Zambia occupies a high plateau in south-central Africa across which the mighty Zambezi River flows and tumbles at the renowned Victoria Falls. At 1500 metres across and 100 metres wide, Victoria Falls is double the length and height of Canada's Niagara Falls, and creates an effect called the 'Smoke That Thunders' in the Sotho language.
While e-commerce remains a young industry in Zambia, 80%-plus of Zambians use a mobile phone and have become comfortable with digital technology. They are also quite active on social media and familiar with eBay. This bodes well for Canadian shippers who hope to access an English speaking country with 73% of its population under 30!
Easily compare the best and cheapest shipping options to Zambia through a variety of carriers using Secureship
Secureship provides safe and affordable shipping from Canada to Zambia. In case you are an everyday shopper or a business,
you can easily save up to 50% on your international shipping costs by way of accessing our group buying power.
Shipments through Secureship come with full, easy to read tracking information to Zambia
Tracking #:780123123123
Tel: 1-800-463-3339
Signed By: Pikwalia @ Residence
Jun 1, 2023
8:49 am
Chingola , CH, ZM
Delivered
May 31, 2023
7:18 am
Ndola , ND, ZM
In transit
May 30, 2023
9:03 pm
Kitwe ,KI, ZM
International Clearance
May 30, 2023
8:14 am
Lusaka , LU, ZM
In transit
May 30, 2023
12:17 am
Toronto, ON, CA
In transit
May 29, 2023
4:30 pm
Ottawa, ON, CA
Pickup Scan
Disclaimer!
While we have made every effort to ensure that the information on this page is accurate, Customs laws and procedures change regularly so it is
important to consult a licensed broker in Zambia before shipping any goods.
Types of Shipments
Not all types of shipments are created equal. Shipping a television will require different
paperwork, duties, and taxes than shipping an accounting statement, for example.
Here is a list of the most common types of shipments:
Personal effects and household goods may be shipped to Zambia from Canada exempt from duty fees provided:
The claimant owned the goods before leaving Canada for Zambia
The claimant has lived outside of Zambia for a minimum of 5 years
The shipment arrives in Zambia at the same time as the claimant (unless there were circumstances beyond the claimant's control that caused its delay)
Moving Temporarily
Students
No information is available at this time concerning students moving temporarily to Zambia with their personal effects.
Non-students
There is no information available regarding non-students moving temporarily to Zambia and shipping their personal effects.
Moving Permanently
Persons moving to Zambia permanently - either returning Zambian citizens or Canadians coming to work - will be allowed a duty-free entry of their household goods and personal effects.
Duty-free entry of belongings is conditional upon:
The shipment arriving in Zambia with the claimant (unless it can be shown that the goods were delayed due to extenuating circumstances)
The goods were owned by the claimant in Canada before he or she entered Zambia
The owner of the goods has NOT lived in Zambia for at least 5 years before returning or entering the country
Personal Effects Checklist
A commercial invoice must be included with your shipment
Commercial invoice must clearly indicate 'Personal Effects' (see sample)
A detailed description of each item is provided
A certificate confirming a minimum of a 5-year residence outside of Zambia
Written confirmation that the goods were owned by the shipper before entering Zambia
Sample Commercial Invoice for Promotional Material
Ship To
Invoice
Henry Tayali Lion Lane Street Lusaka 10100 Zambia
Phone: +260 95 525 4440
Carrier tracking number: 736534736
General Description:
Promotional Material - Not for Resale
Invoice number: 123456MGEP4916926 Customs Broker: UPS Date: 29 May 2023
QTY
Description of Goods
C/O
SubTotal
1 Each
Promotional Material: Not for Resale. Product pamphlets to hand out at trade show.
CA
$163.00
Terms of Sale: None
Total number of packages: 1
Reason for export:Promotional Material Contact Name: James Smith
Total Invoice Amount: $163.00
Total Weight: 10.0 lbs
Declaration Statement: I hereby certify that information provided is true and complete to the best of my knowledge
Repairs
Equipment and machinery repaired in Canada will incur duty fees when they are returned to Zambia.
