Import-export licence and trader registration certificate in Laos: statutory documents, competent authority and legal basis

Who can apply

Both Lao citizens and foreigners may apply; the documents differ.

Competent authority: It depends which sector governs the goods. The management authorities are the sectors concerned, among them industry and commerce, agriculture and forestry, public health, science and technology, information and culture, defence, and public works and transport, with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce leading and publishing six lists, the sixth being the roster of which authority manages which goods (Decree, Art. 11). The trader registration certificate is issued by the ministry Import-Export Department (Registration Decision, Arts. 3.3, 14 and 15). The temporary track runs at two levels, centrally the ministries concerned and in a province the authorised department, led by the Import-Export Department and the provincial and capital Industry and Commerce Departments (Temporary Decision, Arts. 16 and 19)

At a glance

Where to apply: It depends which sector governs your goods. The import-export management authorities are the sectors concerned, among them industry and commerce, agriculture and forestry, public health, science and technology, information and culture, defence, and public works and transport; the Ministry of Industry and Commerce leads and, with those sectors, sets and publishes six lists, the sixth being the roster of which authority manages which goods (Decree, Art. 11). The trader registration certificate is decided and issued by the Import-Export Department of the ministry (Registration Decision, Arts. 3.3, 14 and 15). The temporary track is managed at two levels: centrally the ministries responsible for each kind of controlled goods, and in a province the authorised provincial or capital department, led by the Import-Export Department and the provincial and capital Industry and Commerce Departments (Temporary Decision, Arts. 16 and 19).

Steps:

The first step is checking the lists, not gathering papers. Art. 13 sorts goods into three cases by list, and in the third, on neither list, you simply clear customs and need none of these documents. Get this wrong and everything after it is wasted
Work out which document you need: the trader registration certificate (Registration Decision, Art. 2), the import-export licence (Decree, Art. 8), or a temporary licence (Art. 2). The three differ in which office takes them, what they need and how long they take
Gather papers for your document: three items for the registration certificate under Art. 5; for the licence the attachments sit in a separate regulation and the decree itself lists none (Art. 6.3); and seven items for the temporary track under Art. 9

The full list has 5 items; work through them in the guided form — Open the guided form

How long: The law fixes four periods. Registration certificate: three working days from receipt of complete and correct papers (Registration Decision, Art. 6). Automatic import licence: a correct and complete application is handled at once and no later than ten working days from receipt (Licensing Decree, Arts. 2.5 and 6.3). Non-automatic import licence: within thirty days of receipt, or sixty days from the announced closing date where all files are considered together (Art. 7.3). Temporary track: three working days, with written reasons within two working days if it cannot be issued (Temporary Decision, Art. 10). Export licensing follows the import procedure (Decree, Art. 8) and no separate export period is written.

Cost: Art. 19 of the 2021 Ordinance on fees and service charges (No. 002/ປປທ), in the Industry and Commerce fee section, shows no entry for an import-export licence or a trader registration certificate (several rows of that table are too damaged to read, so this is "not found" rather than "certainly absent"). The two priced entries that touch this matter are 100,000 kip per issue for a foreign trader trading-right certificate, itself one of the registration documents, and 300,000 kip per issue for a self-certifying exporter origin certificate. Art. 20 covers the same sector service charges and our Chinese text of it carries no detail, but one row of the Lao original is legible: amending an import or export licence and issuing the certificate, 50,000 kip per set (row 5). Other rows of the same table, including the one for issuing the licence, are too damaged to read, so this 50,000 is for amendment and not for issue. All the law states is that the management authority may collect fees and technical service charges under the relevant law (Decree, Art. 12.7). Figures still circulating such as 10,000 kip per set for a vehicle import licence come from Ordinance No. 003 of 26 December 2012, expressly replaced by Art. 60 of the 2021 ordinance, so do not budget from them. The rate posted at the counter prevails.

Statutory document list

Register as an import-export trader (goods the government controls or that are sensitive for people livelihoods)

Application on the form prescribed by the Import-Export Department (Art. 5.1; the same first item applies to renewal, amendment and replacement) (required)
Copy of the enterprise registration certificate, or for a foreign trader a copy of the trading-right certificate (Art. 5.2) (required)
Copy of the business operating licence, required only for activities that need one (Art. 5.3) (optional)
Power of attorney, if someone files on your behalf (optional)

