Togo ECTN Certificate — The Complete Guide
How the Togo ECTN certificate works: issuing authority, required documents, application process, timeline and the rules that apply.
This guide covers the ECTN certificate for shipments to Togo — who issues it, which documents it needs, how the application runs and what the validation rules are. For the country procedure page, see Togo ECTN.
Overview
The ECTN — Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (Bordereau électronique de Suivi de Cargaison) — is the cargo tracking certificate required for shipments to Togo. Requirement status: Mandatory.
For shipments passing through Lomé port, an ECTN is compulsory even for cargo in transit to another destination. Lomé handles significant transit traffic to Burkina Faso, Niger, Ghana and Benin.
Sample ECTN certificate
A Togo ECTN we filed, with the customer fields masked. Use it to check the layout, where the authority stamp sits and where the reference number is printed.
Discharge ports
- Lomé
Required documents
- Bill of Lading
- Commercial Invoice
- Customs Declaration
Application process
1. Send your documents
Share PDF copies of the required documents via sck@scktr.com, or upload them through the application form. There is no need to send hard copies for the issuance of ECTN certificates.
2. Draft is prepared
Once complete, consistent documents arrive, a draft is prepared for your confirmation. A file specialist checks the shipment details against the documents before anything is filed.
3. Confirm the draft
Check every field on the draft — consignee, ports, weights, values and container references. Final documents must be submitted without further amendments; corrections after validation are charged separately.
4. Filing and validation
The confirmed file is submitted to the issuing authority for validation. The ECTN number is issued at validation, so it cannot be shown on documents prepared before that point.
5. Certificate delivered
The validated certificate is sent to you and can accompany the cargo to the destination port.
Timeline
- Processing time: about a week
- Validity: One validated ECTN per Bill of Lading.
The exact cut-off depends on the destination and the vessel schedule; confirm the deadline for your shipment with our team before filing.
Special rules
Validation deadline. After “Pre-validation” the ECTN number is created. You then have 5 days after receiving the ECTN reference to forward the original B/L (with place and date of issue, shipped-on-board date, signed and stamped); otherwise the system automatically cancels the certificate.
Non-compliance. Any change in information or documentation after pre-validation results in a penalty fee, and a cancelled certificate requires a penalty fee to recover. Transports without a certificate are penalized and the shipper bears the loss.
Frequently asked questions
How long does receiving a validated copy of the ECTN certificate take?
The process normally takes around a week, as the regulation applied by Togolese authorities is strict and supplied documents must be coherent.
Can an export declaration be used for multiple shipments?
You can present the same declaration only if all applications and submissions are completed simultaneously; otherwise a validated copy cannot be issued.
What is the Togo ECTN validation procedure?
Two steps: the certificate is pre-validated and the shipper is given the ECTN number, then a copy of the original Bill of Lading bearing the ECTN number is required to validate the certificate.
What is “After Carriage Value”?
It is the cost of getting from the discharge port to the delivery destination. To obtain the Togo ECTN this fee must be listed on the commercial invoice, mainly where the Incoterm is DAP.
When exporting cars and trucks to Togo, do you need to obtain an ECTN number for that shipment?
To send Roll on Roll (RORO) to Togo, you must receive ECTN numbers. Each vehicle will have its ECTN number.
Ready to file? Apply for a ECTN certificate or go back to the Togo ECTN procedure page. All country guides: Country guides.