Forest Produce Licence Tanzania: Timber, Charcoal, Poles, Transit Passes and Export Permits
What do you need to harvest, move or export timber and charcoal in Mainland Tanzania? Register as a forest produce dealer with the Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS), get a harvesting licence through the District Forest Produce Harvesting Committee, pay royalty, and move produce only under a transit pass. Exports need a permit, grading and an export certificate. Round logs may not be exported. Zanzibar has its own law.
This guide sets out each forest produce licence Tanzania requires, from dealer registration and harvesting to sawmills, transit passes, exports, CITES species, royalties, penalties and Zanzibar, with a costed example in TZS.
What the law says
On the Mainland, every step from the stump to the port sits under one Act and the regulations made under it.
- The Forest Act, Cap. 323. The Forest Act, 2002 (Act No. 14 of 2002) replaced the old Forests Act on 1 July 2004. Part VI (sections 49 to 57) covers permits in forest reserves. Part VII (sections 58 to 64) covers trade: export certificates (s.58), export restrictions (s.59), inspection (s.61) and control of movement (s.63). Sections 77 and 78 allow fees and royalties, and Part XI (sections 84 to 100) sets the offences.
- The Forest Regulations, 2004. GN 153 of 2004, published on 21 May 2004, sets the working rules. It covers licences (reg. 3), transit passes (reg. 13), property marks (regs. 40 to 43), export (reg. 50), dealers and sawmills (regs. 53 and 54) and fees (reg. 29 and the Fourteenth Schedule).
- The fee schedule. The Fourteenth Schedule was replaced by GN 255 of 2017 and again by the Forest (Amendment) Regulations, 2022, GN 59, published on 28 January 2022. Zatra's fee register records a further substitution by GN 132 of 2025 at the same amounts.
- The 2019 utilisation rules. The Forest (Sustainable Utilization of Logs, Timber, Withies, Poles or Charcoal) Regulations, 2019, GN 417 create the district harvesting committees and set most penalties.
- The 2023 trade rules. GN 266 of 2023, published on 31 March 2023, sets the export and import permit procedure.
TFS runs the national reserves and plantations and issues most of these documents. Its official website describes it as a semi-autonomous agency under the Executive Agencies Act, Cap. 245. Export permits are issued by the Commissioner for Conservation (Kamishna wa Uhifadhi) or a licensing officer the Commissioner delegates in writing.
Who should read this
- Timber dealers and harvesters, including buyers at TFS plantation sales;
- Sawmills, pole treatment plants, veneer and furniture factories that process logs;
- Charcoal and firewood traders supplying towns and institutions;
- Transporters carrying logs, sawn timber, poles or charcoal on public roads;
- Exporters and importers of timber, gums, resins and other wood products;
- Investors looking at plantations, processing or carbon projects.
The Citizen reported on 20 March 2025 that the value of forest products fell 8.2 percent in 2023, as buyers moved to concrete poles and steel. Thinner margins make a fine or a seized lorry costlier.
Which forest produce needs a licence?
Almost all of it, once it is cut for sale. The 2019 regulations list logs, timber, poles, business firewood, charcoal and withies as produce the district committee allocates. The fee schedule adds bamboo, gums, resins and other non-wood products.
The source of the tree changes the route:
- National forest reserves and TFS plantations. TFS sells standing trees and raw material. Its 2026/27 notices cover raw material from 14 plantations and teak sold by electronic auction.
- General land and local authority forests. Natural forest harvesting needs an allocation from the District Forest Produce Harvesting Committee and a TFS licence.
- Village land forest reserves. The village council manages harvesting under its own management plan and by-laws.
- Private land. Regulation 13 of GN 417 requires a District Forest Manager permit and royalty for commercial harvesting, with a village or Mtaa letter confirming ownership. A household cutting from its own farm needs only a permit from the Village or Mtaa Executive Officer.
Clearing trees to farm or build also needs a permit approved by the committee under regulation 15.
How do you register as a forest produce dealer?
Registration comes first. Regulation 7 of GN 417 lists who may apply for a harvesting allocation: a Tanzanian citizen who is a registered dealer, holds a licence, is registered for tax, has the equipment and has paid the fees. Registration is annual and per site.
- Set up the business. Register with BRELA and obtain a TIN.
