1. Tanzania PVoC Certification Overview:

TBS (Tanzania Bureau of Standards) is the national standards body of Tanzania. Starting from February 1, 2012, it implemented the Pre-export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) program. The certificate issued after inspection is also called COC. Most goods require this certificate for entry into Tanzania.

2. Tanzania PVoC Certification Technical Consultation Service Process:

Step 1: The exporter provides the product's HS code and product name, and the third-party testing institution checks whether the product is applicable in Tanzania according to the product scope directory.

Step 2: Fill out the Request for Certificate Form (abbreviated as RFC) completely according to the actual situation, and provide the exporter's Import Declaration Form (abbreviated as IDF), the product's test report (if there is no test report, our company will conduct product testing according to PVoC's relevant standards and issue a test report recognized by PVoC), proforma invoice draft and packing list draft.

Step 3: After the above documents are reviewed and approved, an inspection officer will be arranged to conduct on-site inspection.

Step 4: After the inspection is completed, the exporter needs to submit the final documents (commercial invoice and packing list) to our company. We will compile the documents and submit them to the Tanzania PVoC Office to issue the Customs Clearance Certificate COC (registration certificate and type approval certificate).

3. There are three ways to obtain PVoC certification 

Method 1: (COC) Inspection for each shipment

1) Application: The exporter contacts the PVoC office in their country, submits a completed Request for Certification (RFC) and the proforma invoice for the shipment, or the importer in Tanzania submits an Import Declaration Form (IDF) and a copy of the proforma invoice to initiate the PVoC application process.

2) Testing/Inspection: The PVoC office inspects the goods to confirm compliance with Tanzanian standards/technical specifications, and samples are taken for testing. If test results are qualified, a CoC certificate will be issued based on the final commercial invoice provided by the importer.

3) Certificate Validity: The CoC certificate is valid for 90 days and applies only to that specific shipment. Food, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals can only use Method 1.

4) Issuance Time: After receiving application documents and test reports, it typically takes 5-10 working days (excluding laboratory testing time, which depends on the testing laboratory).

Method 2: Product Registration Certificate with COC for each shipment
(Recommended if the same product is exported to Tanzania multiple times)

1) Testing/Application: The exporter applies to the PVoC Registration, Licensing/Certification Center, submitting a declaration of conformity to Tanzanian/international standards, along with product test reports from ISO/IEC accredited laboratories, ISO9001 certificate, and other supporting documents. The PVoC Center reviews the documents and may require corrections. Once compliance is confirmed, the Center issues a Product Registration Certificate.

2) Inspection and Certification: For each shipment, the exporter must provide a copy of the Product Registration Certificate, RFC, proforma invoice, and packing list. The PVoC office will inspect the goods, but only sample testing may be required for some shipments. After the exporter provides the final commercial invoice and packing list, the PVoC office reviews all documents and issues the CoC.

3) Certificate Validity: The Product Registration Certificate is valid for 1 year, provided the product continues to meet requirements. If the product is modified, the certificate must be updated accordingly.

Method 3: Product License

(Only for manufacturers)

1) After product registration, if quality is stable and consistently meets requirements over a long period, the manufacturer can apply for a Product License from the PVoC Registration, Licensing/Certification Center. The PVoC office will review product test reports and may conduct additional tests if necessary. Additionally, an inspection of the factory's production facilities will be carried out.

2) After the above steps are completed, the manufacturer will obtain a Product License for that product type. For future exports, the manufacturer only needs to provide the RFC, final commercial invoice, and a copy of the Product License. The PVoC office will then issue the CoC without requiring inspection and testing for each shipment.

3) To monitor ongoing compliance, the PVoC office reserves the right to randomly inspect licensed products, but will notify the exporter in advance. If the product continues to meet requirements, the license can be renewed annually, with a factory inspection during renewal. If the product is modified, re-registration must be applied for.

4. Tanzania Controlled Products List (Partial):