of customs value 4
- Kenya railway development levy
- 2% of customs value 4
- EAC agent licence fees
- US$50 application, US$400 licence 5
Tanzania: a fee schedule in law
Government Notice 181 of 2021, the Tanzania Shipping Agencies (Shipping Business Fees, Charges and Commissions) Order, 2021, sets clearing and forwarding agency fees on account of the shipper or consignee 1. The TanzLII version is dated 5 February 2021 1. This page did not confirm later amendments. Selected rates are below 1.
| Cargo | Unit | Agency fee |
|---|---|---|
| Container 1 | 20-foot (TEU) 1 | US$200 or 0.4% of value, whichever is higher 1 |
| Container 1 | 40-foot (FEU) 1 | US$250 or 0.4% of value, whichever is higher 1 |
| Cars, pickups, trucks, trailers and buses 1 | Per unit 1 | US$100 1 |
| Spare parts 1 | Per bill of lading 1 | US$100 1 |
| Petrol and diesel in bulk 1 | Per litre 1 | TSh 3 1 |
| Unlisted consignments and parcels 1 | Per bill of lading 1 | US$50 1 |
| Any consignment 1 | Minimum 1 | US$50 1 |
Kenya: association minimum fees
The Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association (KIFWA) set minimum service fees for clearing and forwarding agents, taking effect on 1 December 2023, as reported by Anthony Kitimo in Business Daily on 19 October 2023 3. The stated aim was to curb undercutting 3.
The Kenya News Agency reported that KIFWA set penalties of KSh 100,000 for a first breach and KSh 300,000 for a second, with expulsion from the association for a third 2. KIFWA chairman Roy Mwanthi said agents were sometimes paid as little as KSh 2,000 to clear large shipments 2. The fee amounts in the KIFWA schedule were not in the reports reviewed and are not confirmed here 2,3.
Official charges importers pay at clearance
In Kenya, the Miscellaneous Fees and Levies Act, as at 1 January 2026, sets an import declaration fee of 2.5 percent and a railway development levy of 2 percent of the customs value of goods imported for home use 4. Goods listed in the Second Schedule to the Act are exempt 4.
For Uganda, the US Department of Commerce guide, last published 18 December 2025, says imports carry a 1.5 percent infrastructure levy and VAT of 18 percent 10. It says most finished goods pay 25 percent duty and intermediate goods 10 percent, and raw materials and capital goods may enter duty free 10.
Uganda's External Trade (Amendment) Bill, 2025, dated 25 March 2025, proposed an infrastructure levy of 1.5 percent and an import declaration fee of 1 percent of customs value from 1 July 2025 9. This page did not confirm whether the import declaration fee was enacted 9.
What agents pay to be licensed
The EAC Customs Management Regulations, 2010 set an application fee of fifty dollars and a licence fee of four hundred dollars for a customs agent, charged pro rata for a licence issued during a calendar year 5. The Tanzania Revenue Authority lists the same amounts 6.
In South Sudan, Eye Radio reported on 22 May 2024 that new licence fees set in April 2024 included US$3,000 to renew and US$4,000 for a new licence at Juba International Airport 7. Agents at Nimule said their renewal fee rose from SSP 350,000 to US$7,000 7.
Agent fees collected by customs systems
Eye Radio reported that South Sudan's National Revenue Authority stopped collecting a US$250 clearing agent fee through its electronic customs system at Nimule by an order dated 12 September 2023 8. Clearing agents were told to charge their service fees directly to clients 8.
Common questions
How much does a clearing agent charge per container in Tanzania?
Government Notice 181 of 2021 sets US$200 or 0.4 percent of value per 20-foot container and US$250 or 0.4 percent per 40-foot container, whichever is higher 1.
Does Kenya have minimum clearing agent fees?
KIFWA set minimum fees for its members from 1 December 2023, as reported by Business Daily and the Kenya News Agency 2,3.
What levies do importers pay in Kenya at clearance?
An import declaration fee of 2.5 percent and a railway development levy of 2 percent of customs value, with exemptions 4.
How much does a customs agent licence cost in the EAC?
The EAC Regulations of 2010 set US$50 to apply and US$400 for the licence 5. Tanzania lists the same amounts 6.
Rules and fees change. Check the official site linked above before you apply or pay. Spotted an error? Email [email protected] with the official link.
Sources
- Tanzania: Government Notice 181 of 2021, Tanzania Shipping Agencies (Shipping Business Fees, Charges and Commissions) Order, 2021, TanzLII (5 February 2021)
- Kenya News Agency, as reported by Sadik Hassan: KIFWA releases freights clearing minimum charges guidelines (undated)
- Business Daily, as reported by Anthony Kitimo: Cargo tariffs set to rise as agents set minimum fees (19 October 2023)
- Kenya Law: Miscellaneous Fees and Levies Act, No. 29 of 2016, as at 1 January 2026
- EAC: Customs Management Regulations, 2010, text hosted by tralac (undated)
- Tanzania Revenue Authority: Customs licencing (undated)
- Eye Radio, as reported by Alhadi Hawari: Nimule clearing agents down tools to protest license fee increment (22 May 2024)
- Eye Radio, as reported by Alhadi Hawari: NRA revokes clearing agents fee collection through e-customs (21 September 2023)
- Parliament of Uganda: The External Trade (Amendment) Bill, 2025, Bill No. 11 (25 March 2025)
- US Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration: Uganda Country Commercial Guide, import tariffs (18 December 2025)
Related
- Customs agent licensing in the East African Community
How the EAC Customs Management Act 2004 and the 2010 Regulations govern customs agent licences, fees, the practising certificate and FEAFFA.
- Customs agent licensing in Kenya
KRA customs agent licence rules: Form C20, US$50 and US$400 fees, the US$5,000 CB 11 bond, iCMS access and the role of KIFWA.
- Customs agent licensing in Tanzania
TRA rules for licensing clearing and forwarding agents: US$50 and US$400 fees, the TSh 100 million bond, TANCIS and the TAFFA association.
- Customs agent licensing in Uganda
URA customs agency licence rules: Form C20 on the Single Window, US$50 and US$400 fees, competence tests, ASYCUDA World and UFFA.
- Customs clearing agent licensing in South Sudan
How South Sudan's revenue authority licenses clearing agents: the online portal, licence fees reported in 2024, and revocation for forgery.
- Authorised Economic Operator programmes in East Africa
How the EAC regional AEO programme and national AEO schemes work: who can apply, the criteria, the four approval stages and benefits for clearing agents.
- How to check that a customs clearing agent is licensed
Where to check a customs clearing agent's licence in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda: the official lists, the URA search page and what to look for.