- Apply to TFS. Apply for registration for each site, stating the produce you will deal in.
- Pay the registration fee. TFS issues a GePG control number. The amount depends on the class of dealer (see the fee table below).
- Register your property mark. Regulation 40 of GN 153 lets a dealer register a mark with which its produce is branded before removal.
- Keep the records. Regulation 11 of GN 417 requires records of source, certificate, licence and transit pass for each lot.
The citizenship condition matters for investors: the harvesting allocation is reserved for citizens. Our guide on exporting from Tanzania covers the company documents that every export file needs.
How does the harvesting licence work?
Natural forest harvesting is planned and allocated at district level. The 2019 regulations set the sequence.
- Harvesting plan. Under regulation 3 the Director prepares harvesting plans for production forests. No licence is issued without an approved plan.
- District Forest Produce Harvesting Committee. Regulation 4 establishes a committee in each district, chaired by the District Commissioner. Under regulation 5 it approves licences for logs, timber, poles, business firewood, charcoal and withies, and reviews harvesting reports. It meets at least once a year.
- Allocation certificate. A successful applicant receives a Forest Produce Allocation Certificate under regulation 8. It cannot be transferred. An unsuccessful applicant is told in writing within 14 days.
- Felling. The licensee may fell only the species named in the licence (regulation 9). Produce is measured under regulation 4 of GN 153 and branded with a registered mark before removal under regulation 41.
- Cancellation and appeal. The committee may cancel an allocation after a hearing (regulation 12). Any committee decision can be appealed to the Minister within 30 days, and the Minister's decision can be reviewed by the High Court (regulation 22).
TFS publishes its application form for commercial tree harvesting on its documents page, together with the regulations and the plantation sale notices.
What royalties and fees does TFS charge?
Royalty is charged per cubic metre of standing volume, by species class. Natural forest species fall into Classes IA, IB, II, III and IV; Class IA holds the most valuable species, such as East African blackwood (mpingo). Fees are paid to TFS on a GePG control number; the figures come from Zatra's fee register.
| Item | Amount (TZS) | Register ID |
|---|---|---|
| Natural forest royalty per m3 standing volume, Class IA; IB; II; III; IV | 350,000; 290,000; 195,000; 145,000; 100,000, plus a tree planting fee of 5% of royalty | F0782 |
| Plantation softwood royalty per m3 by diameter at breast height: 11 to 20 cm; 21 to 25; 26 to 30; 31 to 35; above 35 | 18,400; 26,700; 47,100; 72,500; 78,500 | F0783 |
| Natural forest poles, 5 to 10 cm; 10 to 20 cm | 1,600; 2,400 a piece | F0784 |
| Firewood; charcoal | 6,500 per stacked m3; 250 per kg | F0784 |
| Dealer registration a year per site: natural forest harvesting; woody produce; non-woody produce | 270,000; 200,000; 100,000 | F0785 |
| Harvesting licence a year: government contracts; other industries 1 to 1,000 m3; 1,001 to 3,000; 3,001 to 5,000; above 5,000 | 200,000; 100,000; 120,000; 140,000; 150,000 | F0787 |
| Transit pass per vehicle, 7 t or below; above 7 t: plantation produce; natural forest produce; charcoal | 7,000 and 15,000; 15,000 and 20,000; 7,000 and 15,000 | F0786 |
| Wood industry registration a year per site: large (above 20,000 m3); small | 800,000; 400,000 | NEW-07-17 |
| Exporter registration a year: natural forest produce; plantation produce; gums and resins | 800,000; 300,000; 500,000 | NEW-07-17 |
| Importer registration a year: forest produce; wooden furniture | 500,000; 1,300,000 | NEW-07-17 |
| Export certificate: commercial consignment; non-commercial (up to USD 300); CITES export certificate | 100,000; 11,000; 10,000 | F0788 |
Grading certificate, pulpwood and teak charges in GN 59 are not in our register; TFS assesses them. Our guide to export levies and charges places these fees beside the other export charges.
When do you need a transit pass?
Whenever forest produce is moved from the harvesting area. Regulation 13 of GN 153 bars removal without a transit pass in the prescribed form, issued only after a forest officer confirms where the produce came from. A transporter may not accept a load that is not covered by a valid pass. Charcoal, firewood, gums, fibres and flosses moved within the same district are exempt from the pass.
