Belize Customs & Excise

What Belize Customs & Excise does

Belize Customs & Excise Department is the sole statutory customs authority of Belize, operating under the Ministry of Finance within the Government of Belize and governed by Chapter 48 Laws of Belize, Customs and Excise Duties Act. The department administers customs revenue collection, trade facilitation, border security, contraband interdiction, and export certification for CARICOM, EU, and USA trade conventions. Its services are delivered through a nationwide network of customs stations at all designated ports of entry—including airports (Phillip Goldson International Airport), seaports (Belize City, Punta Gorda, Big Creek), and land borders (Benque Viejo, Santa Elena/Corozal)—supplemented by select partner banks for duty payment collection.

The department's core technology platform is ASYCUDAWorld, an electronic customs management system provided by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). ASYCUDAWorld is deployed nationwide and accessed via a Java-based client application, enabling Direct Trader Input (DTI) for declarations, electronic manifest processing using XML schemas (operational since August 2009), risk management with lane selectivity, post-clearance audits, and real-time integration with the General Sales Tax Department and Government Treasury. Supporting systems include the Harmonized System-based Tariff and Trade Classification (revised January 2023 to align with CARICOM Common External Tariff and HS 2022), an online Currency Exchange Rates and Duty/Tax Calculator, the Trusted Traders Program, and a Customs Enforcement Unit (CEU) for contraband interdiction.

As a government department, Belize Customs & Excise does not charge fees for its services; instead, it collects import duties (0%–100%, typically 20%), General Sales Tax (12.5%), Environmental Tax (3% of CIF), and Revenue Replacement Duty on applicable goods, with all revenues remitted to the Government Treasury. Its primary user segments are importers and exporters, licensed customs brokers, shipping agents and consolidators, and returning Belizean nationals qualifying for personal-effects exemptions. The department is led by Comptroller of Customs Mrs. Estella Bailey-Leslie and reports to the Government of Belize.

Name

Belize Customs & Excise

Legal name

Belize Customs & Excise Department

Website

https://customs.gov.bz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1810

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Belize Customs & Excise is the sole statutory customs authority of Belize, administering duty collection, trade facilitation, and border enforcement nationwide through the UNCTAD-provided ASYCUDAWorld electronic platform, serving importers, exporters, brokers, and shipping agents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Customs Administration Services

NAICS

Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (92615)

akta.pro primary industry

Customs Duties, Tariff Classification & Valuation (BPAIADAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Customs Clearance & Border Trade Facilitation (BPAIADAF)

Keywords

• Customs administration
• Import duty collection
• Trade facilitation
• Border security
• Customs declarations

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Belize Customs & Excise is the sole statutory government authority responsible for customs administration in Belize, providing assessment and collection of customs duties, taxes, and fees on imported and exported goods. The department operates the ASYCUDAWorld electronic customs management system at all ports of entry (airports, seaports, and land border stations) for electronic processing of declarations, manifest submissions, risk management, cargo clearance, and trade facilitation. Supporting offerings include the Harmonized System-based Tariff and Trade Classification (revised January 2023), currency exchange rate and duty/tax calculator, Trusted Traders Program, Customs Enforcement Unit, and clearance services for personal and household effects.

