Tax and SARS knowledge base
How can an importer track a Customs registration application?
How can an importer track a Customs registration or licence application?
Last reviewed:
Direct answer
SARS importer guidance provides an RLA status request, and SARS also provides Customs and Excise services through SOQS. Start with the original application record. Confirm the legal entity, application type, submission date, reference number and authorised contact, then use the current status channel and retain the query reference and any response.
Do not submit a new application just because the original is pending. Duplicate or inconsistent applications can make the record harder to understand. If SARS requests documents, respond to the request through the current channel with accurate, readable evidence and keep a full record of what was sent.
What this means in practice
Registration, Licensing and Accreditation, known as RLA, can cover different Customs client types and activities. The status question therefore needs a precise answer: is the business following up an importer registration, an exporter registration, a Customs licence, a change to details, a Customs code request or a different service? A generic query with no application reference may not give SARS enough information to locate the correct record.
Create a central application file before tracking status. It should show the legal entity's exact registered name, identifier, application type, date, reference, documents uploaded, person who submitted it and the current business need. Then assign one owner for follow-up. This prevents a broker, staff member and director from lodging several overlapping requests.
Do not promise a Customs clearance date to a customer based only on an application being submitted. A pending registration is not evidence that the importer is ready for a particular shipment. Keep commercial and logistics teams informed of verified status, not an assumption about what SARS will decide.
Step-by-step
- Locate the original application evidence.
Retrieve the submitted application, reference number, confirmation, supporting documents, correspondence and any online acknowledgement. Check that the information identifies the correct legal entity. If the business does not have an application reference, first assemble sufficient details to distinguish the entity and request type.
- Confirm the current request category.
SARS's Importers page directs users to RLA status and Customs Code request services. Read the current description and choose the route that matches the actual application. A status request is not a substitute for a code retrieval, document upload, new application or change-of-details process.
- Use the current SARS status service.
Enter the entity details and reference information accurately. Record the date, request category, reference and any status text. Keep a secure copy or note of the response. Do not expose login details or personal credentials in emails, shared chat groups or a general project folder.
- Compare the response to the application file.
If SARS identifies outstanding documents, missing authority or a different entity detail, compare that request to the original records before uploading anything. Make a short discrepancy note with the source document that will resolve it. This avoids submitting conflicting versions of the same information.
- Submit follow-up documents carefully.
SARS SOQS guidance says mandatory fields must be completed before supporting documents can be attached and submitted. Follow current onscreen instructions, upload legible documents and save the new query reference. Keep the complete document set, not only the new attachment.
- Maintain a controlled escalation record.
If the business needs to follow up again, use the existing reference and an evidence-based summary of the application history. Record every contact, date, result and outstanding action. Do not invent a processing deadline or claim that an application is urgent unless the correct SARS process supports the request.
Documents and records to keep
Keep application forms, status and submission references, entity details, authorisation documents, Customs code records, uploads and correspondence. Maintain a chronological log with columns for date, action, reference, person responsible, SARS response and next action.
Keep supporting documents in their original form where possible. If a document is updated, retain both the earlier and current version, identify the change and record why it was made. This makes it easier to respond if SARS queries an inconsistency.
Important limits and exceptions
This guide does not provide a processing time, guarantee an approval or determine whether an importer or licence application is complete. SARS can ask for further information, and the available interface can change. The fact that a status query was submitted is not proof that a business may clear goods or carry out a regulated Customs activity.
Do not use an RLA status request to conceal an incorrect original application. If the legal entity, registered agent, addresses or activity are wrong, get advice on the correct change or new application process. Do not ask an unauthorised person to submit confidential entity documents.
When to get tailored advice
Get help where the business has multiple legal entities, a foreign importer, a changed registered agent, a historic application with missing records, a material shipment delay or a SARS response that is unclear. A Customs adviser can help identify the right process and prevent a duplicate or contradictory submission.
TaxProof can organise the application timeline and evidence pack. We cannot obtain preferential processing, make a SARS decision or state that a pending application is approved.