The 2019 regulations add more conditions:
- Documents on the lorry. Regulation 20 requires the allocation certificate, the transit pass, the felling licence, the dealer registration and the government receipt for every commercial movement.
- Hours. Under regulation 17, commercial transport runs from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. Logs, timber, poles and withies of exotic species may move day or night.
- Routes and checkpoints. Regulation 16 requires approved routes and checkpoints. Regulation 46 of GN 153 lets officers set up checkpoints on highways, at ports, airports and railway stations.
- Retail sale. Regulation 19 bars selling from unregistered yards or stores.
TRAFFIC reported on 25 October 2024 that the Forest Resource Management Information System (FREMIS) runs at more than 100 checkpoints. Officers scan a QR code on the permit and photograph each vehicle for the next checkpoint.
What does a sawmill or wood industry need?
A sawmill, pole treatment plant, veneer mill or furniture factory needs its own TFS registration, separate from a dealer registration. Regulation 53 of GN 153 covers the licence to operate a sawmill or treatment plant and its quarterly returns. The annual registration fee is TZS 800,000 for a large wood industry above 20,000 m3 and TZS 400,000 for a small one (NEW-07-17).
Three other regulators usually join the file:
- NEMC. A sawmill pays an annual environmental fee of TZS 1,000,000 and a pole treatment plant TZS 5,000,000 (NEW-05-06). A new plant may first need an environmental impact assessment; see our guide to when an EIA is required.
- OSHA. The forestry inspection fee runs from TZS 40,000 to 360,000 a year by size (F0442).
- The council. A timber and furniture retail outlet pays a business licence of TZS 200,000 in a city or municipality and TZS 100,000 in a district or town (BLB187, BLB188). The service levy of 0.25% of turnover also applies (F0630).
Can you export timber, logs or charcoal from Tanzania?
Processed timber, yes, with a permit for each shipment. Round logs and charcoal, generally no.
The export permit. Regulation 9 of GN 266 of 2023 lets any person export forest produce after obtaining a permit from the Commissioner for Conservation. The application goes to the district conservation officer where the harvesting took place, who forwards it within 7 days; the Commissioner decides within 14 days. Produce is then inspected and graded at the registered warehouse or sawmill, and the export certificate follows within 7 days. At the exit point, officers check the permit and the inspection, grading and export certificates.
Logs. Regulation 50(1) of GN 153 states: "No logs of any tree species shall be exported." The Environmental Investigation Agency's 2018 report on African log bans also lists Tanzania as having a log export ban since 2004. GN 266 of 2023 revoked a separate 2004 notice (GN 334 of 2004) that banned the export of softwood and hardwood as roots, poles and posts. It did not revoke regulation 50. Ask TFS in writing before contracting any round-wood or pole sale abroad.
Sandalwood and mpingo. Regulation 9(2) of GN 266 excludes sandalwood (misandali) from the general export permit route, except sandalwood imported and processed in Tanzania. It also excludes mpingo, except semi-processed products. Treat raw mpingo and raw sandalwood as not exportable.
Veneer. GN 807 of 2024, published on 13 September 2024, allows veneer exports only with a permit approved by the Minister, against a fee of 5% of each consignment's value. The notice ran for two years from publication, so it lapsed on 13 September 2026 unless renewed. After it lapses, regulation 9(2) of the notice bars veneer exports.
Charcoal. Regulation 21 of GN 417 bars the export of charcoal, other than briquettes, without a valid permit from the Minister.
Exports carry no export tax unless listed in the Export Tax Act schedule, and exported goods are zero-rated for VAT (F0343). Plant health rules may also apply; our guide to phytosanitary certificates explains when the importing country asks for one. A commercial phytosanitary certificate costs TZS 130,000 plus inspection (F0376).
| Document for each export shipment (GN 266, reg. 9) | Issued by |
|---|---|
| Company or business name registration, TIN and VAT registration | BRELA and TRA |
| Forest produce business registration | TFS |
| Harvest allocation and harvesting licence, for native trees | District committee and TFS |
| Transit pass from the harvest site to the warehouse or sawmill | TFS |
| Export business licence | BRELA (Class A) |
| Tax clearance certificate | TRA |
| Inspection, grading and export certificates | TFS district officer and the Commissioner |
A Class A exportation licence costs TZS 100,000 or TZS 80,000 depending on the line (F0865). See our guide to the tax clearance certificate.
