How to get an ACID number for shipments to Egypt
By Rockit Customs Desk
Since October 2021 every sea shipment to Egypt has needed an ACID before it is loaded, and since 1 January 2026 the same applies to air freight. Get it wrong and the cargo is not cleared. If the number is missing from the documents, the shipment goes back at the carrier's expense without being unloaded. This guide covers who does what, in what order, and where shipments usually go wrong.
What ACID is
ACI (Advance Cargo Information) is Egypt's pre-registration system for imports. The importer sends shipment data to Egyptian Customs before the goods are loaded, so Customs can assess risk in advance. In return the shipment receives an ACID (Advance Cargo Information Declaration), a 19-digit number that follows it through loading, arrival and clearance.
An ACID looks like this: 4988470982020120017. It is one continuous number. Don't split it or add spaces.
The system runs through Nafeza, Egypt's national single window for trade, operated for the government by MTS (Misr Technology Services). Exporters outside Egypt send their documents through CargoX, the document-transfer platform authorised for ACI.
Who has to do what
The Egyptian importer registers on Nafeza with an electronic signature token and submits the ACI request for each shipment. Its 9-digit tax registration number identifies it in the system.
The foreign exporter registers on CargoX, completes company verification, and uploads the commercial invoice and supporting documents against the ACID. It is identified by its country code, an ID type (company registration or VAT) and the number, for example DE-02-123456789.
The carrier and forwarder must show the ACID, the importer's tax number and the exporter's ID on the bill of lading or air waybill.
Step by step
Agree the details. Before anything is filed, the importer needs the exporter's exact company name, ID number and a proforma invoice or purchase order with HS codes, origin and values.
The importer files the ACI request on Nafeza with the exporter's data, shipment details and item lines. At Rockit our customs team files this for clients.
Customs reviews it within 48 hours. If it neither accepts nor rejects in that time, the request is accepted automatically. The ACID is emailed to both importer and exporter.
The exporter uploads documents on CargoX against the ACID: the commercial invoice in Nafeza's structured format, plus the packing list and other documents for the shipment.
The ACID goes on every document: invoice, packing list, and bill of lading or air waybill, together with the importer's tax number and the exporter's ID.
Cargo is loaded and shipped. On arrival, clearance proceeds against data Customs has already seen.
Deadlines
Sea freight: file the ACI request at least 48 hours before loading.
Air freight: at least 8 hours before the flight departs.
Validity: an ACID is valid for 6 months from issue and can be renewed.
One ACID covers one shipper, one consignee and one purchase order. Separate LCL consignments each need their own.
What it costs
Registration on Nafeza and CargoX is straightforward, but CargoX charges a fee per filing and the official rates have changed several times since 2021. We confirm the current fee when you book, so it is never a surprise on the invoice.
Exemptions
Egyptian Customs has confirmed exemptions for postal parcels under 50 kg, direct transit cargo that does not enter Egypt, and passengers' excess baggage carried by the airline. Temporary exemptions for indirect transit have also been granted in 2026. Check with us before assuming any shipment is exempt.
What happens if it goes wrong
No ACID on the documents: the cargo is not cleared and is returned without unloading, at the carrier's cost. Carriers now refuse to load without a valid ACID.
Data that doesn't match (weight or value on the documents differing from the ACI filing): a fine of EGP 30,000, reduced to EGP 15,000 on settlement.
The five mistakes we see most
The exporter's ID on CargoX doesn't match the one the importer entered on Nafeza. Importer and exporter cannot be changed after the ACID is issued.
The ACID or the importer's tax number is missing from the bill of lading or air waybill.
The request is filed too late for the sailing or flight.
Weights or values on the final invoice differ from the ACI filing.
Restricted goods are filed without the required approvals attached, which blocks the request.
Shipping to Egypt?
Send us the exporter's details and the proforma invoice. Our customs team files the ACI request on Nafeza, checks the documents before loading, and clears the cargo on arrival. Call +20 2 2690 7601 or email inquiry@rockit.com.eg, or request a quote.
Sources: Nafeza; MTS ACI Shipping Lines Guide v1.5; statements by the head of the Egyptian Customs Authority, December 2025. Information correct as of October 2026. Read more about our customs clearance service.
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