Importing an electric skateboard to South Africa: duty, VAT and warranty
Importing an electric skateboard to South Africa costs the overseas price and shipping, plus 15% import VAT on the customs value uplifted by 10%, plus a courier fee for paying SARS. Customs duty is listed as free under both tariff lines that could apply, but lithium battery shipping rules and cross-border warranty claims are the real hurdles.
What are you actually paying for?
An imported board has five main cost layers:
- The board price, converted to rand. SARS values imports on a free on board (FOB) basis, so international shipping is not part of the customs value.
- Shipping, paid to the seller or courier.
- Customs duty, only if SARS applies a tariff line that carries a rate.
- Import VAT at 15% on an uplifted value, whatever the duty rate.
- Courier fees for advancing VAT and any duty, plus storage if the parcel waits.
This list is not complete. We did not check other levies (apart from the tyre levy below), NRCS or ICASA requirements for chargers and remotes, or bank foreign transaction fees. For local prices, see our electric skateboard price guide.
Which tariff code applies, and what is the duty rate?
We could not verify a settled answer for South Africa. Two headings come up, and in one US ruling a handle made the difference:
- 8711.60, motorcycles and cycles "with electric motor for propulsion". A 2022 US Customs ruling used it for an electric skateboard with a handle, setting aside an earlier sports-equipment ruling because that board had no handlebar.
- 9506.99.90, "other" sport and outdoor game articles. A March 2022 US ruling put a children's electric cruiser with no handles under the US equivalent, 9506.99, as did a 2005 ruling on two electric skateboards.
US rulings do not bind SARS. We have not seen a published SARS tariff determination for an electric skateboard, but SARS's determinations search only covers determinations finalised since May 2024. In Schedule 1 Part 1, dated 28 August 2026, both 8711.60 and 9506.99.90 show a general duty rate of "free". Neither line appears in Schedule 1 Part 2B (ad valorem excise duties, dated 1 April 2025), and we found neither heading in Schedule 2 (anti-dumping, countervailing and safeguard duties, listed as updated 11 September 2026 on SARS's schedules page).
SARS's environmental levy on tyres lists 8711.60 among the imported vehicles whose fitted tyres attract R2.30 per kg of tyre mass (in the version we opened, headed 17 June 2022). If SARS used that line, this small levy could apply. We did not verify whether skateboard wheels count as tyres.
Check the current schedules to the Customs and Excise Act before you buy. Where classification is complex, SARS says the importer should apply for a written tariff determination.
How is import VAT calculated?
SARS's formula: customs value, plus 10% of the customs value, plus any non-rebated duty, gives the added tax value (ATV). VAT is 15% of the ATV.
- SARS's VAT import guide explains that the 10% is not paid to SARS. It stands in for transport and insurance costs.
- The uplift does not apply to goods that originate in, and are imported from, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia or Eswatini.
- With duty at free, VAT works out to 16.5% of the customs value.
- SARS converts foreign prices at the selling rate on the date of shipment, according to its valuation policy. Your bank uses its own rate.
What do couriers charge to clear it?
DHL Express's South African payment FAQ says clearance only starts once you have paid, and unpaid goods not returned within 7 days of arrival go to the State Warehouse, usually for 6 months before disposal. Two published fee lists:
- DHL Express South Africa (customs services page, effective 1 January 2026): receivers without a DHL account pay 2% of duty and taxes, minimum R220, once those exceed R100. Bonded storage is R230 plus R10 per kg per day after 3 days. A R930 non-routine entry fee applies when value or weight exceeds Customs' formal entry threshold (we did not verify that threshold).
- UPS (2025 tariff guide, effective 22 December 2024, written for business customers in South Africa): disbursement fee of 4.5% of the amount advanced or R115, whichever is greater, excluding VAT. Storage is R55 per package per day from the 4th working day, and low value formal clearance is R55 per shipment.
Treat these as dated examples, not quotes. DHL's page does not say whether VAT is added.
Worked example: a hypothetical USD 900 board
These prices are invented and describe no real product or retailer. The exchange rate is the South African Reserve Bank's rand per US dollar rate for 17 September 2026: R16.3075. We assume shipping is extra and duty is free.
| Line | Working | Rand |
|---|---|---|
| Board price (USD 900) | 900 x 16.3075 | R14,676.75 |
| Shipping (USD 250) | 250 x 16.3075 | R4,076.88 |
| Customs duty | Free at the time of writing | R0.00 |
| 10% uplift | 10% of R14,676.75 (for calculation only, not paid) | R1,467.68 |
| Added tax value | R14,676.75 + R1,467.68 (for calculation only, not paid) | R16,144.43 |
| Import VAT | 15% of R16,144.43 | R2,421.66 |
| UPS disbursement fee | 4.5% is R108.97, so R115 minimum, plus R17.25 VAT | R132.25 |
| DHL fee (no account) | 2% is R48.43, so R220 minimum | R220.00 |
| Estimated landed cost | Board, shipping, VAT and one courier fee | R21,307.54 (UPS) or R21,395.29 (DHL) |
The totals exclude bank charges, storage and other clearance fees the courier may add, such as UPS's R55 low value formal clearance fee or DHL's R930 non-routine entry fee. Here, R2,553.91 (UPS) or R2,641.66 (DHL) is payable on arrival, on top of R18,753.63 paid to the seller. Any duty would raise the ATV and the VAT with it.
