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Shipping to South Africa: what is not allowed

South Africa charges 15% VAT and customs duty on parcels; genuine gifts between individuals get a rebate of R1,400 per parcel, twice a year. Medicines and herbal products are inspected by SAHPRA.

Not accepted for South Africa

  • Narcotic and habit-forming drugs
  • Counterfeit goods and pirated works
  • Explosives, fireworks, poisons and toxic substances
  • Automatic, military and unnumbered weapons
  • Prison-made goods

Allowed, with conditions

  • Prescription medicines — 1 month's supply of Schedule 3–6 medicines with a valid prescription; unregistered medicines need SAHPRA Section 21 authorisation
  • Herbal, slimming and skin-lightening products, vitamins — inspected by SAHPRA; herbal products need a Department of Health permit
  • Plants — inspected by Agriculture; animal products such as dairy and honey by the State Vet
  • Used and second-hand goods — subject to import control
  • Gold coins, unprocessed minerals, firearms

VAT is 15%. Low-value parcels under R500 pay a flat 20% duty plus VAT; above that, duty follows the tariff line.

Gift rebate: unsolicited gifts between private individuals, max 2 parcels per person per year, each up to R1,400 — wine, spirits, tobacco and perfume excluded. Above R1,400 duty applies to the full value.

Inspections by SAHPRA or other agencies can add up to 48 working hours.

Quick answers: shipping from India to South Africa

What can I not send from India to South Africa?

South Africa does not accept: narcotic and habit-forming drugs; counterfeit goods and pirated works; explosives, fireworks, poisons and toxic substances; automatic, military and unnumbered weapons; prison-made goods. On every route, we also cannot carry anything with a battery, mobile phones and laptops, real gold, silver or diamond jewellery, or anything flammable or pressurised such as perfume, aerosols and nail polish.

Can I send medicines from India to South Africa?

Yes, within limits: prescription medicines — 1 month's supply of Schedule 3–6 medicines with a valid prescription; unregistered medicines need SAHPRA Section 21 authorisation. Controlled and psychotropic medicines need clearance first, so ask us before you order them.

How long does a parcel from India to South Africa take?

Normal transit on this route is 4 to 6 business days from our warehouse in Kerala.

Will I pay customs duty or tax in South Africa?

VAT is 15%. Low-value parcels under R500 pay a flat 20% duty plus VAT; above that, duty follows the tariff line. Gift rebate: unsolicited gifts between private individuals, max 2 parcels per person per year, each up to R1,400 — wine, spirits, tobacco and perfume excluded. Above R1,400 duty applies to the full value.

Never accepted, wherever you are

These are refused by the airlines, by Indian export rules or by us, so they cannot leave our warehouse for any destination.

Prohibited, restricted and dangerous goods, in one line each. Prohibited means it cannot be sent at all. Restricted means it can travel, but only under conditions your country sets, such as a personal quantity, a prescription or a declaration; those are listed under each destination. Dangerous goods are what airlines treat as a hazard on board: anything flammable, corrosive or pressurised. We also cannot ship anything with a battery, or anything that burns, such as agarbatti and camphor.

  • Cash, currency, cheques, bullion, and loose precious stones
  • Narcotics, illegal drugs, and psychotropic substances
  • Firearms, ammunition, explosives, fireworks, and weapons (including replicas)
  • Anything with a battery, including power banks, battery-operated toys and watches
  • Mobile phones and laptops
  • Real gold, silver and diamond jewellery
  • Flammable, corrosive, or pressurised goods — perfumes/deodorant sprays, aerosols, nail polish and remover, paints, thinners, fuel, gas cylinders, lighters, and matches
  • Anything that burns: agarbatti (incense sticks), dhoop, camphor, sambrani and candles
  • Live animals, plants, seeds, soil, and products of endangered species (CITES)
  • Pornographic, obscene, or seditious material
  • Counterfeit goods and pirated media
  • Human remains, biological samples, and infectious substances
  • Radioactive and toxic substances

Medicines and supplements are the one thing to check before you order. They are not banned — almost every destination lets a personal quantity through in its original packaging with a copy of the prescription. What changes from country to country is how much counts as personal, whose name the prescription has to be in, and which ingredients need clearance from that country's health authority first.

The rule for South Africa is under Allowed, with conditions above. Controlled and psychotropic medicines are a separate case: several countries want their own health authority to clear the parcel first, so check with us before you order rather than after it arrives with us.

If you are not sure about something, ask on WhatsApp before you order it.

The same list, talked through

Three and a half minutes on what cannot leave India, what your own country will not let in, and the things that travel perfectly well once the paperwork is right.

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What You Can and Can't Ship From India (Full List)

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