CUSTOM HOUSE AGENTS (LICENSING) ACT - 1978 (SMCD 188)

    • No person shall engage in the business of custom house agent unless that person has been granted a licence by the Comptroller of Customs and Excise (referred to in this Decree as "the Comptroller") or an officer authorised in that behalf in accordance with regulations made under this Decree.

    • (1) The Comptroller shall not grant a licence under this Decree to any body corporate or partnership unless:

      (a) in the case of a body corporate, that body corporate is authorised by its instrument of incorporation to transact the business of custom house agent; or

      (b) in the case of partnership the partnership is by virtue of its partnership agreement authorised to transact the business of custom house agent;

      (c) at least two officers of the body corporate or in the case of a partnership two members of the partnership are licensed custom house agents;

      (d) the Comptroller is satisfied that the body corporate or partnership has a permanent place of business.

      (2) A licence granted to any body corporate or partnership shall be deemed revoked if for a continuous period of sixty days after the grant of licence there are not at least two officers of that body corporate or two members of that partnership who are licensed custom house agents.

      (3) When a licence is revoked by virtue of subsection (2) of this section the Comptroller may notify in writing the body corporate, or the partnership concerned.

    • A licence granted under this Decree shall be subject to such conditions and shall be valid for such period as the Comptroller may specify in the licence.

    • There shall be paid in respect of a licence granted by the Controller under this Decree such fee as the Commissioner responsible for Finance (referred to in this Decree as "the Commissioner") may by regulations under section 7 of this Decree prescribe.

    • A licence granted under this Decree shall be renewable after the expiration of the period specified therein and upon the payment of such renewal fee as the Commissioner may prescribe by regulations made under section 7 of this Decree.

    • (1) Nothing in this Decree shall be construed as to require any licence in respect of the following, namely,

      (a) an importer or exporter transacting custom business solely on his own behalf;

      (b) an employee of a custom house agent authorised by the agent to sign customs documents on his behalf if such agent has filed a power of attorney for that purpose with the Collector-in-Charge of the port where such agent transacts his business;

      (c) transactions in connection with entry or clearance of vessels;

      (d) a common carrier making an entry for any merchandise to be transported under bond on behalf of another person.

      (2) Without prejudice to subsection (1) of this section the Commissioner may in writing exempt any person or class of person from the requirement of a licence under this Decree.

    • The Commissioner may by legislative instrument make regulations-

      (a) providing for the grant, suspension or revocation of licences;

      (b) providing for the conditions for the grant, suspension or revocation of licences;

      (c) prescribing fees including renewal fees for licences;

      (d) providing for the inspection of books, records and other relevant documents and business premises of custom house agents;

      (e) prescribing for a fine not exceeding c1,000.00 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both for any contravention of regulations made under this section;

      (f) otherwise for giving full effect to the principles and objects of this Decree.

    • In this Decree-

      "business of customs" or "customs business" means the preparation, signing and presenting of documents with respect to the import and export of goods;

      "Commissioner" means the Commissioner responsible for Finance;

      "Comptroller" means the Comptroller of Customs and Excise;

      "Custom house agent" means any person to whom a licence has been granted under this Decree to transact business of customs on behalf of another person;

      "port" has the meaning assigned to it in section 275 of the Customs and Excise Decree, 1972 (NRCD 114).

    • (1) Until such date that this Decree shall come into force no person shall transact customs business unless that person has obtained from the Comptroller temporary licence to do so.

      (2) A licence granted under subsection (1) of this section shall be subject to such conditions as the Comptroller may prescribe and shall be valid for a period not exceeding six months.

      (3) Any person who transacts customs business in contravention of subsection (1) of this section shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding c200.00 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to both.

    • Except section 9 which comes into force on the publication of this Decree in the Gazette the other provisions of this Decree shall come into force on such date as the Commissioner may by legislative instrument appoint.