Apply For Trade License Botswana : Ministry of Trade & Industry

Name of the Organization : Ministry of Trade & Industry
Type of Facility : Apply For Trade Licence
Country : Botswana

Official Website : http://www.mti.gov.bw/home

Apply For Trade Licence :

Licensing Bodies And Licences :
The Trade Act and the Liquor Act have provided for the establishment of the Trade Licensing Committees, Control Authorities and the Regional Appeals Boards. The issuance of licences has been decentralised to the Local Authorities.

Related : Ministry of Trade & Industry Apply For Import Permit Botswana : www.statusin.org/5110.html

Trade Licensing Committies :
The Committees are responsible for issuance of non – liquor trade licences. These Committees meet on weekly basis to consider non – liquor trade licences.

Regional Appeals Boards :
Eight (8) Regional Appeals’ Boards centres have been established throughout the countries which are as follows; Gaborone, Francistown, Selibe Phikwe, Palapye, Maun, Tsabong, Ghanzi and Lobatse.

Lodging An Appeal :
Applicants who are aggrieved by the decision of either the Licensing Committees or Liquor Control Authorities or both may appeal in writing to the Regional Boards within 30 days of the notification of the decision.

Applicants who are aggrieved by the decision of the Regional Appeals Board may appeal in writing to the Minister of Trade and Industry within 30 days of the notification of the decision.

Annual Licence Fee :
25 per cent of a licensee’s licence fee.

Reserved Activities Under The Trade Act :
The Act has reserved the following businesses for citizens of Botswana;
** Auctioneer’s licence;
** Car wash licence;
** Cleaning Services licence;
** Curio Shop licence;
** Fresh Produce licence;
** Funeral Parlour licence;
** General Clothing licence;
** General dealer’s licence;
** Hairdresser’s licence;
** Hire Services licence;
** Laundromat licence;
** Petrol Filling Station; and Takeaway licence

Application Requirements For Trade Licences :

The following documents must be submitted :
** A completed application Form and application fee of P100.
** Copy of Certificate of Incorporation for a company or registration certificate in case of individuals or partnership applicant.
** Certified copies of Form 2, Form 4, Form 8, Form13, Form 14, and Form 15 and copies of share certificates of the company directors and shareholders.
** Proof of availability of business premises (written undertaking lease in lieu of agreement or tittle deed).
** Certified copies of valid Omang for citizens, and passport for non-citizen Directors and Shareholders
** Certified copies of valid work and residence permits for non citizen managers.
** A covering letter explaining how the business would operate and provide itemized list of goods or services.
** Satisfactory Physical Planner’s report for zoning of the plot.
** Satisfactorily Environmental Health report for the business premises from District Council Health Inspectors
** Drug and Regulatory Inspection report in case of Pharmaceutical Products and Pharmacy licence (Ministry of Health Quarters)
** Clearance letter from Bureau of Standards (BOBS) in case of filing station or of a Liquid Petroleum Gas seller.

Micro And Small Businesses Exempt From Licensing Requiments :
A task force was set to see how Micro and Small businesses could be promoted so that they effectively contribute to the economy and one of the recommendations were that they be exempted from the complex requirements of obtaining a trading license and be allowed to operate from home.

These businesses are :
** Sewing and knitting (exclusive of Fabric dying)
** Small scale packaging (exclusing hazardous/toxic products)
** Traditional crafts (exclusive of hazardous chemicals)
** Production of traditional leather products excluding the use of modern leather processing methods
** Small & Micro industrial food processing e.g baking of bread and confectionary, manufacturing of peanut butter, production of traditional sour milk, meat processing (biltong making) and jam making
** Signage, including electric signage (exclusive of harmful or harzadous chemicals)
** carpentry
** Milling related activities at small scale
** Business consultancy (application fro : work and residence permits, license, company formation, tax returns, preparations of business plans etc)
** Secretarial services (photocopying, faxing, laminating, typing, preparation of programmes for funerals, weedings, meetings and binding)
** Laundromat and dry clean deport
** Agents operatus (tupperware, perfumes e.t.c)
** Hairdressing- (plaiting and cutting only)
** Hiring services; tents, Tables and Chairs, pots, coockery/cutlery, jumping castles, table cloths e.t.c
** Outsourced cleaning services
** Food catering services
** Internet services
** Professional services, e.g. architectural drawings, event management e.t.c

It should be noted that for these licenses to operate there are conditions and guidelines that govern them. The full document can be downloaded here

Download Here : http://www.mti.gov.bw/content/trade-license

Contact Details :
The Permanent Secretary
Private Bag 004, Gaborone, Botswana
Tel : +267 3601 200, Fax: +267 397 1539
Email : mtihq@gov.bw
Office Hours : Monday to Friday
Morning 07 :30-12:45,
Afternoon 13 :45 – 16:30.