Used Household Goods and Personal Effects
Documents Required
- Copy of passport (identification pages and passport translation page in Arabic)
- Packing list
- Entrance visa / work permit (foreigners, diplomats)
- Original Bill of Lading (OBL) / Telex release / air waybill (AWB)
- Letter of employment (foreigners)
- Statistics code (provided by Libyan employer) (foreigners)
- Letter from the Libyan Consulate / letter of employment (returning citizens)
- Diplomatic franchise from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (diplomats)
Specific Regulations
- The Customs clearance procedures can last from 7-10 days (foreigners) / 10-14 days (diplomats).
- The owner of the goods does not need to be present for Customs clearance.
- A letter from the Libyan Consulate is required for returning citizens, detailing the owner of the goods’ organization abroad; however, if the entity employing the owner of the goods has a branch in Libya, a letter from the employing branch is acceptable for re-entry.
- The owner of the goods’ import documents should be ready prior to shipment arrival at the port / airport of entry to minimize port charges.
- Duties of approximately 10% may apply on shipments above the Customs estimate; however, diplomats are exempt.
Motor Vehicles
Documents Required
- OBL
- Purchase invoice
Specific Regulations
- Returning citizens cannot import vehicles older than 5 years of manufacture.
- For returning citizens 10% duty is applicable after the Customs estimation process.
- For foreigners, 25% of the value of the vehicle is paid as a deposit and a temporary regime is applied.
- The deposit is refunded after the foreigner’s final departure.
Pets
Documents Required
- Vaccination record
- Veterinary health certificate (2 copies)
Specific Regulations
- The documents must accompany pets entering Libya.
Restricted/Dutiable Items
- Plants and plant products (a plant quarantine certificate is required)
- Insecticides (a permit obtained from the Secretariat of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform’s Plant Protection Department is required)
Prohibited Items
- Narcotics
- Pornographic materials
- Counterfeit items
- Explosive materials
- Alcohol and spirits
- Guns
Consignment Instructions
Recommended: Contact the destination agent to ensure all requirements have been met prior to import, especially for differences regarding air / sea shipments.