Madar (Dakar) - Senegal's General Directorate of Customs has urged importers of used vehicles manufactured in 2016 to be vigilant, recalling that the ten-year age limit allowed for their import expires on 31 December 2026, the Senegalese website Pressafrik reported on Sunday, 15 November 2026.
According to the same source, Customs recalled in a notice to importers that the age limit for passenger cars and light utility vehicles is now ten years, under decree No. 2025-1752 of 24 October 2025, making 2016 vehicles the first affected.
Customs urged importers to take the 31 December 2026 deadline into account before any purchase or shipment, noting that sea freight can take two to three months or longer, and that a vehicle shipped soon could reach Senegal after that date and no longer comply with the rules.
It said the decree contains no transitional provision automatically guaranteeing the import of vehicles shipped before the deadline but arriving after it, although an exceptional authorisation from the Customs administration remains possible under users' notice No. 03561 of 3 November 2026.
Customs recommended that no vehicle be shipped without first checking that it complies with the import rules in force, to avoid blockages, extra costs and possible customs disputes.