Renew the registration certificate or change its content

Application on the form prescribed by the Import-Export Department (Art. 5.1; the same first item applies to renewal, amendment and replacement) (required)
Copy of the enterprise registration certificate, or for a foreign trader a copy of the trading-right certificate (Art. 5.2) (required)
Copy of the business operating licence, required only for activities that need one (Art. 5.3) (optional)
The original registration certificate (Art. 7.4) (required)
Power of attorney, if someone files on your behalf (optional)

Replace a lost or damaged registration certificate

Application on the form prescribed by the Import-Export Department (Art. 5.1; the same first item applies to renewal, amendment and replacement) (required)
Copy of the enterprise registration certificate, or for a foreign trader a copy of the trading-right certificate (Art. 5.2) (required)
Copy of the business operating licence, required only for activities that need one (Art. 5.3) (optional)
A copy of the registration certificate (Art. 8.4) (required)
Loss report certified by the public security authority (Art. 8.5) (required)
Power of attorney, if someone files on your behalf (optional)

Import licence, for goods on the import-licensing list

Import or export licence application on the form set by the separate regulation. Art. 6.3 says the application and its attachments are set by a separate regulation made by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce together with the issuing authority; this decree lists no attachments, so follow the regulation the issuing authority publishes (required)
Power of attorney, if someone files on your behalf (optional)

Export licence, for goods on the export-licensing list

Import or export licence application on the form set by the separate regulation. Art. 6.3 says the application and its attachments are set by a separate regulation made by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce together with the issuing authority; this decree lists no attachments, so follow the regulation the issuing authority publishes (required)
Power of attorney, if someone files on your behalf (optional)

Renew, correct or replace an import-export licence

Renewal application on the prescribed form (Arts. 5.1 and 5.6). For a correction, Art. 5.7 says only that you may ask the issuing authority to review and correct, and prescribes no form (required)
The original import or export licence, attached for renewal or correction. A lost licence is not a missing attachment: report the loss to the issuing authority at once and it cancels the old licence and issues a new one (Art. 5.6 and 5.8) (optional)
Power of attorney, if someone files on your behalf (optional)

Temporary import, temporary export or import-for-re-export licence for controlled goods

Application on the form prescribed by the import-export management authority (Art. 9.1) (required)
Copy of the enterprise registration certificate (Art. 9.2) (required)
Copy of the business operating licence, or of the investment licence if the activity is on the controlled list (Art. 9.3) (required)
Copy of last year tax payment record, except for a company set up this year (Art. 9.4) (optional)
Copies of the price invoice and the packing list (Art. 9.5) (required)
Copy of the repair order, only when importing or exporting for repair (Art. 9.6). The Lao original of Art. 9 is missing from our copy, so the Lao name here is descriptive rather than the statutory term (optional)
Exhibition invitation or related papers, only when taking part in a trade fair (Art. 9.7) (optional)
Power of attorney, if someone files on your behalf (optional)

Extend or amend a temporary licence

Application on the prescribed form: extension under Art. 11 and amendment under Art. 12, item 1 in both (required)
The original licence (Art. 11.2 and Art. 12.2) (required)
Price invoice and packing list, only for an amendment that changes them from the original (Art. 12.3) (optional)
Power of attorney, if someone files on your behalf (optional)

Replace a lost or destroyed temporary licence

Application on the prescribed form (Art. 13.1) (required)
A statement of loss or destruction issued by the operator itself (Art. 13.2). This article asks for no police report, unlike replacing the registration certificate (required)
Power of attorney, if someone files on your behalf (optional)

Goods on none of the lists: no licence needed, just clear customs

Power of attorney, if someone files on your behalf (optional)

Goods on the prohibited list: government approval required

Power of attorney, if someone files on your behalf (optional)