Can an electric skateboard even be shipped by air?
IATA's 2026 battery guidance lists UN 3556, "Vehicle, lithium-ion battery powered", for battery-powered vehicles. It does not name skateboards, but we would expect an electric skateboard to be treated as one. Above 100 Wh, the vehicle must travel at no more than 30% state of charge (or 25% indicated capacity) unless the authorities of the state of origin and the airline's state approve otherwise. DHL Express's lithium battery guidance (effective 1 January 2026) requires approved accounts for its lithium battery services, but does not cover battery-powered vehicles. We did not verify whether any courier accepts electric skateboards.
Flying home with one is also restricted. IATA's 2026 passenger guidance treats small vehicles as portable electronic devices, says most have batteries above 160 Wh, and says anything above 160 Wh must go as cargo. Between 100 Wh and 160 Wh, the airline must approve it. Our boards show how quickly those lines are passed:
| Board | Listed battery | Above 100 Wh? | Above 160 Wh? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Journ-E Nova | 117.6 Wh | Yes | No |
| DNASkate V4 | 288 Wh | Yes | Yes |
| Journ-E Phantom | 336 Wh | Yes | Yes |
| Journ-E Relentless | 648 Wh | Yes | Yes |
| Journ-E Spartan | 720 Wh | Yes | Yes |
The Origins (6000 mAh) and Apex (10 000 mAh) are listed without a voltage, so we have not converted them to watt-hours. For battery size and distance, read how far an electric skateboard goes on a charge.
How long does delivery take?
We found no courier page with a reliable door-to-door time for a battery-powered board shipped to South Africa, so we will not guess. Time is lost when clearance waits for payment, Customs stops a parcel for inspection (DHL), or storage builds up. Section 46 of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act requires a supplier to execute (fulfil) an online order within 30 days unless you agreed otherwise. The wording is "execute the order", not deliver it. Section 47 applies this protection whatever law governs the agreement, but we could not verify whether it can be enforced against an overseas seller.
What happens to warranty and returns?
Section 56 of the Consumer Protection Act lets you return goods that fail its quality standards within six months of delivery, at the supplier's risk and expense, for repair, replacement or a refund. Section 5, however, applies the Act to transactions "occurring within the Republic", and we found no authoritative source on whether an overseas website order qualifies. There may be no South African business in the chain to claim from.
Section 44 of the ECT Act gives a 7-day cooling-off period after you receive goods, with a refund within 30 days. The only charge allowed is the direct cost of returning the goods, which for an imported board means another international lithium battery shipment, and the same enforcement question applies. We could not verify whether a private buyer can recover import VAT after a return, so ask SARS.
Importing or buying locally: how do they compare?
| Factor | Importing yourself | Buying from Journ-E |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Foreign currency, rate moves until shipment | Fixed rand price, VAT included |
| Import VAT and fees | Paid on arrival | No import clearance on your side |
| Battery shipping | Air shipments must meet dangerous goods rules | Courier from a Johannesburg warehouse |
| Delivery | No verified estimate | 1-3 working days to main centres, 2-5 to regional areas |
| Warranty | Overseas terms; local law's reach unclear | 6-month local warranty, assessed in Johannesburg |
| Returns | International return shipping | 7-day cooling-off with courier collection (see FAQ for conditions) |
| Choice | Models not sold here | Limited to the local range |
Importing can make sense if the board you want is not sold here and the seller can legally ship it. Budget for VAT of about 16.5% of the price, courier fees and a long-distance warranty risk. Otherwise, browse our electric skateboards held in local stock or read Journ-E vs Evolve. The Journ-E column comes from our FAQ.
Frequently asked questions
Is there customs duty on electric skateboards in South Africa?
In SARS's tariff book dated 28 August 2026, both lines that could apply, 8711.60 and 9506.99.90, show a general duty rate of free. SARS decides the classification, so check the current tariff book or apply for a tariff determination.
Does the R500 low-value rule help?
No. SARS's August 2024 media release describes that concession as covering goods under R500, and announced VAT on top by 1 September 2024 and a restructured flat rate by 1 November 2024. We did not verify its current form, but a board above R500 falls outside it either way.
Can I bring a board home in my luggage?
Only if the battery rules and your airline allow it. IATA says small vehicles with batteries above 160 Wh must go as cargo, and passengers should confirm their airline's policy.
Still weighing an import against a local board? Our buying help page matches boards to your weight, terrain and distance, and you can message us on WhatsApp before you commit.