Important Reminder: Customs Tax Exemption for Temporarily Imported Construction Machinery & Equipment

Important Reminder

Pursuant to Articles 142 and 146 of the Libyan Customs Law No. 10-2010, companies that have signed contracts to carry out projects within Libya are permitted to temporarily import machinery, equipment, material, and supplies into the country for a period of six months, exempt from customs duties. This period may be extended for an equal duration, up to a maximum of three years (if the time required to complete the project exceeds this period, the extension may be granted for the duration of the project).

However, to benefit from this right, a tax exemption clause must be included in the General Conditions of Contract (GCC) of the Public Work Contract to be signed. The standard text of the exemption clause is as follows:

The Contractor shall benefit from a temporary customs duty exemption on machinery and equipment imported into Libya for the sole purpose of executing the contracted work. This exemption is subject to the Contractor providing the necessary guarantees* ensuring that all such items will be re-exported upon completion of the work, in strict accordance with the provisions of the Libyan Customs Law and its implementing regulations and decisions.

(*) In accordance with current practice, a security deposit must be provided in the form of a certified bank check or a bank guarantee issued in favor of the Customs Directorate. This deposit must equal 10% of the equipment’s total value in Libyan Dinars (LYD) as declared, plus the full amount of applicable customs duties. However, depending on the project's significance and the Employer’s standing with the Libyan State, a written undertaking from the Employer to the Customs Directorate may be accepted as valid security (Ref: Articles 142 and 146 of the Libyan Customs Law No. 10-2010 and Article 2 of the Customs Authority's Decision No. 14-2012). 

Below is the link to download both Customs Law No. 10-2010 and the Customs Authority's Decision No. 14-2012 (Google Drive):

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_VsRnlCqN5cOcPZVbOKZY-lnlVueBBcC?usp=drive_link

NOTE: For temporarily imported machinery and equipment, the temporary import status must be renewed with the Customs Directorate every six (6) months. This process ensures verification that the machinery remains at the authorized site and is utilized solely for the contracted project scope. Failure to renew this status shall result in severe financial penalties. The renewal process is administrative; it requires only the submission of an application to the Customs Directorate accompanied by a letter of support from the Employer, and does not demand the issuance of a new check or bank guarantee.

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Important Reminder: new contractual obligation under Article 107 of the new ACR 600-2024

Important Reminder

NOTE: The previous ACR 563-2007 did not impose this obligation.

English translation of Article 107 (Paragraph 3) of the new ACR 600-2024: Within the framework of its social responsibility, the foreign contractor undertakes to allocate no less than 2% of the expected net profit derived from the execution of the contract to support healthcare, social, and cultural welfare, and similar community initiatives within Libya.

In the case of a Joint Venture (between two companies), each respective party to the venture shall be independently obligated to allocate no less than 1% of its share of the expected net profit toward these initiatives.

Non-compliance with Article 107 of the Libyan Administrative Contracts Regulation (ACR) No. 600 of 2024 may result in direct financial penalization, project suspension, potential termination, and strategic exclusion from future public sector contracts. Under Libyan administrative law, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) obligations are treated as mandatory contractual terms, meaning a breach gives the contracting public entity immediate executive power to enforce compliance or levy administrative sanctions.

The breakdown of specific financial and legal ramifications under the latest regulatory framework includes the following:

Financial Ramifications

• Withholding of Contractual Progress Payments: The public entity will freeze or delay your ongoing invoices and progress payments until the required 2% allocation (or 1% for joint ventures) is documented and paid.
• Direct Administrative Deduction: The contracting authority holds the legal authority to deduct the unallocated CSR percentage directly from your final accounts, performance bonds, or cash deposits.
• Unilateral Security Liquidation: Your performance bank guarantees and final security bonds can be partially liquidated by the administration to cover the unfulfilled CSR monetary value.
• Loss of Cost-Saving and Performance Bonuses: Non-compliant contractors forfeit their eligibility for the lucrative performance incentives introduced by the ACR (Article 139), such as the 2% early-completion bonus or the 25%–50% cost-saving capital rewards.

Legal and Administrative Ramifications

• Unilateral Contract Rescission: Under Libyan administrative law, the state entity can legally terminate the contract for a breach of core regulations without needing to obtain a prior court order or judicial ruling.
• Execution at Contractor’s Expense: The public authority can step in, allocate the funds to the local healthcare or social welfare initiatives directly, and bill the contractor for all administrative overhead and operational costs.
• Official Registry Blacklisting: The breach is recorded in your corporate profile with the Ministry of Planning and the Privatization and Investment Board (PIB), lowering your corporate classification tier and banning you from bidding on future public sector tenders.
• Mandatory Oversight Auditing: The public entity must formally report the non-compliance to the Libyan Audit Bureau and the Ministry of Finance, triggering mandatory, comprehensive financial audits of your entire local operation.

Below is the link to download the English translation of the new ACR 600-2024 (Google Drive):

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_VsRnlCqN5cOcPZVbOKZY-lnlVueBBcC?usp=drive_link

Note: The available English translation is provisional and intended for informational purposes only; it may not completely reflect the source text with precision. A finalized version is currently being prepared for upload. Should you require an official, accurate translation of particular Articles, please contact me, and I will fulfill your request expeditiously.

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Mandatory LAB approval for public works contracts exceeding LYD 5 million

Summary: Libyan Audit Bureau Circular No. (2) of 2026 mandates that government bodies obtain prior approval for contracts exceeding LYD 5 million. LAB also urges all financial institutions and banks responsible for fund disbursements or transfers not to process any payments for contracts exceeding five million dinars unless LAB approval is attached. Furthermore, entities must ensure that contracts or transfers are not split to evade the LAB's financial oversight threshold. For more details, refer to the official circular issued on May 5, 2026 (provided in the link below):

https://lawsociety.ly/legislation/%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%B1%D8%A6%D9%8A%D8%B3-%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%A9-%D8%B1%D9%82%D9%85-2-%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%86%D8%A9-2026-%D9%85-%D8%A8/

Note: Please let me know if you would like a full English translation of the circular.