Paying Duty and GST

You are responsible for the payment of duties and GST (taxes) upon import of your goods.

Payment can be made via:

Your own Inter-Bank GIRO (IBG) with Singapore Customs; or
An appointed Declaring Agent to pay the taxes on your behalf. Tax payment is deducted directly from the Declaring Agent’s IBG.

To apply for an IBG, mail the completed Application for Inter-Bank GIRO form to Singapore Customs’ address as indicated in the form.

You may authorise your Declaring Agent to use your IBG for the payment of taxes for your customs permit one day after the approval of your IBG application. If you do not maintain an IBG with Singapore Customs, the taxes will be deducted from your Declaring Agent’s IBG.

Upon approval of a permit application, payment of taxes will be made via IBG. The payment mode will be reflected as one of the two codes in the customs permit:


GF	Successful GIRO deduction of the amount to be paid from the importer’s account. Importer must have enough funds in bank account to meet payment before instructing the declaring agent to make this declaration.
G7	Successful GIRO deduction of the amount to be paid from the declaring agent’s account. You must have enough funds in your bank account to meet payment before making the declaration.

A “G1” code will be reflected if:

The importer does not use IBG as the payment mode; or
If the payment amount has exceeded the limit of the Importer’s or Declaring Agent’s IBG account


G1	Payment of customs duty/GST must be made to Singapore Customs at United Overseas Bank (UOB) prior to the removal of goods from customs control.

You are reminded to comply with the following permit condition for payment of GST and duties:


GX	The duty/GST must be paid should the GIRO deduction fail. Singapore Customs may invoke the importer/declaring agent’s security for recovery of the duty/GST. A penalty charge may be imposed by Singapore Customs for an unsuccessful GIRO deduction.

Learn more about applying for an IBG and authorising Declaring Agents.