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Procedure Name

Veterinary Import Permit for Live Animals and Animal Products

Description

Category	Permit/license
Responsible Agency	Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition Department of Marketing Department of Agricultural Research Address: Box 24, No. 80 Constitution Road-Maseru Phone: +266 22322741 Email:
Legal Base	Agriculture Marketing Act No.26 0f 1967
Processing time	3-5 working days
Fee	LSL 200, plus variable fee based on quantity of the animals to be imported. * No fee of LSL 200 applies to Live Animals (incl. dairy cows) but variable fee will be applicable

Required Documents

No.	Type of documents	Note
1	Business License (if a business)
2	Trader license
3	Proof of address (for traceability)	Proof of Address e.g. Water or Electricity bill or a Letter from local chief
4	Import Return Form (required by Marketing)	If the trader has imported before the Import Return Form must be supplied before any other CLP will be approved.
5	Previously Approved Permit (required by Marketing) - will not be required if pemit isued by LNSW	If the trader has imported before the previously approved permit is required.
	Specific for Animals and Animal Products
6	Veterinary Health Attestation for the Applicable Commodity Code (Not applicable to Vaccines and Dogs and Cats)	This document ensures compliance with regulatory health standards prior to approval, processing, or release of the goods
7	Proof of the latest laboratory results of the farm in the case of live animals.
8	Export Abattoir Invoice	Mandatory for animal products – not mandatory for live animals
9	Valid Rabies Certificate	Dogs and Cats
10	Proof of Shortage	Import Permit for Table Eggs Import Permit for Pasteurised Dairy Products
11	Recommendation from District Office	Table Eggs
12	Proforma Invoice	Table Eggs
13	Tax Invoice	Fish and Fish Products

Process Steps

This procedure is now to be handled through the Lesotho National Single Window (LNSW) from 1 September 2025 and is a fully electronic process.

To make an application, an applicant must first be registered with the LNSW. Information regarding the process to register and its requirements can be found at the Lesotho National Single Window portal.

The LNSW is the national system that manages all trade related authorisations. It is the one location from where applications can be made for all types of permits, certificates and licenses required for the import, export and transit of goods in Lesotho. As an electronic system, the LNSW receives a single application and directs it to all involved responsible agencies for their processing.

An applicant can track the progress of their applications through the LNSW and do not need to physically visit the offices of the agencies involved. Where payment is required for a permit, this can be made either at the Agency's cashier office or shall soon be possible fully electronic through the LNSW without need to visit the involved agencies cashier.

Upon issue, the permit reference number need only be referenced when making a Customs declaration in ASYCUDA World and there is no need to attach a scanned image of the permit as was previously required with paper-based permits.

The diagram below describes the application process steps for the above-mentioned permit on LNSW.

** IMPORTANT NOTE ***

With the introduction of processing on LNSW, there is now no need to obtain an Import Permit for selected animals / animal products from the Department of Marketing or Lesotho National Dairy Board (LNDB) and then apply to the Department of Livestock for its corresponding Import Permit. A single application to the LNSW for import of animals / animal products will send the application to both Department of Marketing / LNDB and Department of Livestock and a single Import Permit for Animals / Animal Products will be issued upon successful processing. Only the one, single consolidated Import Permit for Animals / Animal Products on LNSW will be required for ASYCUDA World for Customs processing.

1st Agency Processing - Department of Marketing or Lesotho National Dairy Board (depending on the product)
2nd Agency Processing - Department of Livestock

Category

Import

The following form/s are used in this procedure

Title	Description	Created Date	Updated Date
Health Attestation for Live Animals	This in terms of Legal Notice 241 Regulations 1992	15-01-2014	15-01-2014
Health Attestation for Oval	This in terms of Legal Notice 241 Regulations 1992	15-01-2014	15-01-2014
Health Attestation for Poultry	This in terms of Legal Notice 241 Regulations 1992	15-01-2014	27-02-2014
Transport Permit	Transport Permit	03-03-2014	03-03-2014
Attestation for Cloven Hoofed Live Animals	Attestation for Cloven Hoofed Live Animals required for import	07-09-2025	07-09-2025

This procedure applies to the following measures

Name	Measure Type	Agency	Description	Comments	Legal Document	Validity To	Measure Class
Requirement to obtain an Import Permit for Live Animals and Animal Products	SPS		This process represents the procedure for obtaining a permit to import live animals and animal products. As per the Animal Disease Act (Act No. 1984), all citizens and non-citizen living in Lesotho may import animals and animal derived products, which are considered to be safe, into Lesotho. Importation is subject to compliance with relevant import requirements, as stipulated on veterinary import permit.	This process represents the procedure for obtaining a permit to import live animals and animal products.	Importation and Exportation of Livestock and Livestock Products (Amendment) Act 1984	31-12-9999	Good
Requirement to obtain an Import Permit for Fish and Fish Products	SPS		This process represents the requirement for obtaining a permit to import live fish/fish feed/fish products.	All business process flows, processing steps and applicable legalization for fish and fish products model those for application for Veterinary Import Permit for animals and animal products. Only the application and the resulting permit format is different due to the nature of the product.	Protection of Fresh Water Fish Proclamation	31-12-9999	Good