Official System: SARS Online Traveller Declaration (SATMS / OTD)
2026 Quick Answer
All travellers entering or leaving South Africa by Air, Land (Road), Sea, or Rail — including South African citizens, permanent residents, foreign tourists/visitors, drivers of foreign-registered vehicles (mandatory from June 1, 2026, including SACU member states Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, and Namibia), crew members, diplomats/VIPs, and minors/infants (mandatory for all travellers from July 1, 2026, whether submitting a Full or Nil declaration). Travelers must submit the SARS Online Traveller Declaration (SATMS / OTD) (Within 24 hours before departure (Travel Date: Today or Tomorrow)). This digital declaration replaces: Paper SARS Traveller Declaration (Form TD-01) and Manual Vehicle Permit (Form TRD1).
Follow this exact countdown schedule before arriving in South Africa so your QR code is ready prior to airline check-in.
| Timing Before Arrival | Window Status | Required Traveler Action |
|---|---|---|
| Before 1-day official window | Too Early | Prepare your passport and itinerary, or pre-submit early with NomadicMart (from $29) so our queue files automatically as soon as the window opens. |
| Within 24 hours before departure (Travel Date: Today or Tomorrow) | Window Open | Ideal submission window. Complete your SARS Online Traveller Declaration (SATMS / OTD) with passport, transport, and accommodation details to receive your digital confirmation. |
| 24 hours to 3 hours before departure | Priority Window | Submit immediately before airline check-in closes and save a screenshot or PDF of your SATMS confirmation offline. |
| At departure gate / South Africa arrival | Final Cutoff | Airlines and border control officers verify SATMS completion prior to boarding or at the port of entry. |
Compliance tip: Covers both Arrival (Entering South Africa, where 'Travelling To' is locked to ZAF) and Departure (Leaving South Africa, enabled by selecting South Africa ZAF as 'Travelling From') across 11 airports, 7 seaports, 4 rail stations, and 55 road border posts.
Compliance tip: Travellers choose between a Full Declaration ('full' — declaring dutiable/restricted goods, foreign or temporarily exported vehicles, or excess currency) and a Nil Declaration ('nil' — confirming no goods, vehicles, or excess currency to declare).
Compliance tip: The live SATMS frontend DatePicker enforces 'Travel Date' strictly between Today (D) and Tomorrow (D+1) in yyyy/MM/dd format, aligning with the official policy window of not earlier than 24 hours before departure.
Compliance tip: SATMS enforces a shared ZAR 100,000 currency threshold sequentially across Own Currency, Currency on Behalf of Another Person, and Currency on Behalf of a Company/Organisation, auto-converting 22 foreign currencies via live SARS exchange rates.
Eligible Passports: Available at major international airports (OR Tambo, Cape Town, King Shaka) and designated border posts; supports pre-arrival online duty/VAT payment via SARS eFiling and instant SMS/Email clearance receipts.
How Airport Clearance Works: Available at major international airports (OR Tambo, Cape Town, King Shaka) and designated border posts; supports pre-arrival online duty/VAT payment via SARS eFiling and instant SMS/Email clearance receipts.