Items Under Warranty
Items from Zambia that are repaired under warranty in Canada will be exempt from Canadian duties and GST; however, they will incur Zambian duties when they re-enter the country.
Items No Longer Under Warranty
Equipment and machinery from Zambia that are repaired in Canada will be liable to duty charges and GST on the cost of the repair and any parts used during the repair process. And they will be liable to duties when they return to Zambia.
Sending Product for Repair to Zambia
There is no information at this time concerning shipping equipment to Zambia for repairs.
Returning Repaired Product to Zambia
Products repaired in Canada will be liable to duty charges when they re-enter Zambia.
Repair Checklist
Commercial invoice must clearly indicate 'REPAIR & RETURN' under the General Description or Remarks, and include the estimated time of return
(see sample)
Include repair contract with shipment
Serial or product number and the cost of repairs should be indicated under the Detailed Description of Goods section
Include the original shipping documents or tracking number from when the item was first exported to Zambia or exported to Canada (depending on which case applies)
A commercial invoice must be included with your shipment
Carrier tracking number: 736534736
General Description:
Repair and Return - Watch being sent for repair
Invoice number: 123456MGEP4916926 Customs Broker: UPS Date: 29 May 2023
QTY
Description of Goods
C/O
SubTotal
1 Each
Fossil Watch being sent for repair - Model E5, serial # 789456FG7E2 - Repair Cost $76.00
US
$163.00
Terms of Sale: None
Total number of packages: 1
Reason for export:Warranty Repair Contact Name: James Smith
Total Invoice Amount: $163.00
Total Weight: 10.0 lbs
Declaration Statement: I hereby certify that information provided is true and complete to the best of my knowledge
Temporary Imports
Goods imported for a temporary period may enter Zambia duty and tax free provided they remain in the country no longer than 12 months.
Goods eligible for temporary importation include those destined for display at:
Meetings
Trade fairs
International exhibitions
ATA Carnets
Zambian customs authorities do not accept ATA Carnets for the temporary importation of goods.
Temporary Imports Checklist
Commercial Invoice clearly stating 'Temporary Import'. This must be written in the General Description section and the Detailed Description of Goods.
(see sample)
The goods arrive and leave in the same condition, i.e. they undergo no repairs nor are they used in manufacturing
Stay no longer than the period listed above
Include your ATA Carnet with your shipment (if applicable)
Include the expected return date or the date that it was originally received within the country (whichever applies)
Any above listed items not listed in this checklist
Carrier tracking number: 736534736
General Description:
Temporary Imports - Trade show booth and display equipment returning Jan 2020
Invoice number: 123456MGEP4916926 Customs Broker: UPS Date: 29 May 2023
QTY
Description of Goods
C/O
SubTotal
1 box
Temporary Imports - Trade show booth and display equipment
CA
$1032.00
Terms of Sale: None
Total number of packages: 1
Reason for export:Temporary Imports Contact Name: James Smith
Total Invoice Amount: $1032.00
Total Weight: 10.0 lbs
Declaration Statement: I hereby certify that information provided is true and complete to the best of my knowledge
Permanent/Sold Goods
Sold goods with a small value ($50 USD or less - about $60 CAD) may enter Zambia exempt from duty and VAT.
Occasional Shipper
If you ship sold goods only occasionally to Zambia from Canada, for example through eBay, the shipment will incur duties and taxes unless its value is not more than $50 USD (about $60 CAD).
Regular shipper
Canadian businesses that regularly ship sold goods to Zambia are encouraged to use the services of a licenced Zambian customs broker.
Sample Commercial Invoice for Permanent/Sold Goods
Ship To
Invoice
Henry Tayali Lion Lane Street Lusaka 10100 Zambia
Phone: +260 95 525 4440
Carrier tracking number: 736534736
General Description:
Permanent/Sold: Parts and accessories for Canon B78n camera
Invoice number: 123456MGEP4916926 Customs Broker: UPS Date: 29 May 2023
QTY
Description of Goods
C/O
SubTotal
15 Each
Camera Lenses: Canon EF 50mm, Canon EF 85mm & wide-angle lenses.
