Trader Registration

To engage in import, export and transhipment activities in Singapore:

• First register with the Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA).

• Upon successful registration with ACRA, please apply to Singapore Customs for a Entity Identifier. The EI enables you to submit Import, Export and Transhipment Permit applications through TradeNet®. Your EI is processed free of charge.

Permit Requirement

Imports

For imports of all goods (including controlled and non-controlled items) into Singapore,

• Obtain an Import Permit through TradeNet® before goods are imported into Singapore

• Subject to the payment of Goods and Services Tax (GST) which is levied at 7% of the CIF (cost, insurance and freight) value at the time of importation.

Import of High-Technology Products

• Certain high-technology products are subject to export control by the exporting country. In this case, the exporter in the exporting country may ask the Singapore importer for an Import Certificate and Delivery Verification (ICDV) from Singapore.

• The Singapore Customs will issue the ICDV to you if your application is in order. The purpose of the ICDV is to ensure that the items are in fact imported into Singapore and are not diverted or re-export to a proscribed destination.

• For more Information on application and procedure for the Issue of an Import Certificate and Delivery Verification Certificate, click here:

Exports

For exports of goods out of Singapore,

• Obtain an Export Permit through TradeNet® within 3 days of export if your goods are non-controlled and are exported by sea or air.

• Obtain an Export Permit through TradeNet® before goods are exported out of Singapore if your goods are controlled or are exported by road and rail.

Products Requiring Export Approvals

Some products are subject to special documentation requirement. Details are explained below:

Textiles and Textile Products

Before exporting textiles and textile products including samples, gifts and souvenir items made from textiles to EU and the USA, you should check with the Tariffs and Trade Services Branch of Singapore Customs as you may need to obtain the CO for the importers in those markets.

Aquarium Fish and Fresh-Cut Orchids

Germany requires an Export Certificate for every consignment of cut flowers imported into the country.

Our Singapore Customs (Aircargo) processes Certificates of Origin for the export of aquarium fish and fresh-cut orchids.

Transhipment

For all transhipment of goods from one Free Trade Zone to another and for transhipment of controlled items (Appendix D) within the same Free Trade Zone,

• Obtain a Transhipment Permit through TradeNet® before goods are imported into Singapore

Using TradeNet®

To apply for a TradeNet® Permit, you may either:

• Subscribe as a TradeNet® User to submit permit applications for processing and approval. Please contact the TradeNet® System Administrator, CrimsonLogic at Tel No. (65) 6887 7888 for more information; or

• Appoint an agent, freight forwarder or TradeNet® Service Centre to submit the permit applications on your behalf.

Permit Exemption

1. The requirement for permits shall not apply if such goods are not controlled imports, controlled exports or controlled transhipments and are:

i. personal or household effects, other than motor vehicles, which:

1. accompany passengers, crew or employees of transport undertakings by land, sea or air;
2. are not being transported for sale but are intended for the personal or household use of such passengers, crew or employees of transport undertakings; and

ii. being imported, exported or transhipped by parcel post and such importation, exportation and transhipment is not prohibited under regulation 6 of the Regulation of Imports and Exports Regulations;

iii. diplomatic correspondence;

iv. being imported, exported or transhipped by: 

             1.    the joint defence force, including the
                    Singapore Armed Forces, the Singapore
                    Police Force and the Singapore Joint Civil
                    Defence Force, including personal and
                    household effects of its officers but excluding
                    civilian motor vehicles; or

             2.    the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including
                    personal and household effects of its officers
                    but excluding motor vehicles;

v. used motor vehicles covered by Carnet de Passage which are endorsed by the Automobile Association of Singapore;

vi. trade samples, specimens for analysis or test, and gifts, the total value of which does not exceed S$400, including the following controlled items:

            1.    fish and fishery products (excluding species
                   controlled under CITES); fruits and vegetables
                   (excluding those from the American Tropics);
                   and flowers (excluding species controlled
                   under CITES and those from the American
                   Tropics) controlled by Agri-Food and
                   Veterinary Authority (AVA);

            2.    rice of all descriptions controlled by the IE
                  Singapore

vii. commercial, shipping or airline documents, press photographs or negatives, news write-ups, news clippings, news films or news transcription tapes;

viii. human corpses, human remains, human bones or cremated ashes;

ix. human transplant materials; or

x. goods being imported, exported or transhipped by air, the total value of which does not exceed $400.

2. The requirement of a permit to export any goods shall not apply if such goods:

i. are not controlled exports;

ii. have a total value which does not exceed $400; and

iii. are being exported unaccompanied by air by a tourist.

3. The requirement of a permit to tranship any goods shall not apply if such goods:

i. are not controlled import, controlled exports or controlled transhipments; and

ii. are not transhipped from one free trade zone to another.

Third Country Trading through Singapore

A Singapore company may arrange for the shipment of their goods from a second country to a third country. If it is shown as the shipper in both the incoming and outgoing bills of lading/air waybills/manifests, and

Where the goods are not discharged in Singapore

• No import and export permits are required.

Where the goods are discharged in Singapore

• No import and export permits are required

• The carrier's agents must indicate against the consignment in the inward and outward manifests the following remarks:

            "Transhipped through Singapore on Through Bill of
              Lading to....... (Destination)"

Temporary Import/Export under ATA Carnet

E-filing for Customs Supervision

Goods imported or exported under ATA carnet are subject to Customs Supervision. For further details, please refer to the Singapore Customs website at Application for Customs Supervision.

Import

• Import permits are not required for goods imported under ATA Carnet. However, where some or all of the goods are not re-exported, you must obtain the necessary import permit(s) for the goods.

• If the goods to be imported are under import control, you must obtain the endorsement/approval from the relevant controlling agency before the arrival of the controlled goods in Singapore.

• You must present the ATA Carnet (endorsed by Customs) to the carrier's agent to effect shipment of the goods. The B/L or AWB number should be indicated on the top right hand corner of the ATA Carnet. The carrier's agent will:

• retain a copy of the ATA Carnet

• indicate in the manifest, the ATA Carnet No. against the item which was exported under the ATA Carnet.

Export

In Singapore, ATA Carnets are issued only by the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce (SICC). You should apply to the SICC for an ATA Carnet for goods temporarily exported from Singapore.