Barbados Customs Import and Export Policy

Customs Management Regulations

The Barbados Customs Act, promulgated in 1998, is the basic law of the Barbados customs system, including the establishment and powers of the customs agency, import and export management, taxation and tax refund, duty-free zone management, coastal transportation, anti-smuggling, customs law enforcement, etc.

The Barbados Customs and Domestic Excise Department is responsible for the unified management of the customs, with the following specific functions:

(1) Collecting tariffs on behalf of the government and implementing duty-free for goods imported by relevant groups in accordance with government regulations;

(2) Anti-smuggling;

(3) Cooperating with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture to quarantine relevant imported goods;

(4) Collecting domestic consumption tax on imported and locally produced alcoholic beverages;

(5) Managing duty-free shops on the island.

The Barbados Customs regulates imported goods in two ways: tariff barriers and non-tariff barriers. It can assist companies in setting up bonded warehouses at the customs; and impose restrictions on dumped and subsidized imports by increasing and adjusting tariffs.

When importing goods into Barbados, the following documents are required: invoice, certificate of origin, bill of lading, shipping document, and value declaration form. For some goods, an import license is also required. As long as the above documents are complete, with the assistance of the customs clearance agent, the customs clearance procedures are relatively fast and can generally be completed within 3 to 5 days. In addition to the demurrage fee, the customs does not charge any other fees.