| Code | Port of Entry | Mode | 2026 Operational Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| JNB | O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB — Code JSA) | Air | Designated international airport (Johannesburg / Gauteng). |
| CPT | Cape Town International Airport (CPT — Code DFM) | Air | Designated international airport (Cape Town / Western Cape). |
| DUR | King Shaka International Airport (DUR — Code LBA) | Air | Designated international airport (Durban / KwaZulu-Natal). |
| HLA | Lanseria International Airport (HLA — Code LSA) | Air | Designated international airport (Johannesburg North-West). |
| MQP | Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport / Nelspruit (MQP — Code NSA) | Air | Designated international airport (Mpumalanga). |
| BFN | Bloemfontein / Braam Fischer International Airport (BFN — Code BIA) | Air | Designated international airport (Free State). |
| PLZ | Chief Dawid Stuurman / Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ — Code HFV) | Air | Designated international airport (Gqeberha / Eastern Cape). |
| PTG | Polokwane / Pietersburg International Airport (PTG — Code PSB) | Air | Designated international airport (Limpopo). |
| NTY | Pilanesberg International Airport (NTY — Code PIA) | Air | Designated international airport (North West Province). |
| RCB | Richards Bay Airport (RCB — Code RIA) | Air | Designated airport (KwaZulu-Natal). |
| UTN | Upington International Airport (UTN — Code UIA) | Air | Designated international airport (Northern Cape). |
| ZA-12 | Cape Town Harbour (Code CTN) | Sea | Designated international seaport. |
| ZA-13 | Durban Harbour (Code DBN) | Sea | Designated international seaport. |
| ZA-14 | Port Elizabeth Harbour (Code PEZ) & Port of Ngqura / Coega (Code PON) | Sea | Designated international seaports in Nelson Mandela Bay. |
| ELN | East London (ELN), Richards Bay (RIC) & Saldanha Bay (SAL) Seaports | Sea | Designated international seaports. |
| BBR | Beit Bridge (BBR), Lebombo / Komatipoort (KOM), Maseru Bridge (MSB) & Ficksburg Bridge (FBB) | Land | Primary designated road border posts with Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Lesotho (full customs, vehicle temporary import/export, and port payment support). |
| OSH | Oshoek (OSH), Golela (GOL), Jeppes Reef (JPR), Mahamba (MAH), Mananga (MAN), Nerston (NRS) & Kosi Bay (KSB) | Land | Designated road border posts with Eswatini and Mozambique. |
| KFN | Kopfontein (KFN), Skilpadshek (SKH), Groblers Bridge (GRB), Ramatlabama (RAM), Vioolsdrif (VLD) & Nakop (NAR) | Land | Designated road border posts with Botswana and Namibia. |
| CLP | Caledonspoort (CLP), Qachasnek (QAC), Van Rooyenshek (VRH), Upington (UPT) & Upington Station (UPS) | Land | Designated road border posts with Lesotho, Botswana, and Namibia. |
| KOR | Komatipoort (KOR), Musina (MUR), Ramatlabama (RAR) & Upington (URS) Railway Stations | Land | 4 Designated international rail border stations (Modality Type 5: Rail). |
| ZA-21 | 33 Non-Designated Road Border Posts (e.g., Sani Pass SPS, Alexander Bay ALX, Giriyondo GTP, Pafuri PFI, Pontdrift PNT) | Land | Supported for Nil and standard declarations with mandatory 'Reason For Non Designated Port'; excess currency, temporary imports/exports, samples, P&R goods, and port payments must use the supervising Mother Port. |
Select a Full or Nil declaration, choose your travel mode (Air, Sea, Rail, or Road) and port of entry/exit, and enter your passport, SA ID (if applicable), contact details, and SA address.
Specify whether you are entering ('Travelling To = South Africa') or leaving ('Travelling From = South Africa'), select your Travel Date (Today or Tomorrow), and add up to 5 accompanying family companions.
For Full declarations, declare any currency (auto-assessed against the R100,000 threshold), foreign-registered road vehicles/trailers, commercial goods, gifts/imports exceeding allowances, or restricted items.
Review your SARS Payments Summary, pay any applicable Arrival customs duties/VAT online via eFiling or at a designated port, complete the CAPTCHA, and receive your SMS and Email confirmation.
