Choosing a Licensed Clearing Agent in East Africa

HOW TO CHECK A CLEARING AGENT

Ask for the licence. The EAC's customs guidance says customs agents must be licensed by the Commissioner of Customs before they can take part in clearing goods, and that a licence is valid for one calendar year, expiring on 31 December.

Kenya: KRA publishes a list of licensed customs clearing agents; check the latest list, and ask KRA directly if an agent is missing from it. Because renewal requires a KIFWA clearance certificate, an agent should be able to show one for the current year.

Tanzania: importers must appoint a licensed clearing and forwarding agent, and documents are lodged in the Tanzania Customs Integrated System (TANCIS) at least seven days before the goods arrive, according to the US International Trade Administration's country guide.

Uganda: the Uganda Revenue Authority says a customs agent licence is a legal requirement under section 145(1) of the EAC customs law, that acting as an agent without one is an offence, and that the licence must be renewed every year.

Elsewhere, ask the national customs authority for its current list of licensed agents. A licence shows an agent may clear goods; it does not tell you the price or the service, so ask for a written quotation that separates the agent's own fees from the duties and charges paid on your behalf.

Sontaq is not a clearing agent, freight forwarder or customs broker, and it does not license or vet agents. Check the licence yourself.

QUICK ANSWERS

What does a clearing agent do? A clearing agent, also called a customs agent, prepares and lodges the customs declaration for your goods, arranges payment of duties and taxes, and gets the goods released at the port or border.

Do I have to use a licensed agent? In Tanzania, importers must appoint a licensed clearing and forwarding agent. Across the EAC, only agents licensed by the Commissioner of Customs may take part in clearing goods for others.

How long is a customs agent licence valid? One calendar year, expiring on 31 December, under the EAC customs guidance. In Kenya, current licences expire on 31 December 2026, and KRA set 31 October 2026 as the deadline for renewal applications.

Where can I find a clearing agent in Mombasa or Dar es Salaam? Start with the customs authority's list of licensed agents. On Sontaq, open “Explore More with Sontaq”, then “Logistics Services” and “Find a logistics service”, and describe the service and place you need, for example customs clearing at Mombasa. Sontaq looks for businesses that offer it, and you contact them directly.

Can clearing and forwarding companies offer their services on Sontaq? Yes. Choose “Offer logistics services”, describe the services you provide and where, and Sontaq looks for customers whose needs fit. No customer is guaranteed.

What to watch next

• KRA's published list of customs agents licensed for 2027
• 2027 licence renewal notices from the Uganda Revenue Authority and the Tanzania Revenue Authority
• Progress on Tanzania's SGR Portlink, which changes how containers leave Dar es Salaam port

Sontaq analysis

A clearing agent handles your goods, your duties and your deadlines, so the licence check takes minutes while the wrong agent can cost weeks. The licence is the minimum, not the standard: compare written quotations, ask which ports and borders the agent handles every week, and keep payments traceable. Sontaq helps shippers and logistics businesses find each other; the check and the agreement stay between them.