How much tobacco cigarettes can I bring to South Africa?

200 cigarettes or 20 cigars or 250g tobacco. Source: South African Revenue Service (SARS) — Customs and Excise.

What documentation do I need for tobacco cigarettes in South Africa?

SARS Customs declaration for quantities above allowance.

ITEM RULE · TRAVELING

RESTRICTED

Tobacco Cigarettes 🇿🇦 South Africa

Q: Can I bring Tobacco Cigarettes to South Africa?

200 cigarettes duty-free South African Revenue Service (SARS) Customs allows travelers aged 18 or over to bring 200 cigarettes, 20 cigars, or 250 g of pipe tobacco duty-free per visit (Schedule 1 Part 1 of the Customs and Excise Act 91 of 1964). Excess quantities attract full import duty plus excise (approximately ZAR 19.82 per pack of 20 as of the 2025 budget) plus 15% VAT. Declare excess on the TC-01 Traveller Declaration before clearing the Red Channel.

RESTRICTEDVERIFIED · 2026-04-25NOT YET GRADED

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200 cigarettes duty-free

ANSWER

Can I bring Tobacco Cigarettes into South Africa?

RESTRICTEDVERIFIED · 2026-04-25

200 cigarettes duty-free

QUANTITY / LIMITS

200 cigarettes or 20 cigars or 250g tobacco

DUTY / TAX

Excise on excess

DOCUMENTS

SARS Customs declaration for quantities above allowance

DECLARATION

Required at the destination customs authority

SOURCE

sars.gov.za

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Full details

South African Revenue Service (SARS) Customs allows travelers aged 18 or over to bring 200 cigarettes, 20 cigars, or 250 g of pipe tobacco duty-free per visit (Schedule 1 Part 1 of the Customs and Excise Act 91 of 1964). Excess quantities attract full import duty plus excise (approximately ZAR 19.82 per pack of 20 as of the 2025 budget) plus 15% VAT. Declare excess on the TC-01 Traveller Declaration before clearing the Red Channel.

ENFORCEMENT

Occasional — Enforcement reported intermittently.

QUANTITY CHECK

How many cigarettes do you plan to bring into South Africa?

cigarettes

Duty-free allowances for returning South African residents and visitors: 2L wine + 1L spirits + 2L other fermented beverages; 200 cigarettes or 20 cigars or 250g tobacco; 50ml perfume + 250ml eau de toilette; goods to the value of ZAR 25,000 (~$1,200–$1,400 USD depending on exchange rate). New goods in the suitcase above this attract 20% flat rate duty + VAT. Children under 18 may not bring alcohol or tobacco.

PRACTICAL ADVICE

Declare quantities above the standard 200-cigarette / 50-cigar / 250g personal allowance to SARS Customs; bring the purchase receipt to compute excise + VAT. Keep duty-free purchases sealed in the original retailer bag for audit.

OFFICIAL SOURCES · VERIFIED 2026-04-25

sars.gov.za sars.gov.za

RULE DETAILS

QUANTITY LIMITS

200 cigarettes or 20 cigars or 250g tobacco

DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED

SARS Customs declaration for quantities above allowance

DUTY RATE

Excise on excess

LEGAL REFERENCE

Customs and Excise Act 91 of 1964

CUSTOMS AUTHORITY

South African Revenue Service (SARS) — Customs and Excise

SHOW AT CUSTOMS

Printable customs card →

AIR TRAVEL IS SEPARATE

This page covers destination customs rules in South Africa. Whether you can carry tobacco cigarettes through security, in carry-on, or in checked baggage depends on airline and screening rules — see air travel rules.