Regional & Border Corridor Advisory (Africa & Indian Ocean):
Covers both Arrival (Entering South Africa, where 'Travelling To' is locked to ZAF) and Departure (Leaving South Africa, enabled by selecting South Africa ZAF as 'Travelling From') across 11 airports, 7 seaports, 4 rail stations, and 55 road border posts. Travellers choose between a Full Declaration ('full' — declaring dutiable/restricted goods, foreign or temporarily exported vehicles, or excess currency) and a Nil Declaration ('nil' — confirming no goods, vehicles, or excess currency to declare). The live SATMS frontend DatePicker enforces 'Travel Date' strictly between Today (D) and Tomorrow (D+1) in yyyy/MM/dd format, aligning with the official policy window of not earlier than 24 hours before departure. SATMS enforces a shared ZAR 100,000 currency threshold sequentially across Own Currency, Currency on Behalf of Another Person, and Currency on Behalf of a Company/Organisation, auto-converting 22 foreign currencies via live SARS exchange rates. Accompanying personal goods up to ZAR 12,500 per person are duty-free (plus 2L wine, 1L spirits, 200 cigarettes, 20 cigars, 250g tobacco for ages 18+, and 50ml perfume / 250ml eau de toilette); an additional ZAR 25,000 (up to ZAR 37,500 total) qualifies for a 20% flat-rate customs duty assessment exempt from VAT. South Africa's 55 road border posts are divided into 22 Designated Ports and 33 Non-Designated Ports. Selecting a non-designated port requires a mandatory 'Reason For Non Designated Port' and blocks excess currency, temporary imports/exports, remodelling/repairs, samples, prohibited/restricted goods, and 'Pay at Port' payments. When passport country is South Africa ('ZAF'), a valid 13-digit South African ID Number (validated via Luhn checksum) is mandatory and automatically populates Date of Birth; for non-SA mobile codes (anything other than ZAF_27), Email is mandatory.
Yes. Following the phased rollout launched in November 2022, online declaration via SATMS is mandatory from June 1, 2026 for all travellers entering or leaving South Africa with a foreign-registered vehicle (including SACU states), and mandatory from July 1, 2026 for ALL travellers (citizens, residents, foreign visitors, crew, diplomats, and minors) across Air, Land, Sea, and Rail ports — whether submitting a Full or Nil declaration.
No. Submitting the Online Traveller Declaration is completely free (ZAR 0.00). Only travellers arriving with goods that exceed South Africa's duty-free allowances are required to pay the calculated Customs Duties and VAT (either online via SARS eFiling or at a designated port).
Official SARS policy requires submission not earlier than 24 hours before departure from your country of origin (or upon arrival/departure before passing through Customs). In the live SATMS web portal, the Travel Date picker strictly allows Today (D) and Tomorrow (D+1).
Yes. SATMS is bidirectional. By default, selecting any foreign country in 'Travelling From' locks 'Travelling To' as South Africa (Arrival). Selecting 'South Africa' (ZAF) in 'Travelling From' unlocks 'Travelling To' for Departure declarations.
Travellers entering South Africa may bring up to ZAR 12,500 in new or used personal/gift goods duty-free (plus 2L wine, 1L spirits, 200 cigarettes, 20 cigars, 250g tobacco for ages 18+, and 50ml perfume / 250ml eau de toilette). An additional ZAR 25,000 in goods (up to ZAR 37,500 total) can be assessed at a 20% flat customs duty rate exempt from VAT. For currency, SATMS applies a shared ZAR 100,000 threshold across all currency categories.
Yes. On Step 1 (Travel Details), parents or legal guardians can add up to 5 accompanying family members or assisted travellers (such as minors or elders) under the 'Travelling Companions' section by entering their First Name, Surname, Travel Document Number, and Issuing Country.
Yes. Effective June 1, 2026, all foreign-registered road vehicles (including vehicles registered in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, and Namibia) must be declared online via SATMS under a Full Declaration -> Temporary Importation (Step 4 Vehicle Information), which replaces the old manual TRD1 form and links to an electronic TGD1 record.
All 11 airports, 7 seaports, 4 rail stations, and 22 major land border posts are Designated Ports with full Customs facilities. The remaining 33 smaller road border posts are Non-Designated Ports: they require a 'Reason For Non Designated Port' and cannot process excess currency, temporary vehicle/goods imports, remodelling/repairs, commercial samples, prohibited/restricted goods, or port duty payments.