Certificate of Conformity
Certificate of Conformity (CoC) — Import Compliance Guide
A Certificate of Conformity (CoC) is a document issued by an accredited inspection body in the country of origin, confirming that imported goods meet the applicable South African National Standards (SANS). Under the SABS Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) programme, a CoC is mandatory for Phase 1 goods from Mainland China from 20 September 2026.
The CoC is issued before the goods ship — in China — by one of four authorised inspection bodies: CCIC, SGS, Intertek, or Bureau Veritas. It accompanies the shipment to South Africa, where SARS Customs and the Border Management Authority (BMA) verify it at the port of entry.
Important disambiguation: In South Africa, "CoC" can refer to two completely different documents — the import Certificate of Conformity (this page) and the electrical Certificate of Compliance (for property transfers). See the disambiguation article if you are unsure which document you need.
Quick Facts
Document Type
Per-shipment Certificate of Conformity
Issued By
CCIC, SGS, Intertek, or Bureau Veritas
Issued In
Country of origin (China for Phase 1)
Mandatory From
20 September 2026
Gazette Reference
GG 54374 · 20 March 2026
Retention
5 years (Customs and Excise Act §101)
Mandatory Deadline
20 Sep 2026 · 142 Days
Customs and Excise Act §101
What a CoC Must Contain
| # | Field | Format / Standard | Regulatory Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | CoC Reference Number | Alphanumeric, issued by inspection body | SABS PVoC programme |
| 02 | Issuing Body | CCIC / SGS / Intertek / Bureau Veritas | SABS PVoC authorised bodies |
| 03 | Issue Date | ISO 8601 (YYYY-MM-DD) | Customs and Excise Act §101 |
| 04 | HS Code | 6-digit Harmonised System code | WCO Harmonised System |
| 05 | Importer of Record | Legal entity name + SARS customs code | SARS Customs |
| 06 | Manufacturer | Factory name + address | SABS PVoC programme |
| 07 | Country of Origin | ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 (CN for China) | SABS PVoC programme |
| 08 | Applicable SANS Standards | SANS XXXXX (e.g. SANS 62368-1) | sansstandards.co.za |
| 09 | CIF Value | ZAR amount (Cost + Insurance + Freight) | SARS SAD500 |
| 10 | SHA-256 Hash | 64-character hex string | Customs and Excise Act §101 (tamper-evidence) |
The CoC Vault stores all 10 fields, computes a SHA-256 hash of the original PDF, and issues a permanent public verification URL. The verification URL is included in the SAD500 submission by the clearing agent.
Structural Comparison
CoC vs NRCS Letter of Authority
| Attribute | NRCS Letter of Authority (LOA) | PVoC Certificate of Conformity |
|---|---|---|
| Validity | NRCS LOA: 3 years, product-line | PVoC CoC: per-shipment, one container |
| Issued by | NRCS (South African regulator) | Accredited inspection body in China |
| Issued where | South Africa (post-import) | Country of origin (pre-export) |
| Covers | Compulsory specifications (NRCS mandate) | SANS standards (SABS PVoC mandate) |
| Required for | Goods subject to compulsory specs | Phase 1 goods from Mainland China |
| Can substitute for each other? | No | No — different regulatory instruments |
Some products require both an NRCS LOA and a PVoC CoC. They serve different regulatory purposes and cannot substitute for each other. See the NRCS LOA vs SABS CoC article for the full comparison.
How the CoC Vault Works
SHA-256 Hashing and the Verification Mechanism
The CoC Vault adds a tamper-evident digital layer on top of the paper CoC issued by the inspection body. The process works as follows: when you upload your CoC PDF, the platform computes a SHA-256 cryptographic hash of the document in your browser. The hash is a 64-character hexadecimal string that is mathematically unique to that specific document — if even a single character in the PDF changes, the hash changes completely.
The hash, together with the 10 mandatory metadata fields, is stored on the platform and associated with a permanent public verification URL in the format https://certificatesofconformity.co.za/v/{hash}/. This URL is publicly accessible — no login required. SARS Customs officers, BMA agents, and clearing agents can verify the CoC by visiting the URL or scanning the QR code.
The verification page shows all 10 mandatory CoC fields, the issue date, the issuing body, and the verification status. If the CoC has been tampered with — if anyone has modified the PDF after it was registered — the hash will not match and the verification page will show a tamper-detected warning.
The SHA-256 computation happens entirely in your browser — the original PDF is never transmitted to the platform in plaintext. Only the hash and the metadata are sent to the server. This means the platform never has access to the unencrypted contents of your CoC PDF, satisfying the data minimisation requirements of POPIA.
