June 19, 2023

Traveling with Firearms to South Africa

This section lists out the requirements for traveling with firearms to South Africa to ensure your firearms are legally transported and meet the regulations set by the local authorities, both in the U.S. and in the country you will be visiting.

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Paperwork required when traveling with firearms to South Africa

Passport

Current Passport with an adequate amount of blank pages for your travel

The Paperwork Process (click to read)
- The first thing to decide is which rifle or rifles you are taking on your safari.
- Next, find the nearest U.S. Customs office by contacting U.S. Customs and Border Protections at 1-877-227-5511 or visit their website at www.cbp.gov. Usually, there is a customs office at International airports and some smaller airports with flights to Canada or bordering countries should have a customs office.
- In order to travel with your firearm, you need a 4457 form (‘Certificate of Registration for Personal Effects Taken Abroad’). Make an appointment with the customs office and bring your firearms to get the 4457 form filled/stamped.
- The form will contain your name, address, and description of your firearm (make, model, caliber, and serial number). The customs officer will inspect your rifle and fill out the form with the required information and enter it into the system. It will be signed, dated and stamped with a US Customs seal.
- Each firearm will require a separate form and you will not be able to take your firearms out of the country without it. It is not a permit, it is proof of ownership and needs to accompany you and your firearm during your travel.
- These forms have expiration dates, make sure that the form you receive is current and the expiration date will cover your travel period. If you already have a 4457 from a prior safari, make sure the form has not expired. You don’t want issues with authorities during your travel, it’s a guaranteed way to ruin your trip.
- The next form to complete is the SAP520 which is the South African import permit. This form is attached to our website for your convenience. You will need to complete pages #2,4,5 & 6 only and present this to the SAPS (South African Police Service) office. Note: on page 6 do not sign the form, it will be signed and witnessed in front of the SAP officer (unless you are pre-approved). Your PH will meet you at the airport and help with the paperwork.
- The last form you will need is a ‘letter of invitation’ from us. The letter will contain the outfitter’s license number, dates, the location of the hunt, species to be hunted, and the firearms used during the hunt.

From here you can get your paperwork pre-approved or do it yourself

Pre-Approved – You will send; the stamped 4457 form, a completed SAP 520 (attached above) and a copy of your passport to us (scanned and emailed). Our office in South Africa will work with the local agencies to pre-approve your documents. This significantly expedites the approval process when in South Africa, you will spend a short time at the SAP office to check the firearm serial number. There is a fee for the pre-approval ~$100USD. In my opinion, it is worth it to avoid long waits in the SAP office and especially if you have a connecting flight with a short layover.

Do it yourself – You will acquire/complete the four documents listed above and when you arrive in South Africa, you present these documents to SAP personnel. Depending on the number of hunters arriving at the same time, this can take some time, in my experience up to 1.5 hours.

Travel with firearms and ammunition (click to read)

Even though your firearm and ammunition like each other, they will NOT be able to travel together. Your rifle and ammo need to be in separate hard cases and both need to be lockable. You can take a maximum of 3 rifles per hunter to Africa (some airlines may limit you to 2) and all the rifles need to be of different calibers. As an example, an individual hunter/traveler cannot bring two 375 H&H rifles. There is an allowed maximum of 200 rounds per caliber but keep in mind there is a weight restriction on ammo of 11 pounds per person. I personally do not see a need to bring any more than 40-60 rounds for your hunt.

Important Note: Please check with your airlines regarding traveling with firearms before booking your flights. There are smaller carriers in Africa that will not allow firearms on the flights. If you have a connecting flight after you arrive in Johannesburg, just make sure that the connecting carrier transports firearms. As an example, Mango Airlines which connects with the Eastern Cape through Port Elizabeth will not transport your firearm.
At the airport in the U.S. - Departure (click to read)
- When you arrive at the ticket booth notify the attendant that you are traveling with firearms and ammo and the attendant will notify the airport police.
- The police will come to the arrivals counter and inspect the 4457 form matches the serial numbers on the firearm. They will also check to make sure the firearm is not loaded. Make sure there is nothing in your chamber before packing the rifle, also make sure there is no ammo in the gun case. The police will then take your gun case to a designated area for transport.
- Inform the ticket attendant if you packed ammo in your regular travel luggage so he or she can tag the luggage appropriately.
At the airport in South Africa - Arrival (click to read)
- After collecting your luggage, ask the airport attendant were to wait (designated area) while airport security retrieves your gun case. You will be requested to identify your gun case and accompany airport security to the SAP firearms office. The SAP officer will check the 4457 and paperwork as well as inspect your guns to make sure everything matches. They will register you in a log book that you will sign. Your PH will help you with this process but be prepared; things move slower in Africa and you may be spending more time than you would like in the SAP office.
- If flying from Johannesburg to another South African location (domestic), your ammo box will need to be checked in separately and outside of your normal luggage.
- If flying from Johannesburg to another African country (International) such as Zimbabwe and your luggage and gun are checked all the way through, the process may be slightly different but you will have to go through the same mechanics as in Johannesburg.
Firearm cases (click to read)

Invest in a good gun case. Baggage handlers are not always gentle with luggage. There are many companies that manufacture excellent gun cases in both molded plastics and aluminum material (Cabelas, Boyt, Tuffpak, Pelican, Impact Case & Container, Americase, Strong Case) just to mention a few. Go on their websites and determine the price range and type of case best suited for you. Whatever you purchase it may not look pretty when your safari is over, these cases take a beating so that your rifle and scope does not. I personally have a Cabelas Armor Xtreme double gun case. It comes with three layers of foam and you can cut the center foam to contour to the rifle making it a tight and secure fit. I have had this case for several years, it stood up to a lot of travel abuse and it protected my rifles extremely well.

Your case will need good padlocks if it does not have a integrated locking system. I like the traditional style Master locks with digital combination. If you prefer key locks, you cant go wrong with Swiss Gear. I suggest buying a multi pack that work from one key. You will need 2 locks for gun case and 1 for ammo box. Having one key for all the locks will make it easier at the airport inspections. Also, make sure you keep a spare key separate.
Ammo cases (click to read)

As with gun cases, there are many manufacturers of small lockable aluminum and molded plastic boxes that can be used to transport your ammo. Pelican makes excellent cases. Apache is another decent well-made brand and lower-cost alternative. Make sure the case can hold the amount of ammo you plan to bring, is lockable, and is sturdy enough to be checked in as a separate piece of luggage. Tag your name on the box or an easy way to identify it.