Botswana Customs: Prohibited and Restricted Goods

Prohibited and Restricted Goods

Certain goods are prohibited or restricted to protect public health, domestic plant and animal life or the environment. We have been entrusted with enforcing laws for other government agencies relating to the prohibition and restriction of such goods. It is not possible to list all prohibited and restricted goods.
If you are in any doubt whether the importation of other goods is prohibited or restricted, please contact your nearest customs office in Botswana before travelling outside the country. 
















Prohibited Goods

The importation of, among other things, the following goods into Botswana is completely prohibited. It is illegal to be found in possession of prohibited goods and may result in seizure and prosecution. These include:


• Narcotic, habit-forming drugs and related substances in any form.
• Military firearms, ammunition and explosives
• Indecent and obscene material such as pornographic books, magazines, films, videos, DVDs and software

Restricted Goods

These are goods, which you cannot import without authority such as a licence or a permit. Further details regarding restrictions on the importation of agricultural products can be obtained from the Director of Animal Health and Production, Private Bag 0032, Gaborone and the Director of Crop Production and Forestry, Private Bag 003, Gaborone.

The following consumer goods may be imported for private use without an import permit provided they do not exceed the maximum allowable quantities.

Products	Maximum Quantity
Red meat, goat/lamb Poultry meat Tinned poultry meat Eggs Fresh milk Maize and maize products Wheat Pulses (beans, peas, lentils) Sorghum and sorghum products Cabbage Onions Potatoes Oranges Tomatoes Choumollier Rape Spinach Bread loaves	25 kg per family 5 kg per person 20 kg per person 36 eggs per person 2 litres per person 25 kg per person 25 kg per person 25 kg per person 25 kg per person 1 bag per person 1 bag per person 1 bag per person 1 bag per person 1 box per person 2 kg per person 2 kg per person 2 kg per person 6 per week

The regulations on importing meat and meat products change frequently because they are based on disease outbreaks in different countries, always ask your nearest customs office before importing meat and meat products.