Customs
Bonded Warehouse
A customs-approved facility where imported goods can be stored without duty and import taxes becoming payable until they are released into the domestic market.
In depth
A bonded warehouse defers the duty point. Goods sit under customs control, and the liability crystallises only when they are entered for home use — so an importer can land stock, hold it, and pay duty as it sells rather than all at once on arrival. Goods re-exported directly from bond usually attract no duty at all, which makes bonded storage valuable for regional distribution hubs and for cargo whose final market is undecided. Permitted activities inside bond are limited, typically storage and simple handling; anything closer to manufacturing needs a different authorisation.
Key points
- Duty and import tax deferred until goods leave bond for home use
- Re-exports from bond generally avoid duty entirely
- Improves cash flow for importers holding stock
- Permitted operations inside bond are restricted