Customs regulations for your trip to Libya

Last modified: July 25, 2023
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Customs regulations

Used Household Goods and Personal Effects

Documents Required

  • Copy of passport (identification pages and passport translation page in Arabic)
  • Packing list
  • Entrance visa / work permit (foreigners, diplomats)
  • Original Bill of Lading (OBL) / Telex release / air waybill (AWB)
  • Letter of employment (foreigners)
  • Statistics code (provided by Libyan employer) (foreigners)
  • Letter from the Libyan Consulate / letter of employment (returning citizens)
  • Diplomatic franchise from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (diplomats)

 Specific Regulations

  • The Customs clearance procedures can last from 7-10 days (foreigners) / 10-14 days (diplomats).
  • The owner of the goods does not need to be present for Customs clearance.
  • A letter from the Libyan Consulate is required for returning citizens, detailing the owner of the goods’ organization abroad; however, if the entity employing the owner of the goods has a branch in Libya, a letter from the employing branch is acceptable for re-entry.
  • The owner of the goods’ import documents should be ready prior to shipment arrival at the port / airport of entry to minimize port charges.
  • Duties of approximately 10% may apply on shipments above the Customs estimate; however, diplomats are exempt.

You must get permission before taking any photographs or interviewing at or near military facilities.

Import regulations:

Free import of : 400 grams of tobacco products.

Dutiable Items

  • 200 cigarettes or
  • 250 cigars or
  • 250 grammes of tobacco
  • 250 ml of perfume
  • Non residents are free to import or export an unlimited amount of foreign currency providing it is declared at the customs department. All residents and foreign visitors are banned from importing or exporting any local currency. An additional 6 Libyan Dinar Airport. Tax will need to be paid at the airport of departure by all foreign travellers.
  • Plants and plant products (a plant quarantine certificate is required)
  • Insecticides (a permit obtained from the Secretariat of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform’s Plant Protection Department is required)

Restricted

  • All alcohol and alcoholic beverages are banned from entry.
  • Plant and plant products entering the country will need to be accompanied by a plant quarantine certificate. Insecticides may be imported only with a permit obtained from the Secretariat of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform’s plant Protection Department.
  • Any display signs, tickets or cards being imported and displayed inside the country will have to be written in Arabic in order to be admitted.
  • Fresh egg imports must be stamped with the name of the exporting company and with the name of the country of origin and the date of production whilst all pork and pork products are prohibited from entering the country.
  • Cats and dogs being imported into Libya will need to be accompanied by two veterinary health certificates from the country of origin and a rabies vaccination certificate.
  • All goods of Israeli origin are completely banned from entering the country.

Prohibited Items

  • Narcotics
  • Pornographic materials
  • Counterfeit items
  • Explosive materials
  • Alcohol and spirits
  • Guns
  • Illegal drugs
  • Weapons, explosives and ammunition – including toy guns
  • Knives and deadly weapons
  • Pork and pork products
  • Plant and plant products – unless permission has been obtained
  • Pets and animals – unless permission has been obtained
  • Mineral water
  • Tea and Coffee
  • Oriental rugs
  • Luxury cars
  • Furs
  • Counterfeit money and goods
  • Pornographic material

Miscellaneous (Pets, Motors, and others.)

Motor Vehicles

Documents Required

  • OBL
  • Purchase invoice

Specific Regulations

  • Returning citizens cannot import vehicles older than 5 years of manufacture.
  • For returning citizens 10% duty is applicable after the Customs estimation process.
  • For foreigners, 25% of the value of the vehicle is paid as a deposit and a temporary regime is applied.
    • The deposit is refunded after the foreigner’s final departure.

Pets

Documents Required

  • Vaccination record
  • Veterinary health certificate (2 copies)

Specific Regulations

  • The documents must accompany pets entering Libya.

Wild Fauna and Flora:

The import of certain endangered species of plant, live animals and their products is prohibited or restricted under CITES.

Pets:

Dogs and cats must be accompanied by two veterinarian health certificates and rabies inoculation certificates. They may enter as passenger’s checked baggage in the cabin or as cargo, as long as they are accompanied by a passenger. For further information, please refer to your transporting air carrier.

Baggage Clearance regulations:

Baggage is cleared at the first airport of entry in Libya.

Currency

Currency Import regulations:

Allowed. Non-Residents: if declared on arrival on the official form for recording exchanged foreign currencies during stay in Libya, unlimited import of foreign currencies, traveler’s cheques and BCD letters of credit.

Prohibited: Import of local currency (Libyan Dinar-LYD), for both residents and non-residents.

Currency Export regulations:

Allowed. Non-Residents: export of foreign currencies up to the amount stated as the balance on the official form for recording exchanged foreign currencies declared on arrival.

Prohibited: export of local currency (Libyan Dinar-LYD), for both residents and non-residents.

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