Statutory requirements

This matter covers three different documents, so decide which one you need. The trader registration certificate shows you may run this business (Registration Decision, Art. 2); the import-export licence decides whether a particular consignment may cross (Decree, Art. 8); and the temporary licence covers goods that only pass through (Art. 2: temporary import and import-for-re-export are not sold in Laos; temporary export is not sold and ownership is not transferred abroad before the goods return).
Art. 13 of the decree puts goods into three cases: on the licensing list, you need the licence first; on the sanitary, phytosanitary or technical-regulation list, you need inspection or certification first; on neither list, you simply clear customs. Check the lists before making the trip.
The six lists, and the roster of which authority manages which goods, are drawn up and published by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce together with the sectors concerned (Art. 11). Management is not the trade ministry alone: agriculture and forestry, public health, science and technology, information and culture, defence, and public works and transport all appear, so apply to whichever one governs your goods.
Import-export rights and distribution rights are separate (Art. 14): holding import-export rights does not let you sell the goods inside Laos, which needs a separate distribution licence under the relevant law.
Getting the registration certificate is not the end, and the foreign-exchange step is the one most often missed (Forex Decision, Arts. 5, 6 and 7). Within ten working days of receiving the trader registration certificate from the Industry and Commerce sector, register with the Bank of the Lao PDR to obtain the trader forex registration certificate, attaching the bank form, a copy of the trader registration certificate, a copy of the investment licence and/or enterprise registration certificate, and any relevant operating licence. The bank issues it within five working days of complete and correct papers, and within ten working days of that you must open an import-export deposit account at a commercial bank.
Export proceeds carry a hard deadline: the exporter must receive payment into the import-export deposit account by electronic transfer, by the settlement date in the sale contract and in any case within one hundred and eighty days of the goods clearing customs for export, or from the contract settlement date for services (Art. 11). Outbound payment likewise may only go through that account and by electronic transfer (Art. 10).
At the customs counter: for controlled goods the officer checks the import-export licence and any certificate when receiving the detailed declaration, and a certificate of origin is attached where a preferential tariff rate is claimed (Customs Law, Art. 27).
Cost: Art. 19 of the 2021 Ordinance on fees and service charges (No. 002/ປປທ), the Industry and Commerce fee section, shows no entry for an import-export licence or a trader registration certificate (several rows of that table are too damaged to read, so this is "not found" rather than "certainly absent"). The two related entries it does carry are 100,000 kip per issue for a foreign trader trading-right certificate, which is one of the registration documents, and 300,000 kip per issue for a self-certifying exporter origin certificate. Art. 20 covers the same sector service charges and our Chinese text of it carries no detail, but one row of the Lao original is legible: amending an import or export licence and issuing the certificate, 50,000 kip per set (row 5). Other rows of the same table, including the one for issuing the licence, are too damaged to read, so this 50,000 is for amendment and not for issue. What the law does state is that the import-export management authority may collect fees and technical service charges under the relevant law (Decree, Art. 12.7). Do not budget from the 2012 schedule: Ordinance No. 003 of 26 December 2012 was expressly replaced by Art. 60 of the 2021 ordinance. The rate posted at the counter prevails.
Not every good needs registration: Art. 2 limits it to goods whose revenue and settlement the government controls specially, and goods sensitive for people livelihoods, on a list the ministry sets in stages. The certificate is issued by the Import-Export Department (Art. 3.3), is valid one year and renewable (Art. 7), and is decided within three working days of receiving complete and correct papers (Art. 6).
The certificate carries seven continuing duties (Art. 11): settle foreign trade and services lawfully; pay duties and taxes; keep a record system tracking goods imported, exported and sold; keep the licensing papers and the Lao commercial bank settlement evidence complete; report quarterly to the Import-Export Department; run a modern system to manage and track the business; and meet any other duty the law sets. It is forbidden to trade controlled goods without the certificate, to let another person use it, or to forge documents (Art. 12); breaches lead to suspension or revocation (Art. 9).
Import licensing comes in two kinds with different clocks. Automatic licensing issues at once on a complete and correct application, and no later than ten working days from receipt (Arts. 2.5 and 6.3). Non-automatic licensing is generally used for quotas, is handled first come first served within thirty days of receipt, and within sixty days of the announced closing date where all files are considered together (Art. 7). Export licensing follows the same procedure as import (Decree, Art. 8).
The licence runs one year and lapses automatically at the end; if it is not used up, apply for renewal with the original attached while the original is still valid, and the authority cancels the old one and issues a new one for no more than three further months. Once it has lapsed even a request to correct its content is refused (Art. 5.6 and 5.7), so do not leave it to the last day.
These two are your rights and can be cited when you are held up. An application may not be refused for a slight documentary error that does not change the basic information, and where the error was not fraudulent or was plainly carelessness the response may be no more than a caution (Art. 5.3). Goods already licensed may not be refused entry for slight differences in value, quantity or weight arising from normal commercial practice (Art. 5.4). If refused, you may ask for written reasons and, if unsatisfied, apply to the next higher authority or sue in court (Art. 5.9).
File with one issuing authority only; where genuinely necessary you may file with several but never more than three (Art. 5.2). Which authority may license which goods is announced separately by the ministry with the sectors concerned.
Art. 2 sets different conditions for the three and they must not be collapsed into one: temporary import and import-for-re-export turn on the goods not being sold inside Laos, while temporary export means sending goods out for display, testing, research, inspection, repair and the like abroad without selling them or transferring ownership, and bringing them back. The operator must meet three conditions: be an enterprise lawfully set up under the Enterprise Law; hold an investment licence if the activity is on the controlled list; and hold a business operating licence under the rules of the sector concerned (Art. 5). Movement must go through an international checkpoint with the infrastructure and technical staff, or through a checkpoint designated on special conditions (Art. 6).
Timing for the temporary track: the licence is decided within three working days of receiving the papers, and if it cannot be issued the reasons come in writing within two working days of receiving complete and correct papers (Art. 10). The licence runs six months and may be extended once by three months, applied for twenty days before expiry (Art. 11). Goods imported for re-export may stay sixty days from the date the entry papers are declared at the customs checkpoint, extendable twice by thirty days each unless the sector concerned has laid down otherwise (Art. 7.3).
Continuing duties on the temporary track (Art. 15): keep each consignment file at least three years; report to the issuing authority every three months; notify in writing if a licence goes unused; follow the route, checkpoint, timing and quantity written on the licence; and settle payments as the Bank of the Lao PDR requires.
Controlled goods for temporary import, temporary export, import-for-re-export and transit fall into three classes, not two (Controlled Goods List Decision, Arts. 2, 3 and 4): goods needing prior permission from the sector that lists them; prohibited goods; and reserved goods, which the government bars for a defined period. The Lao original of Art. 3 is damaged in our copy, so for the prohibited class rely on the official gazette.
You need none of the documents in this matter. Art. 13.3 of the decree says goods on neither the licensing list nor the sanitary, phytosanitary or technical list may simply be declared to customs for import or export. At the counter prepare the detailed declaration papers under Art. 27 of the Customs Law: the brief declaration form and transport documents, the detailed declaration form, the price invoice and the packing list.
Goods on the prohibited list are not a licensing question: Art. 7 says goods on the prohibited import or export list need the approval of the Government of the Lao PDR before they may cross, and the approval procedure sits in a separate regulation. Importing or exporting them without that approval is expressly forbidden by Art. 21.1.

