ZIMRA Licensed
Bonded Warehouse Harare, ZIMRA Approved Duty Deferral Storage
Pay duty when you sell, not when you import. Cash stays in your business, not with ZIMRA.
The Three Questions Everyone Asks First
Bonded warehousing is not about storage. It is about cash flow. You defer the largest cost in the import process, the duty, until the goods are generating revenue.
Why Bonded Storage Changes Your Business
When you import 500 units of anything, you pay duty on all 500 units on day one. That money leaves your business before a single unit is sold. If your duty is USD 25,000, that is USD 25,000 of working capital sitting with ZIMRA instead of funding your next purchase, your marketing, or your payroll.
Bonded warehousing changes the timing. Your goods enter a ZIMRA bonded facility, where duty is suspended. You sell what you need. When you are ready to release stock, we clear that portion out of bond, pay duty on that portion only, and deliver it. The rest stays in bond, duty free, until you need it.
You are not deferring duty to avoid paying it. You are deferring it to pay it at the right time, when the goods have started generating cash. That is the whole point.
This is how major importers operate everywhere in the world. A small Zimbabwean business can now operate the same way.
How Bonded Warehousing Works
A bonded warehouse is a ZIMRA approved facility where imported goods can be stored without duty being paid. The goods remain under customs control until they are released into the local market.
The process, step by step:
Step 1, goods arrive at the border. Your shipment reaches Beitbridge, Chirundu, Plumtree, Forbes/Mutare, or Harare Airport. We file the entry declaration and request transfer to our bonded facility in Harare.
Step 2, goods move under bond. The cargo travels to Harare under a bond. The duty is not paid. The goods are still legally outside Zimbabwe's domestic market.
Step 3, goods are stored. At our facility, the goods sit in a dedicated, secured, monitored area. Inventory is recorded and reported to ZIMRA.
Step 4, you sell stock. You find buyers. You sell what you can.
Step 5, you release in batches. When you are ready to sell a portion, you tell us how many units. We file the release declaration, pay duty on that portion only, and prepare the goods for delivery.
Step 6, repeat until the stock is gone. Each release is a separate transaction. You pay duty on the quantity that leaves bond, nothing more, nothing less.
Step 7, periodic reconciliation. ZIMRA conducts periodic reconciliation of the bond. Quantities must match. Our record keeping is designed for this from day one.
A Real Example, Where the Saving Comes From
An importer brings in 200 units of consumer electronics. Total value: USD 100,000. Duty rate: 25 percent. This is not an exaggeration. Many consumer electronics categories sit at 25 percent customs duty.
Without bonded warehousing
Duty is paid on arrival. USD 25,000 leaves the business on day one, before a single unit is sold. If the goods take five months to sell through, that USD 25,000 was locked up for five months.
With bonded warehousing
The goods enter bond duty free. You release 40 units a month. Each month, you pay duty on 40 units only: USD 5,000. Over five months, you pay the same total duty of USD 25,000, but spread over five months instead of one.
The saving is not the amount. You still pay the same total duty. The saving is the timing. USD 20,000 stayed in your business for the first month, USD 15,000 for the second month, and so on. That money funds the next purchase, pays staff, or absorbs a slow month.
Add the bond fees. Entry USD 200, exit USD 200 per release, plus monthly storage. In exchange, you keep USD 20,000 of working capital available for four months. That is the trade.
What We Store
Our bonded facility handles most commercial cargo categories. The exceptions are goods that require specialised handling or that ZIMRA regulates separately.
Common categories stored:
- Consumer electronics and appliances
- Fast moving consumer goods and groceries
- Clothing, textiles and footwear
- Hardware, tools and building materials
- Machinery spares and industrial components
- Agricultural inputs and equipment
- Household goods and furniture
- Auto parts and accessories
- Solar equipment and cables
- Toys, stationery and general merchandise
Categories with special requirements:
- Pharmaceuticals and medical devices require MCAZ approval for the bond. We do not store these without a valid permit on file.
- Chemicals require Environmental Management Agency clearance and, in some cases, dedicated storage.
