Rwanda
B/L Print Requirements
Mandatory text on Ocean B/L
- • Consignee 9-digit TIN, 6-digit HS Code, and precise goods description mandatory on B/L and manifest.
- • Coastal discharge port must be stated with mandatory transit notation: "Cargo in transit to Rwanda via [Dar es Salaam / Mombasa] at consignee's risk and expense".
- • Ocean freight must be prepaid.
Consignee 9-digit TIN must appear on transport documents and manifest. For transit cargo to Kigali via Dar es Salaam or Mombasa, the explicit transit clause ("In transit to Rwanda via Port of [Discharge Port]") must appear in the goods description field.
Inspection & Certificates
Pre-loading inspection & filing
- • Mandatory pre-shipment Certificate of Conformity issued by RSB-accredited inspection bodies prior to loading for regulated commodities.
- • EAC Single Customs Territory electronic declaration processed via ReSW before cross-border transit under RECTS electronic seals.
Cargo & Standards
Labeling, vehicles & packaging
- • Passenger vehicles: maximum 10 years from manufacture
- • Right-hand-drive vehicles are strictly prohibited.
- • English, French, or Kinyarwanda product labeling mandatory on retail consumer goods.
- • Total statutory ban on importation of second-hand clothes (Cyamunara) and used footwear.
- • Total ban on non-biodegradable polythene packaging bags.
- • Official Veterinary Health Certificate mandatory for all imported meat products.
- • Motor vehicles older than 10 years face elevated customs valuation scales.
- • ISPM 15 wood packaging compliance strictly enforced at dry ports.
- • ISPM 15 heat-treated stamp required on all wooden packaging.
Shipper & Consignee
Where this destination differs from standard practice
- • Foreign consignees are not accepted — a locally-registered entity must be named.
Consignee must be a registered Rwandan commercial entity with an active 9-digit TIN on ReSW. "To Order" B/Ls are permitted provided the Notify Party is the registered local buyer or licensed transit forwarder with full physical address in Kigali, local phone number, and TIN stated on the B/L. PO Box only is rejected.
Non-Compliance Risk at Destination
Regulated goods arriving without an origin RSB CoC incur a mandatory 15% CIF penalty plus destination laboratory testing delays. Prohibited used clothing and non-biodegradable plastic packaging are subject to immediate customs seizure and destruction.
Compliance Timeline for Rwanda
Follow this 3-step sequence from container stuffing through to port clearance.
Before Container Loading
- ✓ Complete pre-shipment inspection (PVoC / CoC) via RSB PVoC Accredited Bodies (Bureau Veritas, SGS, Intertek, Cotecna, TÜV Rheinland) before cargo is stuffed.
- ✓ Verify vehicle age against the applicable statutory limit (10 yrs passenger).
- ✓ Confirm vehicle is NOT right-hand drive before booking.
- ✓ Confirm consignee is a locally-registered entity — foreign consignees are not accepted at this destination.
- ✓ Verify ISPM 15 heat-treated stamp on all wooden crates, dunnage, and pallets.
Prior to Sailing
- ✓ Ensure exact consignee Tax ID / Registration Code and 6-digit HS Code are printed on B/L.
- ✓ Submit SOLAS Verified Gross Mass (VGM) to loading terminal before yard cutoff.
Port Clearance at Destination
- ✓ Present original Certificate of Conformity (CoC) to destination standards inspectors.
- ✓ Collect Delivery Order (DO) upon completing Release verification.
Download Compliance Guide for Rwanda (PDF)
Generate a practical, print-ready compliance document complete with statutory B/L clauses, ECTN certificate agencies, vehicle age ceilings, and station phone contacts.