Common issues

Goods on no list need no licence: Art. 13.3 says goods on neither list simply clear customs. Check the lists before setting out; this is the easiest wasted trip in the whole matter
The three documents are not interchangeable: the registration certificate proves you may run the business, the licence covers a consignment, and the temporary licence covers goods that only pass through: temporarily imported goods are not sold in Laos, while temporarily exported goods are neither sold nor transferred abroad before returning. Bring the wrong one and the counter cannot take it

The full list has 10 items; work through them in the guided form — Open the guided form

Legal basis (Lao Official Gazette texts)

Decree on Import and Export of Goods · Article 3 (2011-04-06) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Excerpt: Article 3. Interpretation of Terms. The terms used in this Decree shall have the following meanings: 1. “Goods” means materials or products of economic value; 2. …

Decree on Import and Export of Goods · Article 6 (2011-04-06) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Excerpt: Article 6 Import and Export Management. Import and export management consists of the following measures: 1. Prohibition of import or export; 2. Permission required prior to import or export; 3. …

Decree on Import and Export of Goods · Article 7 (2011-04-06) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Excerpt: Article 7. Prohibition on Import or Export. The Import and Export Regulatory Authority has the power to adopt measures prohibiting the import or export of goods. …

Decree on Import and Export of Goods · Article 8 (2011-04-06) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Excerpt: Article 8. Licensing Prior to Import or Export. The import and export management authority has the right to require an importer or exporter to apply for a license prior to import or export. …

Decree on Import and Export of Goods · Article 11 (2011-04-06) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Excerpt: Article 11. Import and Export Regulatory Authorities. Import and Export Regulatory Authorities refer to relevant sectors, such as: Industry and Commerce, Agriculture and Forestry, Public Health, Science and Technology, I …