Product overview

Belize Customs & Excise operates a unified customs administration platform centered on ASYCUDAWorld, a comprehensive customs management system deployed nationwide at all ports of entry (airports, seaports, and land border stations). ASYCUDAWorld serves as the core platform providing Direct Trader Input for electronic customs declarations, cargo clearance, risk management with lane selectivity, and real-time integration with government departments including the General Sales Tax Department and Government Treasury. Supporting this core platform are the Tariff and Trade Classification System (based on the HS system, revised January 2023) and the Currency Exchange Rates/Duty Calculator service. The ecosystem also includes the Trusted Traders Program for authorized economic operators, an Electronic Manifest System accepting XML-based submissions from carriers, and the Customs Information System managing user accounts for traders, brokers, and agents. A Government Departments Directory provides cross-agency coordination links, and the Customs Enforcement Unit (CEU) handles contraband interdiction and trade compliance enforcement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ASYCUDAWorld The primary customs management system used by Belize Customs & Excise for cargo clearance, customs declarations, risk management, and trader input at all ports of entry including airports, seaports, and land border stations. It enables Direct Trader Input, government agency integration for licences and permits, and real-time data sharing across government departments.
• ASYCUDA WORLD LIVE The web-based client access portal (Java Network Launch Protocol application) for the ASYCUDAWorld system, allowing traders and customs brokers to submit declarations, manage cargo clearances, and interact with the customs information system remotely.
• Tariff and Trade Classification System The Belize Customs Tariff and Trade Classification system based on the Harmonized Description and Coding System (HS), providing duty rates from 0% to 100% applied on CIF value, with majority of commodities attracting a 20% import duty rate. Rates are set out in Chapter 48 Laws of Belize, First Schedule.
• Currency Exchange Rates and Duty & Tax Calculator Online service providing weekly currency exchange rates for 15+ countries against the Belize Dollar, and a duty and tax calculator that computes Revenue Replacement Duty (RRD), General Sales Tax (GST at 12.5%), and Environmental Tax (3% of CIF) on imported goods.
• Customs Broker Portal Online portal providing customs brokers access to ASYCUDAWorld for creating and submitting import/export declarations, managing trader accounts, and processing cargo clearances electronically on behalf of clients.
• Trusted Traders Program A program for authorized traders and economic operators offering facilitated trade procedures and streamlined customs processes for trusted participants in international trade.
• Electronic Manifest System System for accepting electronic manifest submissions from carriers and carrier agents, using XML schema templates for manifest data and consolidation/de-consolidation information.
• Customs Information System User Accounts System for managing user accounts for Importers/Exporters, Brokers, Clerks, Shipping Agents, and Consolidators, governed by the Customs Direct Trader Input (DTI) Policy requiring a Memorandum of Understanding prior to approval.
• Personal & Household Effects Clearance Clearance service for personal and household effects imported by Belizean nationals and residents, with duty exemptions for used items possessed for over one year and new items under BZ$20,000 CIF value, subject to GST of 12.5% and applicable customs duties.
• Customs Enforcement Unit (CEU) Enforcement unit mandated to prevent smuggling of contraband, restricted, prohibited, and uncustomed goods, narcotics, firearms, counterfeit products, and currency, contributing to trade facilitation and border protection through intelligence gathering and investigative techniques.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• General Sales Tax DepartmentcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 July 2012Linked to ASYCUDAWorld system for real-time data sharing, enabling coordinated tax administration between customs and GST collections. The integration allows seamless exchange of trade and revenue data between government agencies.
• Government TreasurycoreTechnology or Integration · 1 July 2012Connected to ASYCUDAWorld for real-time data sharing and statistics. Treasury receives customs revenue data directly from the system for accounting and fiscal management purposes.
• United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvider of ASYCUDAWorld software - the automated customs management system used by Belize Customs for processing declarations. UNCTAD developed and maintains the ASYCUDA system used by customs administrations worldwide.
• Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment trade and investment agency. Listed as partner government department for coordination on trade facilitation and investment-related customs procedures.
• Customs Brokers Association of BelizecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry association representing licensed customs brokers. The department works closely with this association for broker training, ASYCUDAWorld implementation, and stakeholder engagement in customs modernization.
• World Customs Organization (WCO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational customs body that Belize Customs participates in, including annual International Customs Day celebrations. WCO sets global customs standards and frameworks that Belize adheres to.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• UNCTAD ASYCUDA Programme: United Nations programme that develops and maintains the ASYCUDAWorld system used by Belize Customs. Comparable as the technology and standards partner underpinning Belize's customs operations across many developing-country administrations.
• World Customs Organization (WCO): Intergovernmental body setting global customs standards (including the Harmonized System framework that Belize implements). Comparable as the international governing body whose frameworks and conventions shape Belize Customs' operating model.

Broad incumbents

• HM Revenue & Customs (UK): Large established customs and tax authority operating at scale with advanced digital customs capabilities. Comparable in statutory mandate on duty collection and trade compliance, though vastly larger in scope and resources.
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection: Largest national customs administration globally, operating advanced risk-based selectivity and trade processing systems. Comparable in core customs enforcement and trade facilitation mandate, though operating at much larger scale and budget.

Direct peers

• Jamaica Customs Agency: National customs administration for Jamaica operating ASYCUDAWorld with comparable mandate on revenue collection, trade facilitation, and border enforcement in a CARICOM member state. Closely comparable in scale, technology stack, and regulatory environment.
• Bahamas Customs Department: National customs authority for The Bahamas administering import duties and trade controls with comparable reliance on electronic declaration platforms in a tourism-dependent Caribbean economy.
• Trinidad and Tobago Customs and Excise Division: Caribbean CARICOM customs authority administering duties, GST, and trade compliance using electronic systems. Comparable in regulatory mandate, CARICOM CET alignment, and small-economy operating constraints.
• Guyana Revenue Authority (Customs and Trade Administration): Combined tax and customs administration for Guyana, a CARICOM member state, performing tariff classification, duty collection, and trade compliance. Comparable in CARICOM harmonization and small developing-economy context.
• Barbados Customs and Excise Department: National customs authority for Barbados under CARICOM, handling import duties, VAT collection, and trade facilitation. Highly comparable in scope, scale, and use of UNCTAD-provided customs technology in the Eastern Caribbean.

Regional players

• CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS): CARICOM agency coordinating cross-border customs, immigration, and enforcement matters among member states including Belize. Comparable as a regional counterpart in customs cooperation, intelligence sharing, and trade security frameworks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/belize-customs-&-excise

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Belize Customs & Excise