CA
$132.00
Terms of Sale: None
Total number of packages: 1
Reason for export:Permanent/Sold Contact Name: James Smith
Total Invoice Amount: $1980.00
Total Weight: 10.0 lbs
Declaration Statement: I hereby certify that information provided is true and complete to the best of my knowledge
Required Documents
Shipping packages internationally requires a lot of documentation. This process alone can be confusing and time-consuming.
So we’ve narrowed down what documents you might need and ranked them based on likeliness of being needed.
Document Type
When?
Details
Shipping Label / Bill of Lading
Always required
This is a label provided by the carrier (UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.). Always required because the carrier needs to know the parcel's destination.
Commercial Invoice
Required for all non-document shipments
For all non-document shipments, you will require 3 copies of the commercial invoice (to be included with your shipping labels).
These are for customs purposes and need to be included inside a document pouch outside of the box.
When creating a shipment through the Secureship website, the system will help you create this document automatically.
B13a
Required if value exceeds $2,000 per shipment or is a controlled good
A B13a is required if your shipment exceeds $2000 CAD or is a controlled good
and is destined to a country other than the US, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands
Canada has a preferential trade agreement with Zambia. A COO proves that an item has been produced, manufactured or processed in Canada.
When an item with a COO is imported into Zambia, it will incur a reduced or zero-rated import duty.
Certificate of Insurance (COI)
Infrequently required
Shows that the shipment has been insured.
Banks may request a certificate of insurance when providing letters of credit for the goods. Otherwise,
it is generally your choice whether to purchase insurance for the shipment.
ATA Carnet
Infrequently required
Used to avoid duties and taxes on shipments of temporary nature.
If you ship goods of temporary nature to and from a country, you can obtain an ATA Carnet to expedite the customs clearance process and
ensure that anything of temporary nature is not charged duties and taxes.
No specific form required, but generally includes information regarding:
The exporter, importer and transport company
Date of issue
Number of freight invoice
Type and number of packages
Contents of each package
Marks and numbers
Net weight, gross weight and measurements of each package
Prohibited & Restricted Imports
Goods prohibited from entering Zambia will not be allowed entry whereas restricted goods may enter but will have quantity limits or require authorisation from a government agency.
Prohibited Items
Any materials or items considered obscene
or indecent
Goods made in a prison
Coins that are counterfeit
Alcoholic beverages with
extracts that are noxious
The amount of duty and tax that will be charged on imports entering Zambia is calculated using the CIF method. The CIF value of a shipment is the sum of the customs value plus insurance amount plus freight costs.
CIF Value = Customs Value + Insurance Amount + Freight Costs
If you calculate the CIF value of your shipment, it will give you an estimate of the duties and taxes owed by the recipient.
Thresholds
The threshold - also known as the de minimis value - for sold goods shipped to Zambia is $50 USD (about $60 CAD). This means that for shipments valued less than $50 USD, no duty or VAT will be incurred.
You can purchase
insurance
through Secureship and it is provided by the carrier that will be transporting your shipment.
Each carrier will charge a different amount per $100 of declared insurance. If you indicate that you need insurance for your shipment our system will automatically include the insurance costs for your shipment.
Insurance is great to have in case your package is accidentally lost or damaged by the carrier. But be careful, not everything you ship is insurable. Worse - even if your package contains items that are insurable, if it doesn’t meet the ISTA 3A packaging standard, the insurance purchased through the carrier would not be available to you.
Here are some items that cannot be insured by the carrier:
Personal belongings
Antiques
Artwork
Liquids (including alcohol)
Televisions
Jewellery in excess of $500
Perishable goods
Glass or Ceramic
And many more items
For more information, please see the carrier's terms and conditions.
Shipping to Zambia from Canada can take between 3-5 business days through the fastest carriers available on the Secureship platform.
More economical services, such as Canada Post, can take up to 1-2 months to complete the delivery.
