Imports and Export Control

The Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) implements product conformity assessment for the control of certain categories of imported consumer goods.

A. Pre-shipment Verification of Conformity (PVoC)

Pre-shipment Verification of Conformity (PVoC) is a conformity assessment procedure used to verify that products to be imported into Tanzania are in conformity with applicable national standards before shipment. It is conformity assessment and verification procedure to specific goods at exporting countries. It is provided for by section 4(1) (s) of the Standards Act No. 2 of 2009.

Before shipping to Tanzania all consignments subject to PVoC must obtain the mandatory custom clearance documents and certificate of conformity (CoC) without which the commodities arriving at Tanzanian Ports will be rejected or fined.

The PVoC is carried out by authorized third-party agencies, consisting of physical inspection with combination of laboratory testing, documentary review and factory audits, where necessary.

Key Benefits

  • Protects consumers’ health, safety and security.
  • Blocks unfair competition from substandard imports.
  • Facilitates customs clearance.
  • Eliminates destruction or re-exporting costs for substandard goods.
  • Prevents Tanzania from being a dumping ground for substandard goods.

Kindly download the following attachments for more details:

1. PVoC Certification Procedure

detailed pvoc general goods 2020 1

2. Regulated HS Codes under PVoC Programme

pvoc hs codes version 2023


3. Regulated HS Codes under Used Motor Vehicles

vehicle regulated hs codes (version 2022)

4. TBS PVoC Partners Addresses

tbs pvoc partners liaison offices addresses general goods

bureau veritas contacts sheet worldwide

ccic contact list

sgs pca contacts worldwide 04032015

intertek contact address worlwide

tuv rheinland tanzania pvoc contact list 1

5. Zones of PVoC Service Providers

pvoc service provider andtheir zones

6. Applicable Penalty for Uninspected Consignments under PVoC Programme

pvoc penalities

7. Summarized PVoC Procedure

pvoc summarised procedure

8. Contact Addresses of PVoC Partners of Used Motor Vehicles

used motor vehicles pvoc agents contact addresses

9. PVoC Procedure for Used Motor Vehicles

pvoc procedures for used vehicles

10. Exemptions under the PVoC Programme

pvoc exemptions

di general goods summary 2020



B. Destination Inspection (DI)

Destination Inspection is focused on the conformity assessment of imported goods after arrival in the country. This applies to all goods in the destination inspection compulsory list and goods that were imported without a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) under the PVoC programme.

Kindly download the following attachments for more details:

1. Compulsory List of the HS Codes

di hs codes version 2023


2. Procedure for the Clearance of General Good Regulated under Destination Inspections

di general goods summary

3. DI Penalties

Items regulated under PVoC which have been imported without a Certificate of Conformity shall be subjected to penalties. The consignment penalty details are attached below:

di penalities

4.DI used Motor vehicles

di used vehicles




In order to access online application system, please click the link below;

https://oas.tbs.go.tz


C. Technical Assistance to Exporters (TAE)

Technical Assistant to Exporters (TAE) is a service which provides exporters with essential information and advice on foreign technical requirements in foreign markets.

Normally the exporting requirement in terms of Quality Assurance and Conformity Assessment is determined by importing countries. However, Tanzania Bureau of Standards wish to inform the public that it offers technical assistance to exporters who need to export various products to EAC, Africa and other countries in the world.

For more details click the link below:

Technical Assistance to Exporters