From 1 June 2026, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) will require all foreign-registered vehicles to be declared on the SARS Traveller Management System (TMS) prior to entering or leaving South Africa.
The revenue service said this new measure aligns with international customs practices and will strengthen compliance and protect South Africa’s ports of entry.
New SARS Commissioner Johnstone Makhubu said the registration will enable better risk screening and improve the “overall traveller experience” for those affected.
“It also supports South Africa’s financial transparency obligations and enhances national security by ensuring goods, currency and vehicles are properly declared and assessed before entry or exit,” he said.
Where foreign vehicles are temporarily imported, SARS may issue temporary import permits with a validity period of six months, it said.
These permits may be used for multiple crossings during that period without the need to reapply at each entry.
Frequent cross-border travel for work, study, business, medical care or other lawful reasons does not affect the validity of the permit, provided it remains in force and is renewed before it expires.
“The process is designed to make compliance straightforward while improving oversight, consistency and fairness at the border,” SARS said.
SARS said it expects travellers to declare their foreign-registered vehicles in the Traveller Management System (TMS) before they arrive at the border.
This will allow them to take advantage of the simplified, expedited processing available.
However, Makhubu noted that SARS will still support travellers who are unable to complete the declaration online and will deploy dedicated officials at ports of entry.
He stressed that, while online declarations improve processing times, it does not replace physical border controls.
All travellers are still required to present themselves to Customs for verification, processing, and inspection, where required.
The friendly approach to registering these vehicles also comes with a sharp edge. Makhubu warned that “compliance is not optional”.
“Vehicle owners who do not declare foreign-registered vehicles or who provide false or incomplete information expose themselves to enforcement consequences and prolonged processing at the border,” he said.
“I also wish to reaffirm that where vehicle owners comply with all the legal requirements, the process will be seamless; however, where compliance is low, this may lead to delays in border crossings.”
SARS urged foreign vehicle owners and cross-border operators to make use of official SARS sources for accurate guidance and to understand the new declaration procedures before the 1 June 2026 implementation date.