Decree on Import and Export of Goods · Article 12 (2011-04-06) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decree on Import and Export of Goods · Article 13 (2011-04-06) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decree on Import and Export of Goods · Article 14 (2011-04-06) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decree on Import and Export of Goods · Article 15 (2011-04-06) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decree on Import and Export of Goods · Article 16 (2011-04-06) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decree on Import and Export of Goods · Article 17 (2011-04-06) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decree on Import and Export of Goods · Article 18 (2011-04-06) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decree on Import and Export of Goods · Article 19 (2011-04-06) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decree on Import and Export of Goods · Article 21 (2011-04-06) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decree on Procedures for Issuing Import Licenses for Goods · Article 2 (2009-07-07) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decree on Procedures for Issuing Import Licenses for Goods · Article 3 (2009-07-07) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decree on Procedures for Issuing Import Licenses for Goods · Article 4 (2009-07-07) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decree on Procedures for Issuing Import Licenses for Goods · Article 5 (2009-07-07) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decree on Procedures for Issuing Import Licenses for Goods · Article 6 (2009-07-07) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decree on Procedures for Issuing Import Licenses for Goods · Article 7 (2009-07-07) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decree on Procedures for Issuing Import Licenses for Goods · Article 9 (2009-07-07) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) · Article 2 (2023-05-23) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) · Article 3 (2023-05-23) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) · Article 4 (2023-05-23) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) · Article 5 (2023-05-23) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) · Article 6 (2023-05-23) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) · Article 7 (2023-05-23) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) · Article 8 (2023-05-23) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) · Article 9 (2023-05-23) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) · Article 11 (2023-05-23) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) · Article 12 (2023-05-23) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) · Article 15 (2023-05-23) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) · Article 2 (2021-03-25) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) · Article 3 (2021-03-25) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) · Article 5 (2021-03-25) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) · Article 6 (2021-03-25) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) · Article 7 (2021-03-25) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) · Article 9 (2021-03-25) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) · Article 10 (2021-03-25) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) · Article 11 (2021-03-25) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) · Article 12 (2021-03-25) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) · Article 13 (2021-03-25) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) · Article 15 (2021-03-25) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) · Article 16 (2021-03-25) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Foreign Exchange Management for Import and Export of Goods and Services · Article 5 (2023-07-24) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Foreign Exchange Management for Import and Export of Goods and Services · Article 6 (2023-07-24) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Foreign Exchange Management for Import and Export of Goods and Services · Article 7 (2023-07-24) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Foreign Exchange Management for Import and Export of Goods and Services · Article 10 (2023-07-24) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on Foreign Exchange Management for Import and Export of Goods and Services · Article 11 (2023-07-24) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on List of Goods Subject to Temporary Import, Temporary Export, Import for Re-export, and Transit Control · Article 2 (2023-07-11) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on List of Goods Subject to Temporary Import, Temporary Export, Import for Re-export, and Transit Control · Article 3 (2023-07-11) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decision on List of Goods Subject to Temporary Import, Temporary Export, Import for Re-export, and Transit Control · Article 4 (2023-07-11) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Customs Law (Revised Edition) · Article ມາດຕາ 27 (2020-06-29) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Decree of the President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic on Fees and Service Charges (No. 002/PP) · Article 19 (2021-06-17) — Read the law · Lao Official Gazette

Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for a Import-export licence and trader registration certificate in Laos?

Both Lao citizens and foreigners may apply; the documents differ. Competent authority: It depends which sector governs the goods. The management authorities are the sectors concerned, among them industry and commerce, agriculture and forestry, public health, science and technology, information and culture, defence, and public works and transport, with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce leading and publishing six lists, the sixth being the roster of which authority manages which goods (Decree, Art. 11). The trader registration certificate is issued by the ministry Import-Export Department (Registration Decision, Arts. 3.3, 14 and 15). The temporary track runs at two levels, centrally the ministries concerned and in a province the authorised department, led by the Import-Export Department and the provincial and capital Industry and Commerce Departments (Temporary Decision, Arts. 16 and 19).

What documents are required for a Import-export licence and trader registration certificate in Laos?

15 statutory items: Application on the form prescribed by the Import-Export Department (Art. 5.1; the same first item applies to renewal, amendment and replacement); Copy of the enterprise registration certificate, or for a foreign trader a copy of the trading-right certificate (Art. 5.2); The original registration certificate (Art. 7.4); A copy of the registration certificate (Art. 8.4); Loss report certified by the public security authority (Art. 8.5); Import or export licence application on the form set by the separate regulation. Art. 6.3 says the application and its attachments are set by a separate regulation made by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce together with the issuing authority; this decree lists no attachments, so follow the regulation the issuing authority publishes; Renewal application on the prescribed form (Arts. 5.1 and 5.6). For a correction, Art. 5.7 says only that you may ask the issuing authority to review and correct, and prescribes no form; Application on the form prescribed by the import-export management authority (Art. 9.1); Copy of the enterprise registration certificate (Art. 9.2); Copy of the business operating licence, or of the investment licence if the activity is on the controlled list (Art. 9.3); Copies of the price invoice and the packing list (Art. 9.5); Application on the prescribed form: extension under Art. 11 and amendment under Art. 12, item 1 in both; The original licence (Art. 11.2 and Art. 12.2); Application on the prescribed form (Art. 13.1); A statement of loss or destruction issued by the operator itself (Art. 13.2). This article asks for no police report, unlike replacing the registration certificate. Competent authority: It depends which sector governs the goods. The management authorities are the sectors concerned, among them industry and commerce, agriculture and forestry, public health, science and technology, information and culture, defence, and public works and transport, with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce leading and publishing six lists, the sixth being the roster of which authority manages which goods (Decree, Art. 11). The trader registration certificate is issued by the ministry Import-Export Department (Registration Decision, Arts. 3.3, 14 and 15). The temporary track runs at two levels, centrally the ministries concerned and in a province the authorised department, led by the Import-Export Department and the provincial and capital Industry and Commerce Departments (Temporary Decision, Arts. 16 and 19).