Customs and Excise Act §101
The 5-Year Retention Requirement
Section 101 of the Customs and Excise Act, 1964 requires importers to retain import documentation for 5 years from the date of import. This includes the CoC for Phase 1 goods from China. Failure to produce the CoC when requested by SARS during an audit can result in penalties and the reclassification of the import as non-compliant.
The CoC Vault satisfies the Section 101 retention requirement by storing the CoC PDF (encrypted) and all metadata for 5 years from the date of registration. The permanent verification URL remains active for the full 5-year retention period. After 5 years, the PDF is deleted (unless the importer has an active vault subscription, in which case retention is indefinite).
The vault subscription (R499/month) provides indefinite retention — the CoC PDF and metadata are retained for as long as the subscription is active. This is particularly valuable for importers who face SARS audits covering multiple years of imports, or who need to demonstrate compliance history to customers, insurers, or investors.
Non-subscribers receive 30 days of PDF storage after the minting fee is paid. After 30 days, the PDF is deleted from the platform, but the metadata and verification URL remain active for the full 5-year retention period. The verification URL will continue to show the CoC metadata, but the original PDF will no longer be downloadable.
For Clearing Agents
What Clearing Agents Need for the SAD500
Clearing agents are the primary users of the CoC verification URL. When preparing the SAD500 pre-clearance submission for a Phase 1 shipment from China, the clearing agent needs to include the verification URL in the appropriate field. Here is the practical workflow:
Importer provides the verification URL
After registering the CoC on the vault, the importer receives a verification URL and QR code. The importer sends these to the clearing agent along with the other shipping documents.
Clearing agent includes URL in SAD500
The verification URL is included in the additional information field of the SAD500 submission. Some clearing agents include it as a supporting document reference; discuss the preferred approach with your clearing agent.
SARS Customs verifies the CoC
SARS Customs officers can verify the CoC by visiting the URL or scanning the QR code. The verification page shows all mandatory CoC fields and the verification status. No login required.
Goods cleared
If the CoC is valid and all other documentation is in order, the goods are cleared. The entire verification process takes seconds.
For clearing agents who want to integrate the CoC verification into their workflow, the verification URL is a standard HTTPS URL that can be included in any document management system. The QR code is a standard QR code that can be printed on shipping documents or included in digital pre-clearance submissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Questions About the CoC
What is a Certificate of Conformity for imports?
An import Certificate of Conformity (CoC) is a document issued by an accredited inspection body — CCIC, SGS, Intertek, or Bureau Veritas — in the country of origin, confirming that the goods meet the applicable South African National Standards (SANS) for that product category. It is required for Phase 1 goods from Mainland China from 20 September 2026.
Is a CoC the same as a Certificate of Compliance?
No. In South Africa, 'CoC' can refer to two completely different documents: the import Certificate of Conformity (this document, for goods from China) and the electrical Certificate of Compliance (for property transfers and electrical installations). They are unrelated. See the disambiguation article for the full comparison.
How long is a CoC valid?
A PVoC Certificate of Conformity is valid for one shipment only. There is no time-based validity period. Each container of Phase 1 goods from China requires its own CoC. Compare this with an NRCS Letter of Authority, which is valid for 3 years and covers a product line.
Who issues the CoC?
Only four inspection bodies are authorised under the SABS PVoC programme: China Certification and Inspection Group (CCIC), SGS, Intertek, and Bureau Veritas. The inspection must happen in China before the goods ship. Certificates from other bodies will not be accepted.
What happens if I don't have a CoC?
From 20 September 2026, Phase 1 goods arriving at a South African port without a valid CoC will be held by SARS Customs and the BMA. Storage and demurrage costs typically run R3,000–R8,000 per day. Goods may be refused entry or returned at the importer's expense.
Continue Learning
The PVoC Programme
Full regulatory context — what PVoC is, who it applies to, and what it requires.
CoC vs Certificate of Compliance
The disambiguation article — two documents, same abbreviation, completely different purposes.
NRCS LOA vs SABS CoC
Understanding the difference between compulsory specification LOAs and PVoC CoCs.
How Long Is a CoC Valid?
Per-shipment validity explained — and how it compares to the NRCS LOA.
Phase 1 Sectors Hub
Sector-by-sector breakdown of PVoC requirements and applicable SANS codes.
sansstandards.co.za
The South African National Standards catalogue — authoritative SANS code reference.
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Verify with official sources: Government Gazette No. 54374 (20 March 2026). sansstandards.co.za for applicable SANS codes. This article reflects the regulatory position as at 30 April 2026 and should not be relied upon as legal advice.