Egypt · Import & Export
Customs procedures, duties, de minimis thresholds, EORI/registration, and restricted goods.
AI-drafted, editorially reviewed. Confirm specifics with the official authority.
Egyptian trade clears through the Customs Authority via the Nafeza single window, with mandatory Advance Cargo Information (ACI) registration before shipment. Importers must be on the register of importers; goods are classified by HS code for import duty plus 14% VAT. Many products need GOEIC inspection and standards approval.
Customs are administered by the Egyptian Customs Authority. Importers must register and use the national single-window (Nafeza) for advance cargo information.
- Importers register and submit advance cargo data via the Nafeza single-window.
- Duties and VAT are assessed on customs value and classification.
- Certain goods require import licences or conformity certificates.
- 1
Register on the importers register
Be listed on the register of importers (generally limited to Egyptian-owned entities) and register on the Nafeza platform.
- 2
Pre-register the shipment (ACI)
Submit Advance Cargo Information (ACI) before the goods ship, obtaining an ACID number that must match the shipping documents.
- 3
Classify goods and check standards
Classify goods by HS code to find the duty rate, and check whether products need GOEIC inspection or standards registration.
- 4
Handle duty and VAT
Pay import duty and the 14% VAT on the dutiable value at clearance; some goods carry additional schedule taxes.
- 5
Declare via Nafeza
Lodge the customs declaration and documents (invoice, packing list, bill of lading, ACID) through the Nafeza single window; Customs releases the goods.
- 6
Resolve disputes
Use the Customs Authority review and appeal channels for classification or valuation disputes.
- Register of importers + Nafeza registration
- Advance Cargo Information (ACI/ACID) before shipment
- HS classification + GOEIC/standards
- Import duty + 14% VAT
- Nafeza declaration + documents
- Invoice, packing list, B/L, ACID
- Clearing agent (optional)
- Customs review / appeal route
- Egyptian Customs Authority
Customs — registration, declarations and duties.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ACI system?
Advance Cargo Information — Egypt requires shipment data (with an ACID number) to be registered on Nafeza before goods are shipped.
What is Nafeza?
Egypt's national single window for trade, linking customs, GOEIC and other agencies for clearance and permits.
What VAT applies on imports?
A 14% VAT applies to most imported goods on the dutiable value, in addition to import duty and any schedule taxes.
Traveller duty-free allowances
Per adult traveller, for goods carried in personal baggage — a different regime from the commercial import rules above. Allowances move with budget announcements, so check the authority before relying on a figure.
- Alcohol
- 1 L
- Cigarettes
- 200 sticks
- Goods value
- $310
Watch out for
- The personal exemption is EGP 15,000 of new items, converted here, and applies to visitors and returning residents alike
- Alcohol is 1 litre of spirits, and a carton of beer may be taken instead
- Tobacco is one carton of 200 cigarettes, or 25 cigars, or 200 g of tobacco
- Duty-free shop purchases are capped separately: USD 200 within 48 hours of arrival for visitors, up to four times a year, and USD 300 for returning residents, twice a year
- The passport holder must be present in person in all cases
Government portals
- Egyptian Tax Authority (ETA) — Income tax, VAT and e-invoicing registration for individuals and companies.
- General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) — Company registration, the investment one-stop shop, and free-zone licensing.
- Egyptian Customs Authority — Tariffs, import and export clearance, and the Nafeza single-window system.