What is the legal basis for a Import-export licence and trader registration certificate in Laos?

Based on Decree on Import and Export of Goods Article 3; Decree on Import and Export of Goods Article 6; Decree on Import and Export of Goods Article 7; Decree on Import and Export of Goods Article 8; Decree on Import and Export of Goods Article 11; Decree on Import and Export of Goods Article 12; Decree on Import and Export of Goods Article 13; Decree on Import and Export of Goods Article 14; Decree on Import and Export of Goods Article 15; Decree on Import and Export of Goods Article 16; Decree on Import and Export of Goods Article 17; Decree on Import and Export of Goods Article 18; Decree on Import and Export of Goods Article 19; Decree on Import and Export of Goods Article 21; Decree on Procedures for Issuing Import Licenses for Goods Article 2; Decree on Procedures for Issuing Import Licenses for Goods Article 3; Decree on Procedures for Issuing Import Licenses for Goods Article 4; Decree on Procedures for Issuing Import Licenses for Goods Article 5; Decree on Procedures for Issuing Import Licenses for Goods Article 6; Decree on Procedures for Issuing Import Licenses for Goods Article 7; Decree on Procedures for Issuing Import Licenses for Goods Article 9; Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) Article 2; Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) Article 3; Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) Article 4; Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) Article 5; Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) Article 6; Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) Article 7; Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) Article 8; Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) Article 9; Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) Article 11; Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) Article 12; Decision on Registration of Goods Import and Export Operators (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vientiane, May 29, 2023) Article 15; Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) Article 2; Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) Article 3; Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) Article 5; Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) Article 6; Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) Article 7; Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) Article 9; Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) Article 10; Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) Article 11; Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) Article 12; Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) Article 13; Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) Article 15; Decision on Temporary Import, Temporary Export, and Import for Re-export of Controlled Goods (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) Article 16; Decision on Foreign Exchange Management for Import and Export of Goods and Services Article 5; Decision on Foreign Exchange Management for Import and Export of Goods and Services Article 6; Decision on Foreign Exchange Management for Import and Export of Goods and Services Article 7; Decision on Foreign Exchange Management for Import and Export of Goods and Services Article 10; Decision on Foreign Exchange Management for Import and Export of Goods and Services Article 11; Decision on List of Goods Subject to Temporary Import, Temporary Export, Import for Re-export, and Transit Control Article 2; Decision on List of Goods Subject to Temporary Import, Temporary Export, Import for Re-export, and Transit Control Article 3; Decision on List of Goods Subject to Temporary Import, Temporary Export, Import for Re-export, and Transit Control Article 4; Customs Law (Revised Edition) Article ມາດຕາ 27; Decree of the President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic on Fees and Service Charges (No. 002/PP) Article 19. The full texts are available in the LaoPaniti law library, sourced from the Lao Official Gazette.

Are there time limits or hard requirements for a Import-export licence and trader registration certificate in Laos?

