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Procedure Name

Timber Export Permit

Description

Category	Export Permit for Timber
Responsible Agency	Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (Department of Forestry) Address: Mulungushi House, Independence Avenue P.O. Box 50694 Ridgeway Lusaka, Zambia PHONE: +260211252323/252320 Fax: +260211251927 Email: info@mlnr.gov.zm
Legal base of the Procedure	The Forests Act, 2015
Fee	ZMW 5 000

NOTE: The Exporter is required to Return Copies of the Permit ( in Triplicate and Quadruplicate) to the Forestry Department once the consignment is exported for record-keeping and audit purposes.

Required Documents

No.	Type of information	Note
1	Application Form	Documents necessary for the application
2	Copy of valid concession licence
3	Production licence
4	Conveyance licence
5	Technical report
6	Invoice and packing list including photos
7	Letter of agreement between merchant and licence holder; in the case of a merchant

Process Steps

Step 1	The Trader collects, completes and submits an application form along with the supporting documentation to the District Forestry Officer.
Step 2	The District Forestry Officer reviews the application, inspects the timber to verify that it meets export standards and writes a technical report and submits together with the application to the Principal Forestry Officer (PFO) with a covering letter and necessary recommendations.
Step 3	The PFO screens the application and the accompanying documents and if satisfied he writes a letter of recommendation to Director of Forestry.
Step 4	The Director of Forestry receives the recommendation letter and application, then proceeds to assign a Technical Officer to review the application.
Step 5	If satisfactory, then the Technical Officer conducts a technical review and recommends the approval of the application. A copy is sent to ZRA, another filed and a copy retained for audit. The Technical Officer then prepares a Payment Slip for Timber Export Payment (K5,000) to be made to Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (Accounts Office at Mulungushi House).
Step 6	The Exporter then pays (deposits) the applicable fees at the bank and is issued a government receipt as proof of payment at the Accounts/ Cashiers office which he submits to the Forestry Officer /Technical Officer.
Step 7	The Technical officer enters the details of payment on the application form and prepares the export permit, together with a clearance certificate. Both export permit and clearance certificate are then forwarded to the Director Forestry for signing.
Step 8	The exporter then collects clearance certificate and export permit, which are signed by the Director of Forestry (each consignment will require a set of clearance certificates).
Step 9	The exporter then submits collected documents to ZCSA/ZABS for the conformance of standards endorsement.
Step 10	The exporter then proceeds to obtain a Phytosanitary Certificate to indicate that the timber is free from pests or diseases from the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute (ZARI).
Step 11	The exporter also obtains a Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Certificate, with a recommendation from the Director of Forestry (*only applicable for species that are listed on the CITES index*).
Step 12	Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) also receives a copy of the signed permit and clearance certificate from the Director of Forestry, for the purpose of verification and certification at the port of exit.
Step 13	Finally, the exporter proceeds to export timber.

MINISTRY OF LANDS AND NATURAL RESOURCES (DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY )