Mali

Specific Information

Political context: Mali is governed by a military transitional government following coups in 2020 and 2021. In January 2024, Mali withdrew from ECOWAS along with Burkina Faso and Niger, forming the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). These political changes may affect customs procedures, transit routing, and diplomatic exemption processing times. Confirm all requirements with the destination agent before shipping.

Exemption for private citizens and expatriates: Private citizens not being sent to Mali by their company cannot benefit from the customs exemption, regardless of their status. It is the welcoming entity's NIF code that enables the shipper to be linked to the employer and benefit from the exemption. If the exemption is granted, private citizens and expatriates pay duties of 2.5% of the declared value of the inventory.

Redevance Statistique (statistical fee): 2.5% of the valued inventory for non-Malian citizens; 3.5% for returning Malian citizens. Diplomats are exempt.

Air freight under 200 kg: Personal effects shipments with a gross weight below 200 kg may clear customs without a formal exemption, subject to payment of approximately EUR 200 in additional fees. This simplified procedure applies only to personal effects, not to materials or equipment.

Road shipments: Customs clearance can be done at the border for non-diplomatic clients. The Fonds de Garantie Routier is a 1% tax on the valued inventory for all shipments transported by road from Abidjan (Ivory Coast) to Bamako.

Documentation language: All inventories and customs documentation must be in French.

Duties & Taxes

Duty-free conditions: A certificate for free entry must be obtained from the Malian Customs head office. Once this certificate is obtained, used personal effects may be imported duty-free. The process to obtain the free-entry certificate takes approximately 20 to 40 days. Documents must be received by the destination agent at least 15 days before the shipment arrives.

New items: All new household items (less than 6 months old) are taxed at 44.28% of the declared value. Original invoices less than 6 months old are required for all new items. New items must be listed separately on the inventory with exact amounts matching the invoices. Diplomats may be exempt if the Protocol Office signs the exemption request.

Diplomatic exemption process: The diplomat must have the Protocol Office sign the exemption request. The document must be issued by the diplomat's administration at origin and then validated by the Malian authority before being handed to the local agent. The validated exemption (Protocol plus customs) must be completed before the container arrives at port. Protocol validation takes 3 to 20 days depending on the embassy's efficiency. Customs validation requires an additional 7 to 15 days. Documents must be received by the agent at least 15 days before the shipment arrives.

Prohibited & Restricted Items

Importing a Used Personal Vehicle

Required Documents

• Purchase invoice or certificate of value
• Copy of the vehicle registration documents
• Owner's passport or ID document
• Original transfer letter
• Original bill of lading or airway bill
• Non-sale certificate

Specific Information

Import duties: All non-diplomatic importers pay 44.28% in duties and taxes on motor vehicles. The IAM guide describes the duty calculation as follows: for new vehicles, the tax is 44% of the Argus value plus EUR 40 per year of age; for vehicles 10 years or older, the tax is 44% of the Argus value plus EUR 400. The FIDI guide (2023) confirms 44.28% as the standard rate for all non-diplomatic categories.

Diplomatic exemption: Diplomats are exempt from tax on motor vehicles. The exemption applies to one vehicle only.

Temporary admission: The length of temporary admission for vehicles is generally granted for a period of 2 years, renewable.

Vehicles in containers: Any container arriving by road via Dakar that stops at the Kati terminal will have the vehicle removed for customs inspection. All costs for offloading are borne by the shipper or the shipping company at origin. The container must be opened in the customer's presence unless the customer gives written authorization to open without them. Crane costs at Kati terminal are approximately 90,000 FCFA. After inspection, the local agent needs 5 to 7 days to complete customs clearance before the vehicle can be collected. The client must arrange insurance for the transfer from the terminal to their residence. Once a vehicle is offloaded from the container, it cannot be reloaded.

Registration process: After clearing customs, the local agent begins the temporary registration (IT document) procedure with the Customs one-stop shop. This takes between 30 and 45 days. Once obtained, the customs one-stop shop forwards the vehicle file to the administrative garage and issues a docket number within 7 to 10 days. The client then uses this docket number to complete the vehicle's final registration.

Pets

• Vaccination record (rabies and other standard vaccinations)
• Veterinary health certificate / sanitary certificate from the country of origin

Health certificate: The veterinary health certificate must be issued within 3 days of import. It must specify that the animal has been free from any infectious disease or rabies for at least 6 weeks prior to import.

Rabies vaccination: All dogs and cats should have current rabies vaccination. Dogs should also be vaccinated against distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, and leptospirosis.

Government endorsement: The health certificate should be endorsed by the relevant government veterinary authority in the country of origin (e.g. USDA for US, CFIA for Canada, DDPP for France).

Limited information: Mali does not have a dedicated PetTravel.com page, and detailed requirements from Malian veterinary authorities are not readily available online. Confirm all pet import requirements with the destination agent before shipping, as regulations may have changed under the current transitional government.