Which species need CITES documents?
Several East African timber and plant species are listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Regulation 50(14) of GN 153 requires certification by the CITES management authority, where applicable, before export. The CITES Appendices valid from 7 February 2025 include these entries relevant to Tanzania:
- Dalbergia spp., which includes mpingo (Dalbergia melanoxylon): Appendix II, annotation #15. Finished products with up to 10 kg of the listed wood per shipment and finished musical instruments are excluded from the listing.
- Osyris lanceolata (East African sandalwood): Appendix II, covering only the populations of Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania.
- Afzelia spp. (mkongo): Appendix II, African populations only.
- Pterocarpus spp., African populations, and Khaya spp. (African mahoganies), African populations, with annotation #17.
- Prunus africana (African cherry, traded for its bark): Appendix II.
A CITES-listed consignment needs a CITES export permit on top of the TFS documents. TFS charges TZS 10,000 for its CITES export certificate (F0788). Confirm the listing of every species on the invoice.
Which taxes and council charges sit on top?
- Single instalment tax. Section 116A of the Income Tax Act, as replaced by section 25 of the Finance Act, 2026, charges 2% of the gross payment on sales of forest produce by a resident person other than a corporation (F0204). The base is the higher of the farm-gate price, the purchase price or the value TFS determines. It falls due when payment is received, when the produce is about to be transported, or when forest cess is paid.
- Forest produce cess. A district council may charge cess on forest produce of up to 3% (F0547). It may also charge forest produce licence fees capped at 20% (NEW-05-27).
- Service levy. Councils charge 0.25% of turnover (F0630); see our guide to the service levy.
What are the penalties?
Most penalties for trading and transport sit in GN 417 of 2019. The Forest Act adds the offences in Part XI, including trade offences in section 89, and provides for compounding of offences in section 95.
| Breach | Fine (TZS) | Prison | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transporting produce that was lawfully obtained, in breach of transport rules | 500,000 to 1,000,000 | At least 3 months | GN 417 reg. 16(3)(a) |
| Transporting illegally obtained produce | 1,000,000 or three times the market value, whichever is greater | 2 to 7 years | GN 417 reg. 16(3)(b); produce confiscated |
| Moving produce without the required documents | 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 | 3 to 5 years | GN 417 reg. 20(3) |
| Selling from an unregistered yard or store | 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 | 6 months to 2 years | GN 417 reg. 19(2) |
| Dealer record or sourcing breach | 1,000,000 to 2,000,000, or three times the value | 1 to 2 years | GN 417 reg. 11(4) |
| Clearing more than 50 acres without a permit | 10,000,000 to 12,000,000 | 2 to 5 years | GN 417 reg. 15(2)(b) |
| Exporting charcoal without the Minister's permit | 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 | 1 to 5 years | GN 417 reg. 21(2); charcoal confiscated |
Under regulation 43 of GN 153, officers may seize unbranded produce, and the owner must prove it is lawful within 24 hours. A seizure, an offer to compound, a prosecution or a vehicle confiscation goes to an advocate at once.
How does Zanzibar differ from the Mainland?
Forestry is not a Union matter. The Forest Act, Cap. 323, TFS and the GN 417 committees do not operate in Unguja or Pemba. Zanzibar's own law is the Forest Resources Management and Conservation Act, No. 10 of 1996, passed by the House of Representatives.
