30/01/2025
Excise Duty
What is it?
Excise duties and levies are imposed mostly on high-volume daily consumable products (e.g. petroleum, alcohol and to***co products) as well as certain non-essential or luxury items (e.g. electronic equipment and cosmetics).
The primary function of these duties and levies is to ensure a constant stream of revenue for the State, with a secondary function of discouraging consumption of certain harmful products; i.e. harmful to human health or to the environment. The revenue generated by these duties and levies amount to approximately ten per cent of the total revenue received by SARS.
Who is it for?
Excise Duties are levied throughout the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), consisting of the Republic of South Africa, the Republic of Botswana, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Republic of Namibia and the Kingdom of Swaziland
What steps must I take?
Relevant entities in the RSA must license with SARS Excise before they start to manufacture.
Excise Duties are payable by manufacturers of the following products:
Ad Valorem Products
Alcohol Products:
- Malt Beer
- Traditional African Beer
- Spirits / Liquor Products
- Wine and Vermouth
Other Fermented Beverages
Petroleum Products
To***co Products
Excise Levies/tax are/may be levied separately and uniquely on different products:
Air Passenger Tax
Diamond Export Levy
Environmental Levy Products
Carbon Tax
Electric filament lamps
Electricity generation
Motor vehicle CO2 emission
Plastic bags
Tyres
Fuel Levy and Road Accident Fund (RAF) Levy on Petroleum Products
Health Promotion Levy on Sugary Beverages
International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund Levy (IOPCF)