This matter covers three different documents, so decide which one you need. The trader registration certificate shows you may run this business (Registration Decision, Art. 2); the import-export licence decides whether a particular consignment may cross (Decree, Art. 8); and the temporary licence covers goods that only pass through (Art. 2: temporary import and import-for-re-export are not sold in Laos; temporary export is not sold and ownership is not transferred abroad before the goods return). Art. 13 of the decree puts goods into three cases: on the licensing list, you need the licence first; on the sanitary, phytosanitary or technical-regulation list, you need inspection or certification first; on neither list, you simply clear customs. Check the lists before making the trip. The six lists, and the roster of which authority manages which goods, are drawn up and published by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce together with the sectors concerned (Art. 11). Management is not the trade ministry alone: agriculture and forestry, public health, science and technology, information and culture, defence, and public works and transport all appear, so apply to whichever one governs your goods. Import-export rights and distribution rights are separate (Art. 14): holding import-export rights does not let you sell the goods inside Laos, which needs a separate distribution licence under the relevant law. Getting the registration certificate is not the end, and the foreign-exchange step is the one most often missed (Forex Decision, Arts. 5, 6 and 7). Within ten working days of receiving the trader registration certificate from the Industry and Commerce sector, register with the Bank of the Lao PDR to obtain the trader forex registration certificate, attaching the bank form, a copy of the trader registration certificate, a copy of the investment licence and/or enterprise registration certificate, and any relevant operating licence. The bank issues it within five working days of complete and correct papers, and within ten working days of that you must open an import-export deposit account at a commercial bank. Export proceeds carry a hard deadline: the exporter must receive payment into the import-export deposit account by electronic transfer, by the settlement date in the sale contract and in any case within one hundred and eighty days of the goods clearing customs for export, or from the contract settlement date for services (Art. 11). Outbound payment likewise may only go through that account and by electronic transfer (Art. 10). At the customs counter: for controlled goods the officer checks the import-export licence and any certificate when receiving the detailed declaration, and a certificate of origin is attached where a preferential tariff rate is claimed (Customs Law, Art. 27). Cost: Art. 19 of the 2021 Ordinance on fees and service charges (No. 002/ປປທ), the Industry and Commerce fee section, shows no entry for an import-export licence or a trader registration certificate (several rows of that table are too damaged to read, so this is "not found" rather than "certainly absent"). The two related entries it does carry are 100,000 kip per issue for a foreign trader trading-right certificate, which is one of the registration documents, and 300,000 kip per issue for a self-certifying exporter origin certificate. Art. 20 covers the same sector service charges and our Chinese text of it carries no detail, but one row of the Lao original is legible: amending an import or export licence and issuing the certificate, 50,000 kip per set (row 5). Other rows of the same table, including the one for issuing the licence, are too damaged to read, so this 50,000 is for amendment and not for issue. What the law does state is that the import-export management authority may collect fees and technical service charges under the relevant law (Decree, Art. 12.7). Do not budget from the 2012 schedule: Ordinance No. 003 of 26 December 2012 was expressly replaced by Art. 60 of the 2021 ordinance. The rate posted at the counter prevails. Not every good needs registration: Art. 2 limits it to goods whose revenue and settlement the government controls specially, and goods sensitive for people livelihoods, on a list the ministry sets in stages. The certificate is issued by the Import-Export Department (Art. 3.3), is valid one year and renewable (Art. 7), and is decided within three working days of receiving complete and correct papers (Art. 6). The certificate carries seven continuing duties (Art. 11): settle foreign trade and services lawfully; pay duties and taxes; keep a record system tracking goods imported, exported and sold; keep the licensing papers and the Lao commercial bank settlement evidence complete; report quarterly to the Import-Export Department; run a modern system to manage and track the business; and meet any other duty the law sets. It is forbidden to trade controlled goods without the certificate, to let another person use it, or to forge documents (Art. 12); breaches lead to suspension or revocation (Art. 9). Import licensing comes in two kinds with different clocks. Automatic licensing issues at once on a complete and correct application, and no later than ten working days from receipt (Arts. 2.5 and 6.3). Non-automatic licensing is generally used for quotas, is handled first come first served within thirty days of receipt, and within sixty days of the announced closing date where all files are considered together (Art. 7). Export licensing follows the same procedure as import (Decree, Art. 8). The licence runs one year and lapses automatically at the end; if it is not used up, apply for renewal with the original attached while the original is still valid, and the authority cancels the old one and issues a new one for no more than three further months. Once it has lapsed even a request to correct its content is refused (Art. 5.6 and 5.7), so do not leave it to the last day. These two are your rights and can be cited when you are held up. An application may not be refused for a slight documentary error that does not change the basic information, and where the error was not fraudulent or was plainly carelessness the response may be no more than a caution (Art. 5.3). Goods already licensed may not be refused entry for slight differences in value, quantity or weight arising from normal commercial practice (Art. 5.4). If refused, you may ask for written reasons and, if unsatisfied, apply to the next higher authority or sue in court (Art. 5.9). File with one issuing authority only; where genuinely necessary you may file with several but never more than three (Art. 5.2). Which authority may license which goods is announced separately by the ministry with the sectors concerned. Art. 2 sets different conditions for the three and they must not be collapsed into one: temporary import and import-for-re-export turn on the goods not being sold inside Laos, while temporary export means sending goods out for display, testing, research, inspection, repair and the like abroad without selling them or transferring ownership, and bringing them back. The operator must meet three conditions: be an enterprise lawfully set up under the Enterprise Law; hold an investment licence if the activity is on the controlled list; and hold a business operating licence under the rules of the sector concerned (Art. 5). Movement must go through an international checkpoint with the infrastructure and technical staff, or through a checkpoint designated on special conditions (Art. 6). Timing for the temporary track: the licence is decided within three working days of receiving the papers, and if it cannot be issued the reasons come in writing within two working days of receiving complete and correct papers (Art. 10). The licence runs six months and may be extended once by three months, applied for twenty days before expiry (Art. 11). Goods imported for re-export may stay sixty days from the date the entry papers are declared at the customs checkpoint, extendable twice by thirty days each unless the sector concerned has laid down otherwise (Art. 7.3). Continuing duties on the temporary track (Art. 15): keep each consignment file at least three years; report to the issuing authority every three months; notify in writing if a licence goes unused; follow the route, checkpoint, timing and quantity written on the licence; and settle payments as the Bank of the Lao PDR requires. Controlled goods for temporary import, temporary export, import-for-re-export and transit fall into three classes, not two (Controlled Goods List Decision, Arts. 2, 3 and 4): goods needing prior permission from the sector that lists them; prohibited goods; and reserved goods, which the government bars for a defined period. The Lao original of Art. 3 is damaged in our copy, so for the prohibited class rely on the official gazette. You need none of the documents in this matter. Art. 13.3 of the decree says goods on neither the licensing list nor the sanitary, phytosanitary or technical list may simply be declared to customs for import or export. At the counter prepare the detailed declaration papers under Art. 27 of the Customs Law: the brief declaration form and transport documents, the detailed declaration form, the price invoice and the packing list. Goods on the prohibited list are not a licensing question: Art. 7 says goods on the prohibited import or export list need the approval of the Government of the Lao PDR before they may cross, and the approval procedure sits in a separate regulation. Importing or exporting them without that approval is expressly forbidden by Art. 21.1.