| Point | Mainland | Zanzibar |
|---|---|---|
| Main law | Forest Act, Cap. 323 (Act No. 14 of 2002) | Forest Resources Management and Conservation Act, No. 10 of 1996 |
| Authority | TFS; district harvesting committees; village councils | The Forest Authority, directed by the Forest Administrator, within the Zanzibar department responsible for forestry |
| Harvesting | Allocation certificate and TFS licence | Licence from a licensing officer (s.62); logging workplan for harvests above two hectares (s.70) |
| Transport, charcoal, export | Transit pass; GN 266 export permit; charcoal export needs the Minister's permit | Licences for transport, charcoal making and import or export may be required by regulation (s.71) |
| Reserved trees | Classes and CITES listings | Trees declared reserved by Ministerial order may not be cut without a licence (s.67) |
| Sanctions | GN 417 fines and prison terms | Prison of at least six months or a scheduled fine; courts may order ten times the unpaid royalties and fees (s.96) |
CIFOR's case study of community forest management in Zanzibar (2014) names illegal charcoal, including charcoal from the Mainland, as a threat. Ask the Zanzibar department responsible for forestry for its current permit before shipping any produce across, and check whether the 1996 Act has been amended. Customs remains a Union matter, so TRA still handles the customs entry for exports through Zanzibar ports.
Worked example: 150 m3 of natural forest hardwood
A citizen-owned company holds a Forest Produce Allocation Certificate for 150 m3 standing volume of Class III natural forest timber. It runs a small sawmill and exports sawn timber in two consignments. We assume 60 m3 of sawn timber, moved from the forest to the mill in six lorries of more than 7 tonnes.
| Line | Basis | TZS |
|---|---|---|
| Dealer registration, natural forest harvesting, one site | F0785 | 270,000 |
| Harvesting licence, other industries, 1 to 1,000 m3 | F0787 | 100,000 |
| Royalty, Class III: 150 m3 x 145,000 | F0782 | 21,750,000 |
| Tree planting fee, 5% of royalty | F0782 | 1,087,500 |
| Transit passes, natural forest, above 7 t: 6 x 20,000 | F0786 | 120,000 |
| Small wood industry registration | NEW-07-17 | 400,000 |
| NEMC annual fee, sawmill | NEW-05-06 | 1,000,000 |
| Exporter registration, natural forest produce | NEW-07-17 | 800,000 |
| Export certificates, commercial: 2 x 100,000 | F0788 | 200,000 |
| Total TFS and NEMC charges | 25,727,500 |
Royalty and the tree planting fee make up TZS 22,837,500, or 88.8% of the total. That works out at TZS 152,250 per cubic metre of standing volume, or about TZS 380,625 per cubic metre of sawn timber at the assumed 40% recovery.
Some charges are left out because the amount depends on facts we do not have. They include district cess (F0547), the grading fee, OSHA (F0442), the Class A licence (F0865) and any phytosanitary certificate (F0376). The company, being a corporation, does not pay the 2% single instalment tax. A sole trader selling the same timber would.
What to do now
- Map the source. Confirm whether the trees stand in a TFS reserve, on general, village or private land; each has its own licensing body.
- Register before you buy. Obtain the TFS dealer, wood industry or exporter registration for each site, and register a property mark.
- Apply before the committee sits. File the harvesting application in time for the district committee.
- Pay on the control number. Pay royalty, the tree planting fee and the licence fee against the GePG control number and keep every receipt.
- Move only with papers. Give each driver the full document set and keep to daylight hours for natural forest produce.
- Check the species. Confirm the class and any CITES listing of every species before you sign an export contract.
- Build the export file early. Apply for the GN 266 permit, book grading at the mill and request the export certificate before the vessel cut-off.
- Reconcile every quarter. Match mill intake, transit passes and sales in the quarterly returns, and renew registrations before they expire.
Key dates
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 21 May 2004 | Forest Regulations, 2004 (GN 153) published, including the log export bar in regulation 50(1) |
| 1 July 2004 | Forest Act, 2002 replaces the old Forests Act |
| 24 May 2019 | GN 417 of 2019 creates district harvesting committees and new penalties |
| 28 January 2022 | GN 59 of 2022 sets the current royalty and fee schedule |
| 31 March 2023 | GN 266 of 2023 sets the export and import permit procedure |
| 13 September 2024 | GN 807 of 2024 opens permitted veneer exports for two years |
| 21 February 2025 | GN 132 of 2025 restates the fee schedule, as recorded in Zatra's register |
| 1 July 2026 | Finance Act, 2026 replaces section 116A on single instalment tax for forest produce |
| 13 September 2026 | Two-year period of GN 807 ends unless renewed |
| Every year | Dealer, wood industry and exporter registrations renew per site; the district committee meets at least once |
How Zatra helps
Zatra's import and export compliance team prepares TFS registrations, GN 266 export files and the document pack for each shipment. Our sector permits service coordinates TFS, NEMC, OSHA and TPHPA, and our business licensing service obtains the Class A exportation licence and council licences. See also the agriculture and trade desk.