- Fuel and petroleum products require ZERA approval. We do not store fuel.
- Hazardous materials require a dedicated facility. We do not store dangerous goods.
If you are unsure whether your product can enter bond, tell us what you are importing and we will confirm before your shipment arrives.
The Facility
A bonded warehouse is only as good as its security. ZIMRA audits the facility regularly. If stock goes missing, the bondholder is liable for the duty on the missing quantity plus penalties. This is why we invest heavily in security and record keeping.
Our facility features:
- 24 hour manned security on site
- CCTV coverage across all storage areas
- Restricted access, only authorised staff enter the bonded zone
- Motion detection and alarm systems
- Fire detection and suppression systems
- Forklift and racking for palletised stock
- Dedicated area for high value consignments
- Digital inventory system linked to ZIMRA reporting
- Regular physical stock counts reconciled against system records
- Insurance on stored goods available
The facility is located in Harare, within easy reach of the industrial, commercial and retail zones our clients operate in.
What Happens When Something Goes Wrong
Bonded warehousing introduces a few specific risk points that do not exist in ordinary storage. Here is how we handle them.
If the reconciliation does not match
Every consignment is reconciled against ZIMRA records periodically. If there is a discrepancy, we investigate before reporting. Discrepancies usually come from damaged goods removed from stock, sample units taken for testing, or system entry errors. We resolve these before the ZIMRA reconciliation date, not after.
If goods are damaged in storage
We inspect every consignment on entry and record its condition with photographs. If damage occurs during storage, we document it, notify you, and handle the insurance claim. If you have our transit and storage cover, the claim goes through our insurer. If you have your own, we provide the documentation you need.
If you cannot sell the goods
This is the most common problem, and it has a specific solution. If you cannot sell the stock, you have three options. You can re export it out of Zimbabwe, which removes the duty liability but adds freight cost. You can apply for a ZIMRA write off or destruction approval in specific cases. Or you can pay the duty and move the goods out of bond. We advise on the best option for your specific situation.
If ZIMRA raises a query on the entry
We answer it at the assessment desk. We are licensed agents with direct access to assessors. Most entry queries are resolved the same day.
If you need to release stock urgently, or your plans change
Some clients need to move stock quickly for a specific buyer. We can process release declarations within 4 hours during business hours, subject to duty payment. Emergency after hours releases can be arranged. And if you decide to close the bond, move the goods elsewhere, or change your product mix, we handle the transition. Nothing sits for months because we forgot about it.
What You Do, Step by Step
Send us your supplier invoice
Or tell us what you are importing. One email or WhatsApp message with the product details, quantity, value, and expected arrival date at the border.
We quote the full process
Entry into bond, storage, expected release schedule, and delivery. Fixed. No hidden charges.
Your goods arrive and enter bond
We file the entry declaration, move the cargo under bond to Harare, and store it in our facility. No duty is paid at this stage.
You sell and release
When you are ready, tell us how many units to release. We pay duty on that portion, prepare the goods, and coordinate delivery to your address or your customer.
Repeat until the stock is gone
Each release is a separate transaction. You pay duty only on what leaves bond. Bond fees accrue on the balance still in storage.
Protect Your Stock, In Transit and In Store
Bonded goods are valuable and often high risk. Our transit and storage cover protects your consignment from arrival at the border through to delivery to your customer. Ask for your insurance quote when you request your bonded storage quote.
Learn About Cargo Insurance →"I import kitchen appliances from Dubai. Before, I paid duty on the whole container the day it arrived. That was over USD 18,000 gone before I sold anything. George Steward put the stock in bond and I release what I need each month. Same total duty, but the cash stays with me while I sell."Tarisai Ndlovu, Owner, Home Appliances Retailer, Harare
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a bonded warehouse?
How does bonded warehousing save me money?
How much does bonded storage cost?
How long can goods stay in bond?
Can I release part of the stock and leave the rest in bond?
What happens if I cannot sell the goods?
Do you store pharmaceuticals or chemicals?
Can goods be delivered directly from bond to my customer?
Is my stock insured while in bond?
Do you handle the duty payment when I release stock?
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