How To Clear A Car At Any Seaport In Nigeria (2022)—This article discusses how to clear a car at any Nigerian seaport in 2022. Clearing your vehicles at any Nigerian seaport requires consultation with the appropriate authorities, which in this case is the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) stationed at the port, and without their stamp of approval on your car or vehicle papers, you cannot clear it and drive it out of the port to anywhere in Nigeria.
To be sure, clearing automobiles at any of Nigeria’s major seaports can be a monumental undertaking due to the regulations required. Today, many thousands of cars are imported into Nigeria on a yearly basis; some are fairly used cars from Canada, others from the USA, Japan, and China, to name a few; and with the large volume of vehicles entering through our ports, clearing your car is never fun or easy, as you will have to prepare to deal with numerous issues confronting the Nigerian system before your vehicle can be cleared.
As a result of the difficulties encountered by many individuals in Nigeria while attempting to clear their automobiles at any of the country’s seaports, Nigerian Guide has outlined the step-by-step procedures for clearing your vehicles in the country without undue stress. These instructions will familiarize you with what to expect and how much to pay at the ports when clearing your car in Nigeria. Without further ado, allow us to discuss them in greater detail below.
A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO CLEARING A CAR/MOTOR VEHICLE AT ANY NIGERIAN SEAPORT IN 2022
The procedures for clearing motor vehicles at any Nigerian seaport in 2022 are as follows:
SEEK TO OBTAIN THE VEHICLE’S BILL OF LADING
Your bill of lading for an automobile or motor vehicle is a document that will be provided to you by your overseas shipping agent, and it is critical that you request it from them. This document will be issued to you by the shipping company or cargo carrier transporting your car from the country from which you are importing it, and it will typically take the form of a receipt stating unequivocally that the motor vehicle you are attempting to import into Nigeria is on board their ship.
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The bill of lading records all pertinent information about the vehicle you’re importing into the country, including the vehicle’s name, manufacturer and model, weight, VIN, and year of production, to name a few. This document can be delivered to you using any of the leading international courier services, such as DHL or FedEx. It can also be emailed to you if you wish to proceed with “Print at Destination,” in which case a copy of the bill will be printed in Nigeria. Please keep in mind that this paperwork is critical and will assist you in claiming your vehicle at the port.
OBTAIN AN IMPORT DUTY VALUATION
The next stage in clearing your motor vehicle at any Nigerian port is to request for an import duty valuation through reputable clearing services, since this will be required of you. This stage of the car clearing process is quite perilous, and it is highly recommended that you seek the services of a reputable clearing organization. This process will determine whether you proceed with car clearance or not, and the clearing agency you choose will affect whether the process is simple or lengthy, which is why you must choose an agency that is registered and licensed to handle such affairs.
To obtain an import duty valuation, the clearing agency must submit an application on their company letterhead, along with a copy of the bill of lading, to the Nigeria Customs Service. Once this is sent, you will receive a response detailing the car’s true value in US Dollars. The import duty valuation is used to determine the surface duty, which is 35% for old vehicles and 70% for new vehicles. Please note that this fee does not include tax, terminal, or shipping expenses.
REGISTER THE VALUATION INTO THE CUSTOMS DATABASE/SERVER
As soon as the Nigerian Customs Command receives the import duty valuation, it will be entered into the Customs database. This is referred to as “Direct Trader Input” (DTI) or “punching.” This procedure may only be initiated through the same agency that provided the letterhead paper for the car’s appraisal. At this point, the Tax Identification Number of the person receiving the shipment, also referred to as the consignee or receiver, will be requested.
After successfully completing this process, you must print the DTI or Assessment Notice, as well as the Single Goods Declaration Form (SGD). The SGD form contains information about the transaction, the type of vehicle, and the contents of the vehicle.
IMPORT DUTY PAYMENT
To pay your import duty, you must check the bank account number that was specified throughout the punching procedure and make the needed payment. Kindly adhere to the assessment notice as this will be required by the bank for payment of import duty. The bank will issue a bank receipt upon payment. You can also pay online, but you will need to visit the bank to pick up your payment evidence.
INSPECTION OF THE PROPERTY AND CUSTOMS RELEASE
At this stage, you must proceed to the Nigerian Customs Service Office with all of your paperwork. The bank receipt, SGD, assessment notice, valuation copy, and bill of lading are all required documents. After you provide the required paperwork, they will be registered and a date for your vehicle’s physical test will be scheduled.
This enables the Nigerian Customs Service to verify if the information on the documents corresponds to the vehicle’s description. The NCS will confirm the brand, model, and year of the vehicle, as well as the VIN/chassis number. Additionally, they will verify and validate the amount of duty paid. The Nigerian Customs Service will submit a report to the releasing office upon completion of this process.
EXIT PRINTING AT THE SHIPPING COMPANY
This is a relatively quick procedure. Simply visit the shipping business responsible for your motor vehicle and supply them with your SGD form so that they can print your exit copy.
RELEASE AT THE SHIPPING COMPANY
Your vehicle will be released only after you have submitted all required documentation to the shipping firm. The following documents are required: a signed original bill of lading, an exit copy, SGD, and a signed copy of the consignee’s identification (which may be an International Passport, a Driver’s License, or a National Identity Card).
Additionally, you must produce the custom document that authorizes clearing agencies to function; this form is referred to as Form C30. This form C30 should be submitted along with authorization from the agency whose information was utilized to apply for valuation. All documents you submit will be thoroughly vetted, and you will be responsible for shipping and terminal fees.
SIGN UP AND REGISTER AT THE GATE OFFICE
To register and sign, locate the gate office at the Nigerian Customs office. They will want a copy of the customs release form and the printed exit copy from the shipping business.
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Additionally, they will verify duty payment, which is often done by an officer on the seat who will verify it on the system. The officer will stamp and sign the document once it has been validated.
COLLECT ORDER FOR TERMINAL DELIVERY (TDO)
To collect the Terminal Delivery Order (TDO), you must present a payment receipt from the shipping company and a copy of the signed gate document.
SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR VEHICLE DELIVERY
At this stage, you must provide all paperwork necessary for the car to be delivered to the final delivery gate’s open floor.
FINAL CHECK OF THE CUSTOMER
Once the vehicle reaches the floor at the final delivery gate, a shipping company representative and a customs officer will conduct final inspections before the vehicle is driven out of the port.
FINAL PAYMENT
Following the final customer check, you may be required to pay the customs officers on duty, the clearing agent’s association, and any other additional charges levied by associations in the area before you can safely drive your automobile out of the port as yours.
