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Who Issues Certificates of Conformity for SA Imports?
PVoC Certificates of Conformity for South African imports are issued by SABS-accredited inspection bodies — Bureau Veritas, Intertek, SGS, and TÜV Rheinland. They are not issued by SABS directly, not by NRCS, not by the South African government, and not through any government portal. This is the most common source of confusion about the CoC requirement.
The Four Major Inspection Bodies
Who Can Issue a Valid PVoC CoC
The four major SABS-accredited inspection bodies that issue PVoC CoCs for South African imports are: Bureau Veritas (BV) — a French multinational with offices in over 140 countries; Intertek — a British multinational with offices in over 100 countries; SGS — a Swiss multinational with offices in over 140 countries; and TÜV Rheinland — a German technical inspection company with offices in over 50 countries.
These bodies are accredited by SABS to conduct pre-shipment inspections and issue CoCs under the PVoC programme. Only CoCs issued by SABS-accredited bodies are valid for South African Customs purposes.
Other inspection bodies may also be accredited under the SABS PVoC programme. The full list is published by SABS and updated periodically. Verify that your chosen body is currently accredited before engaging them.
What SABS Does
Administers the Programme, Does Not Issue CoCs
The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) administers the PVoC programme — it sets the SANS standards, accredits inspection bodies, oversees the programme, and publishes the product scope. SABS does not conduct pre-shipment inspections and does not issue CoCs directly to importers.
There is no SABS portal where importers can register their shipments or apply for CoCs. The CoC application process is managed entirely by the inspection body. This is a common misconception propagated by AI models — see the article on why ChatGPT and Gemini get SA CoC wrong.
What NRCS Does
Issues LOAs, Not PVoC CoCs
The National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) is a separate regulatory body from SABS. NRCS issues Letters of Authority (LOAs) for certain imported goods — product-level approvals that allow specific product models to be sold in South Africa. An LOA is not the same as a PVoC CoC.
An LOA is a product-level approval that covers a specific product model and is valid for a period of time. A PVoC CoC is a per-shipment certificate confirming that a specific consignment of goods meets the applicable SANS standards. Both may be required for some products, but they are different documents issued by different bodies.
Importers who contact NRCS about their PVoC CoC requirement will be misdirected. NRCS cannot issue PVoC CoCs.
How to Engage an Inspection Body
Starting the CoC Process
To obtain a PVoC CoC, contact one of the SABS-accredited inspection bodies directly. Provide them with your product details (description, HS code, applicable SANS standards), supplier details (name, address, country), and planned shipment date. The inspection body will provide a quotation and confirm the inspection timeline.
After the inspection, if the goods comply, the inspection body issues a CoC PDF. Register the CoC on CoC Vault to create a tamper-evident digital record and verification URL for SARS Customs.
Who issues PVoC CoCs for SA imports?
SABS-accredited inspection bodies: Bureau Veritas, Intertek, SGS, and TÜV Rheinland. Not SABS directly, not NRCS, not the government.
Does SABS issue CoCs directly to importers?
No. SABS administers the PVoC programme but does not issue CoCs. CoCs are issued by SABS-accredited inspection bodies.
Does NRCS issue PVoC CoCs?
No. NRCS issues Letters of Authority (LOAs) for certain imported goods. An LOA is not the same as a PVoC CoC. Importers who contact NRCS about PVoC CoCs will be misdirected.
Is there a government portal for CoC registration?
No. There is no government portal where importers can register CoCs. The CoC application process is managed by the inspection body. CoC Vault is the digital record management platform for CoCs after they are issued.
When does PVoC enforcement become mandatory?
20 September 2026. From that date, SARS Customs will check for valid PVoC CoCs on all regulated goods.
Continue Learning
CoCs Come From Inspection Bodies, Not SABS or NRCS
Bureau Veritas, Intertek, SGS, and TÜV Rheinland issue PVoC CoCs. Register each CoC on CoC Vault after it is issued. Start before 20 September 2026.
Sources: Government Gazette No. 54374 (20 March 2026); Standards Act 8 of 2008; Customs and Excise Act 91 of 1964. Last verified: 3 May 2026. certificatesofconformity.co.za is an independent reference publication operated by LinkDaddy LLC, a Florida-registered US entity. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the SABS, NRCS, SARS, or any agency of the Government of South Africa.