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Guide Details
Household Goods
Documents
Documents required for importing used household goods, personal effects, and related shipments.
- Clear and legible copy of passport
- Certificate of change of residence (issued by the municipality of origin or by a consulate), or certificate of move
- Detailed, valued inventory in French, dated and signed by the owner of the goods
- Work transfer certificate or letter from the employer
- NIF (Numéro d'Identification Fiscale / Tax Identification Number), issued by the OTR (Togolese Revenue Authority), or the NIF of the shipper's employer
- Two original Bills of Lading or Airway Bill — no express release for sea shipments
- Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN) — must be obtained at the port of loading; if not obtained at origin, it can be processed on arrival for EUR 150 (20-foot) or EUR 250 (40-foot), which is charged back to the origin agent
- Non-sale certificate confirming that goods were purchased more than 6 months before the client's arrival and will not be resold
- Copy of export declaration (may be required)
- All of the above plus: diplomatic waiver of duties obtained from the Togolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs before the shipment arrives — it is no longer permitted to issue a D48 form retrospectively to anticipate exit
Specific Information
Personal effects of corporate employees, private individuals, and returning Togolese nationals are taxed at 5% of CIF value. This rate applies regardless of the reason for return or employment status. Brand new items are subject to additional tax.
All documents must be provided to the destination agent at least 2 weeks before the shipment arrives at the port of Lomé.
If the required documents — particularly the certificate of change of residence and work transfer certificate — are not provided, Customs will reclassify the goods as merchandise and tax them at 48% of CIF value (including all applicable taxes).
Foreigners require both the certificate of change of residence and the work transfer certificate. Returning Togolese nationals require only the certificate of change of residence.
Diplomatic shipments — two levels of taxation:
- Ambassadors and embassies themselves: only the IT tax applies, plus a statistics tax for some embassies — approximately EUR 10 flat
- Embassy administrative and technical staff: taxed at the same rate as expatriates (5% of CIF)
The diplomatic exemption must be obtained prior to arrival. Retrospective exemptions are no longer issued.
All inventories must be in French.
Prohibited & Restricted Items
Prohibited Items
- Firearms and ammunition — importation is strictly forbidden `PERMIT REQUIRED` for any legitimate exceptions
- Narcotics and illegal drugs
- Wildlife and wildlife products covered by CITES `CITES`
- Counterfeit goods
Restricted / Dutiable Items
- Alcohol: only "Fond de Cave" (personal wine cellar stock, maximum 20 bottles) is accepted in personal effects shipments
- Tobacco: maximum quantities for duty-free import are 100 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 50 cigars, or 100g of tobacco per person (minimum age 15)
- Fruits and vegetables: a phytosanitary certificate is required
- New items: subject to additional duty regardless of overall shipment exemption status
- All personal effects goods (non-diplomatic, non-exempt): taxed at 5% of CIF value; failure to provide required documents results in 48% taxation as merchandise
Importing a Used Personal Vehicle
Required Documents
- Original car registration documents (if unavailable, a declaration of loss must be obtained at a cost of EUR 50)
- Vehicle purchase invoice (new vehicles)
- Certificate of change of residence or certificate of move
- Work transfer certificate
- Dashboard photograph showing odometer reading
- Four exterior photographs of the vehicle (front, back, both sides)
- NIF (Tax Identification Number from OTR or employer's NIF)
- ECTN (Electronic Cargo Tracking Note) — obtained at port of loading or processed on arrival for EUR 150/250
- Interpol certificate — compulsory; cost EUR 20
- Copy of export and import declaration (may be required)
Specific Information
Togo Customs will assess the vehicle upon arrival in Lomé. The value determined by Customs at arrival serves as the basis for calculating duties. Duties are payable in full in cash or by bank-certified cheque before delivery.
Vehicle duty rates for taxable importers (corporate employees, individuals, Togolese nationals):
- Vehicles under 13 HP: 49% of Customs-assessed value
- Vehicles over 13 HP: 54% of Customs-assessed value
- Motorcycles, two-wheelers, and quads: assessed on a case-by-case basis by Customs
- A minimum fixed tax (MFI) of 1% applies to all imported second-hand vehicles
Diplomatic shipments — two levels:
- Ambassadors and embassies themselves: IT tax only, approximately EUR 10
- Embassy administrative and technical staff: 5–10% of CIF value
NGOs and organizations with a preferential exemption agreement with the Togolese State are entitled to partial exemption; the applicable rate depends on the agreement.
It is strongly advised to ship vehicles in containers to prevent damage or looting in transit.
Pets
- ISO 11784/11785-compliant microchip certificate (strongly recommended)
- Rabies vaccination record (vaccination administered within 30 days to 12 months before arrival)
- Official veterinary health certificate, issued within 3 days before the pet's arrival in Togo, stating that the animal is free from contagious disease and has been free from disease for at least 6 weeks prior to departure
- Import permit (required for animals arriving from certain countries — contact the destination agent to confirm requirements based on the country of origin)
- Owner's passport copy
No quarantine is imposed if all requirements are met. Pets not meeting requirements will be quarantined, returned, or euthanized at the owner's expense.
Pets may be transported as accompanied baggage or as air cargo. Contact the destination agent prior to arrival for specific handling procedures.
An import permit may be required depending on the country of origin. Confirm with the destination agent well before shipping.
Consignment Instructions
Contact the destination agent to ensure all requirements have been met prior to import, especially for differences between air and sea shipments.
All documents must be in French. The destination agent must receive all documents at least 2 weeks before the vessel arrives at the port of Lomé. Failure to provide documents on time will result in port storage charges and the risk of Customs reclassifying the shipment as commercial merchandise at 48% duty.
The ECTN must be obtained at the port of loading. If not obtained at origin, the destination agent can arrange it on arrival but at additional cost (EUR 150 for 20-foot, EUR 250 for 40-foot), which is charged back to the origin branch.
For diplomatic shipments, the exemption must be obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before the shipment arrives. Retrospective exemptions are no longer issued.
Motor vehicles must be shipped in containers. Duty payments are required in full in cash or bank-certified cheque before delivery.
Cultural & Other Information
Togo — officially the Togolese Republic — is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana, Benin, and Burkina Faso, with a short coastline on the Gulf of Guinea. It has a population of approximately 9 million. The capital is Lomé, which is also the main port city. French is the official language. The currency is the West African CFA Franc (XOF), shared with other UEMOA member states.
Togo is one of West Africa's smaller economies, with an economy based on agriculture, phosphate mining, and transit trade through the Port of Lomé. The port serves as a regional hub for landlocked countries including Burkina Faso and Mali.
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