How much does a Import-export licence and trader registration certificate cost in Laos and how long does it take?

Cost: Art. 19 of the 2021 Ordinance on fees and service charges (No. 002/ປປທ), in the Industry and Commerce fee section, shows no entry for an import-export licence or a trader registration certificate (several rows of that table are too damaged to read, so this is "not found" rather than "certainly absent"). The two priced entries that touch this matter are 100,000 kip per issue for a foreign trader trading-right certificate, itself one of the registration documents, and 300,000 kip per issue for a self-certifying exporter origin certificate. Art. 20 covers the same sector service charges and our Chinese text of it carries no detail, but one row of the Lao original is legible: amending an import or export licence and issuing the certificate, 50,000 kip per set (row 5). Other rows of the same table, including the one for issuing the licence, are too damaged to read, so this 50,000 is for amendment and not for issue. All the law states is that the management authority may collect fees and technical service charges under the relevant law (Decree, Art. 12.7). Figures still circulating such as 10,000 kip per set for a vehicle import licence come from Ordinance No. 003 of 26 December 2012, expressly replaced by Art. 60 of the 2021 ordinance, so do not budget from them. The rate posted at the counter prevails.. How long: The law fixes four periods. Registration certificate: three working days from receipt of complete and correct papers (Registration Decision, Art. 6). Automatic import licence: a correct and complete application is handled at once and no later than ten working days from receipt (Licensing Decree, Arts. 2.5 and 6.3). Non-automatic import licence: within thirty days of receipt, or sixty days from the announced closing date where all files are considered together (Art. 7.3). Temporary track: three working days, with written reasons within two working days if it cannot be issued (Temporary Decision, Art. 10). Export licensing follows the import procedure (Decree, Art. 8) and no separate export period is written..

Can LaoPaniti obtain the Import-export licence and trader registration certificate for me?

LaoPaniti organises the document list, offers online form filling, document upload and pre-check hand-off by staff. It is not a government filing, does not represent acceptance or approval by any authority, and promises neither results nor expedited handling. Formal processing follows the current requirements of the It depends which sector governs the goods. The management authorities are the sectors concerned, among them industry and commerce, agriculture and forestry, public health, science and technology, information and culture, defence, and public works and transport, with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce leading and publishing six lists, the sixth being the roster of which authority manages which goods (Decree, Art. 11). The trader registration certificate is issued by the ministry Import-Export Department (Registration Decision, Arts. 3.3, 14 and 15). The temporary track runs at two levels, centrally the ministries concerned and in a province the authorised department, led by the Import-Export Department and the provincial and capital Industry and Commerce Departments (Temporary Decision, Arts. 16 and 19).

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