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Guide Details
Household Goods
Documents
Documents required for importing used household goods, personal effects, and related shipments.
- Copy of passport
- Original Bill of Lading or Airway Bill
- Detailed packing list/inventory in English
- Customs declaration (Declaração Aduaneira Única / DAU) — filed by the destination agent
- Employer's letter to Customs requesting duty-free import (for qualifying expatriates — format provided by destination agent)
- For diplomats: letter from the embassy, mission, or organization to Customs requesting duty-free import
Specific Information
Qualifying expatriates whose employer is registered in Timor-Leste and whose embassy, mission, or organization is registered in Timor-Leste may import household goods and personal effects duty-free, subject to a maximum of one sea shipment and one air shipment. The employer must send a letter to Customs requesting the duty-free exemption; the destination agent can provide the required format.
All other foreigners and returning Timorese nationals who do not meet the qualifying criteria may import household goods and personal effects, but they will be subject to duty. The first USD 10 of assessed value is duty-free; duty applies thereafter. Duty rates are subject to negotiation with the Customs department — a reputable local destination agent is essential to minimize liability.
The shipper does not need to be physically present in Timor-Leste during customs clearance, but a copy of the passport must be presented to the Customs Authority at the time of clearance.
Customs declaration deadlines: Goods arriving by sea must be declared within 30 business days of arrival. Goods arriving by air or by land must be declared within 20 business days. Failure to declare within these timeframes results in automatic financial penalties.
ISPM 15 compliance is recommended for all wood packaging materials.
Duties & Taxes
Duty structure for commercial/non-qualifying imports: Import duty is 5% of CIF value; Sales Tax is 2.5% of (CIF value + import duty + any excise duty); Excise duty rates vary by category.
Prohibited & Restricted Items
Prohibited Items
- Narcotics and illegal drugs
- Firearms and weapons (without specific authorization) `PERMIT REQUIRED`
- Pornographic materials
- Goods infringing intellectual property rights
- Wildlife and wildlife products covered by CITES `CITES`
- Animals and plants from areas affected by disease or pests
Restricted / Dutiable Items
- All goods (including household goods) are subject to 5% import duty plus 2.5% sales tax unless a qualifying duty-free exemption applies
- Alcohol and tobacco: subject to excise duty in addition to import duty and sales tax; rates vary by product type
- New items: subject to full duties regardless of exemption status
- Charitable organization goods (excluding alcohol and tobacco) may qualify for duty exemption if the organization is registered in Timor-Leste and the goods are for charitable, humanitarian, educational, or healthcare purposes
Importing a Used Personal Vehicle
Required Documents
- Copy of passport
- Original vehicle registration/title documents
- Original Bill of Lading
- Employer/mission letter to Customs requesting duty-free import (diplomats only)
Specific Information
Only diplomats may import a motor vehicle duty-free. The diplomatic organization must send a letter to the Customs Department requesting duty-free import. All other foreigners and Timorese nationals may import a motor vehicle but it will be subject to duty.
All cars must be less than 5 years old at the time of import and must have the steering wheel on the right-hand side (right-hand drive only).
All motorcycles must be less than 5 years old and must have an engine size of less than 600 cc.
Contact the destination agent for current duty rates applicable to motor vehicles before booking.
Pets
- ISO 11784/11785-compliant 15-digit microchip certificate — all documentation must reflect the microchip number
- Rabies vaccination record (vaccination administered not less than 30 days before arrival)
- Rabies titer test (RNAT) — required due to Timor-Leste's active rabies status; performed at least 30 days after the most recent rabies vaccination
- Import permit from the relevant Timorese authority — obtain before sending the animal
- Official veterinary health certificate (export permit), issued by a government veterinarian in the country of origin, completed within 10 days of departure
A mandatory 14-day quarantine applies to all dogs and cats entering Timor-Leste, even when all requirements are fully met. Pets not meeting requirements will be quarantined, returned, or euthanized at the owner's expense.
Timor-Leste has active rabies cases — the WHO reported confirmed cases in 2025. A current rabies vaccination and titer test are essential. Flights should be direct or transit through a rabies-controlled country where possible.
Contact the destination agent well in advance of shipping any pet to Timor-Leste to arrange the import permit and confirm current quarantine facility availability.
Consignment Instructions
Contact the destination agent to ensure all requirements have been met prior to import, especially for differences between air, sea, and land shipments.
The employer's duty-free request letter must be submitted to the Customs Authority before or at the time of clearance. A copy of the shipper's passport must be presented at clearance even if the shipper is not physically present.
Customs declaration (DAU) must be filed within 30 business days of sea arrival or 20 business days of air/land arrival. Penalties apply automatically for late declarations — do not delay.
The duty negotiation process for non-exempt shipments requires an experienced local destination agent. Duty amounts are not always fixed and can vary based on the Customs officer's assessment and negotiation.
ISPM 15 compliance is recommended for all wood packaging materials.
Cultural & Other Information
Timor-Leste — officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor — is a small island nation in Southeast Asia occupying the eastern half of the island of Timor, plus the exclave of Oecusse and the islands of Atauro and Jaco. It has a population of approximately 1.4 million. The capital is Dili, which is also the main port and airport city. Tetum and Portuguese are the official languages; Indonesian and English are also widely used. The currency is the US Dollar (USD).
Timor-Leste gained independence from Indonesia in 2002, following a UN-administered transition. It is one of the world's newest and least developed nations. The economy relies largely on oil and gas revenue, subsistence agriculture, and international aid. Infrastructure in Dili is improving but remains limited outside the capital. Veterinary and specialist services are concentrated in urban areas.
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