Royalties, licence fees and levies are paid by the client to each authority at the official rate against its GePG control number. They are separate from Zatra's professional fee, which our pricing page sets out; our note on professional fees and government fees explains the split. The government fees handbook lists the official figures.
TFS, the district committees, the Commissioner for Conservation, the Minister and the Zanzibar forestry authority decide every allocation, permit and certificate. Zatra prepares and coordinates the file; it does not decide or guarantee any authority's outcome. Seizures, compounding offers, prosecutions, disputes and formal legal opinions go to Zatra's advocate.
Sources and status
Accurate as at 19 October 2026. Settled: TFS registration, district allocation, transit passes, the regulation 50(1) log bar and the GN 266 export route. Verify: GN 807 renewal and GN 132 of 2025. Unknown: the Zanzibar permit procedure.
- Forest Act, 2002, Cap. 323: Gazette of 7 Jun 2002. Accessed 19 Oct 2026.
- GN 153 of 2004, GN 59 of 2022, GN 417 of 2019, GN 266 of 2023 and GN 807 of 2024: TFS, 2004 to 2024. Accessed 19 Oct 2026.
- Finance Act, 2026: TRA, 30 Jun 2026. Accessed 19 Oct 2026.
- CITES Appendices: CITES Secretariat, 7 Feb 2025. Accessed 19 Oct 2026.
- Zanzibar Act No. 10 of 1996: Policy Vault Africa copy. Accessed 19 Oct 2026.
- TRAFFIC, 25 Oct 2024; EIA, 2018; The Citizen, 20 Mar 2025; CIFOR, 2014: linked in the text. Accessed 19 Oct 2026.
Figures to confirm before you act
- GN 132 of 2025: recorded in our register; we read the same amounts in GN 59 of 2022
- Grading, pulpwood and teak fees: not in our register; TFS assesses them
- Veneer: confirm whether GN 807 was renewed after 13 September 2026
- Plantation logs: confirm in writing whether TFS permits any round-wood export
- District cess: capped at 3% (F0547); each council sets its rate
- Worked example: 40% recovery and six trips are assumptions
- Register lines cited: Zatra Handbook 06 register at 26 September 2026; the control number governs on payment
This article is general information based on official sources available at the date of publication. It is not legal, tax or financial advice. Laws and notices change. Verify with the issuing authority or consult Zatra before acting.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreign-owned company get a harvesting allocation?
Not under the 2019 regulations, which limit applicants for a harvesting allocation to Tanzanian citizens. A foreign-owned company can register as a wood industry or exporter and buy from licensed harvesters or TFS sales where the sale notice allows.
Do I need a licence to cut trees I planted on my own farm?
For household use, a permit from the Village or Mtaa Executive Officer is enough. For commercial sale, you need a District Forest Manager permit and must pay royalty, with a village or Mtaa letter confirming the land is yours.
How long is a transit pass valid?
The regulations we read do not set one validity period. Treat each pass as covering the load, vehicle and route written on it, check any expiry the officer records, and obtain a new pass for every trip. Reusing a pass for a second load risks the penalty for moving produce without documents.
Can I sell charcoal in town without a TFS registration?
No. Charcoal dealers need a TFS registration for each site, and regulation 19 of GN 417 bars selling from unregistered yards or stores. Within one district, charcoal may move without a transit pass, but buyers moving it for domestic use need a receipt from a registered dealer.
Are briquettes treated like charcoal for export?
No. Regulation 21 of GN 417 bars charcoal exports without the Minister's permit but expressly excludes briquettes. Briquette exporters still need the GN 266 permit, exporter registration and an export certificate.
Do imported timber and furniture need TFS papers?
Yes. GN 266 of 2023 requires an import permit from the Commissioner for Conservation, applied for through the district conservation officer. At the border the officer checks the import permit, the origin country's export permit, a certificate of origin and a fumigation certificate, then issues an import certificate.
What happens to a lorry seized at a checkpoint?
Officers hold the produce and may hold the vehicle while the case is assessed. For a habitual transporter, regulation 16 of GN 417 allows the vehicle to be confiscated on conviction. Call an advocate before signing any statement or compounding form.
