Required Documentation: Tanzania (Mainland)
The four documents Explola requires for operators based on mainland Tanzania — issued by the TTLB, BRELA, and TRA.
On this page (8 sections)
What's required to operate from mainland Tanzania
Mainland Tanzania has separate licensing from Zanzibar — if you operate in both, you'll need to verify each jurisdiction independently. On the mainland, the tourism regulator is the Tanzania Tourist Licensing Board (TTLB), business registration goes through BRELA, and tax compliance through the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA).
1. TTLB Tourism License
Issued by: Tanzania Tourist Licensing Board (TTLB)
Your active Tourism License from the TTLB. The most important credential for operating in mainland Tanzania. Checked annually.
2. BRELA Certificate of Incorporation
Issued by: Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA)
Proves your company legally exists in Tanzania. One-time document unless company details change.
3. TRA Tax Clearance Certificate
Issued by: Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA)
Confirms your business is current with tax obligations. Renews annually.
4. BRELA Register of Companies (Detailed Information)
Issued by: Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA)
The Register of Companies detailed information document lists all shareholders. Used exclusively for our KYC review.
Sole proprietors
If you operate as a sole proprietor, BRELA issues a Form 21 (Extract from Register) — submit that in place of the Certificate of Incorporation. No separate shareholder document is required if you're the sole owner.
Renewals
Both the TTLB Tourism License and the TRA Tax Clearance Certificate expire annually. Explola sends reminders at 30, 7, and 0 days before expiry, plus a 14-day grace period afterwards. If you don't renew within the grace window, your mainland Tanzania tours are automatically unpublished — re-upload to restore them.
Operating in Zanzibar?
Zanzibar has its own tourism authority (the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism) and requires a separate set of documents. See the Required Documentation: Zanzibar article for details. You can hold both mainland and Zanzibar verifications simultaneously if you operate in both.
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