Since November 1, 2016, the Zanzibar Bureau of Standards (ZBS) has implemented the Verification of Conformity (PVoC) program. All exporters to Zanzibar must ensure their products undergo assessment and certification through the PVoC program before customs clearance at the port of entry. As an internationally recognized third party testing and certification organization, BACL was officially authorized by ZBS in September 2025, becoming the sole organization responsible for providing Verification of Conformity (PVoC) services for all general goods exported to Zanzibar from China (including Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan), Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Mongolia, the Middle East (Iran/Iraq/Saudi Arabia/Oman/Jordan/Syria/Lebanon/Israel/Yemen/Bahrain/Qatar/Kuwait), and Southeast Asia (Vietnam/Malaysia/Indonesia/Thailand/Singapore/Philippines/Cambodia).

BACL expert representatives and ZBS official representatives pose for a group photo

BACL Zanzibar PVoC Exclusive Authorization Area:

About Zanzibar PVoC program

The PVoC program for Zanzibar mirrors Tanzania’s established compliance mechanism but is applied with localized authority. The scheme requires:

• Pre-shipment testing and inspection for electronics, solar products, household appliances, and telecom devices, food textile and clothing among others.

• Documentary review to verify conformity with relevant Zanzibar, Tanzanian and IEC/ISO standards /specifications.

• Risk-based inspection with higher scrutiny on electrical and consumer goods, given their direct user safety implications.

• Certificates of Conformity (CoCs) issued at origin as mandatory proof of compliance for customs clearance.

Electronics and energy-related products are expected to account for the highest percentage of CoC applications due to Zanzibar’s import patterns and the surge in renewable energy equipment across East Africa.

BACL Zanzibar PVoC Service Capabilities

As an officially designated ZBS body, BACL offers efficient and compliant solutions:

• One-stop certification services: covering document review, on-site inspection, sampling testing, and CoC certificate issuance;

• Regionalized rapid response: localized teams in China (including Hong Kong and Taiwan), Vietnam, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines, effectively shortening the certification cycle;

• Precise policy interpretation: providing compliance guidance on the latest ZBS regulations;

• Extensive experience in specific products: possessing extensive experience in the testing, inspection, and certification of electronic products, energy-related products, and consumer appliances, ensuring rapid entry of these products into the Zanzibar and broader East African markets.

In the future, BACL will continue to expand its service network in the East African market, providing comprehensive and efficient solutions to ensure that exported goods comply with the relevant regulations and standards of importing countries, and to safeguard the smooth customs clearance of enterprises' products!

BACL Services：

BACL can provide you efficient and reliable global market certification services, such as IECEE CB Scheme NCB and CBTL, United States(NRTL, FCC, ENERGY STAR), Canada(ISED, SCC), EU(CE), United Kingdom (UKCA AB & AOC), Northern Ireland(UKNI), Korea(KC), Japan(MIC), Singapore(IMDA),China Hong Kong(OFCA), China Taiwan (NCC, BSMI), Egypt (NTRA, GOEIC), South Africa(SABS), Vietnam (MIC), Saudi Arabia (SASO, CITC), Philippines (NTC), Thailand (NBTC), Malaysia (SIRIM), India(BIS, WPC, TEC)and other services to assure your products still smoothly entering into the international trade market even when the international trade barriers are becoming increasingly fierce.