Does a carbon project need a forest produce licence?
A carbon project that keeps trees standing does not harvest produce, so the harvesting licence does not apply. Any thinning or clearing sold as timber or charcoal brings the licensing rules back in.
Sources & regulators
Verify before filing: Rates, forms and thresholds move by Finance Act, Government Notice and portal revision. Confirm the live schedule on the mandate-holder portal before you budget or submit. Law-firm alerts and Big Four notes are discovery only.
- Forest Act, 2002 (Act No. 14 of 2002), Cap. 323: Tanzania Trade Portal copy of the Act published in the Gazette on 7 Jun 2002, Parts VI, VII, X and XI (ss.49 to 64, 77, 78, 84 to 100), read 19 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-19.
- Forest Regulations, 2004, GN 153 of 2004: Tanzania Forest Services Agency copy, published 21 May 2004, regs. 3, 4, 13, 29, 40 to 43, 46, 50, 53 and 54 read 19 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-19.
- Forest (Amendment) Regulations, 2022, GN 59 of 2022: Tanzania Forest Services Agency copy, published 28 Jan 2022, Fourteenth Schedule read 19 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-19.
- Forest (Amendments) Regulations, 2017, GN 255 of 2017: Tanzania Trade Portal copy, published 28 Jul 2017, read 19 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-19.
- Forest (Sustainable Utilization of Logs, Timber, Withies, Poles or Charcoal) Regulations, 2019, GN 417: Tanzania Forest Services Agency copy, published 24 May 2019, regs. 3 to 23 read 19 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-19.
- Kanuni za Usafirishaji wa Mazao ya Misitu Kuingia Ndani ya Nchi na Kutoka Nje ya Nchi, 2023, GN 266: Tanzania Forest Services Agency copy, published 31 Mar 2023, regs. 4 to 17 read 19 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-19.
- Kanuni za Utaratibu wa Usafirishaji wa Venia Kwenda Nje ya Nchi, 2024, GN 807: Tanzania Forest Services Agency copy, published 13 Sep 2024, regs. 3 to 9 read 19 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-19.
- TFS documents page: Tanzania Forest Services Agency, list updated 2026 including the harvesting application form and 2026/27 sale notices, accessed 19 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-19.
- Tanzania Forest Services Agency: TFS official website, live 2026, accessed 19 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-19.
- Finance Act, 2026: TRA copy, assented 30 Jun 2026, s.25 replacing Income Tax Act s.116A, read 19 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-19.
- CITES Appendices I, II and III valid from 7 February 2025: CITES Secretariat, valid from 7 Feb 2025, copy hosted by the North American Rock Garden Society, read 19 Oct 2026; primary text. Accessed 2026-10-19.
- Forest Resources Management and Conservation Act, No. 10 of 1996 (Zanzibar): House of Representatives of Zanzibar, 1996, Policy Vault Africa copy, ss.2, 62 to 71 and 96 read 19 Oct 2026; primary text. Accessed 2026-10-19.
- TRAFFIC: Tackling deforestation with timber tracker: TRAFFIC, published 25 Oct 2024, read 19 Oct 2026; independent source. Accessed 2026-10-19.
- Environmental Investigation Agency: Why African log export bans matter: Environmental Investigation Agency, published 2018, Table 1 read 19 Oct 2026; independent source. Accessed 2026-10-19.
- The Citizen: How new preferences are affecting forestry sub-sector: The Citizen, published 20 Mar 2025, opening paragraphs read 19 Oct 2026; independent news source. Accessed 2026-10-19.
- CIFOR: Piloting REDD+ in Zanzibar through community forest management: CIFOR REDD+ case book, status as of Jul 2014, read 19 Oct 2026; independent research source. Accessed 2026-10-19.
Disclaimer
This article is informational orientation. It is not legal, tax or investment advice and not a government decision. Tanzanian instruments move by Act, Government Notice, Finance Act and portal revision. If a sentence here disagrees with the live mandate-holder, the mandate-holder wins. Zatra Consultants Limited does not issue licences, permits, tax clearances or approvals, and gives no assurance of any regulatory or banking outcome. Professional fees are published only on /pricing/.