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Munif Ward Al-Harbi Customs Clearance Est.

Customs Knowledge Center: Key Customs Clearance Updates in Saudi Arabia

A simple guide to the most important customs updates in the Kingdom, explaining each procedure, the reasoning behind it and its role in Saudi Vision 2030, with direct links to the sources.

Contents

  1. Introduction: A customs system evolving with Saudi Vision 2030
  2. Transit of goods
  3. Advance customs declarations and the two-hour release initiative
  4. Import duties, taxes and fees
  5. The Integrated Customs Tariff and tariff codes
  6. The SABER platform and shipment certificates
  7. Updates to the customs procedures regulations
  8. Mawani: truck appointments and the staging area at Jeddah Port
  9. The non-disposal undertaking
  10. Voluntary disclosure of customs declaration errors
  11. Advance customs rulings

A Customs System Evolving with Saudi Vision 2030

Before going into the details, it helps to see the bigger picture: every procedure on this page is part of a clear national project to make the Kingdom a global logistics hub linking Asia, Europe and Africa, under Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Transport and Logistics Strategy.

  • One window instead of many visits: the FASAH platform has become a single gateway for import and export procedures, and the Authority works with 26 government clearance bodies to speed things up.
  • From days to two hours: the Authority applied the “release within two hours” initiative at all its land, sea and air ports, after release times used to be measured in days.
  • Connected platforms: SABER has been linked to FASAH, so product conformity is verified automatically when the customs declaration is issued.
  • Open to the world: the Kingdom joined the TIR Convention and automated its procedures at all ports, and Mawani keeps adding new shipping services linking Jeddah Islamic Port to ports worldwide.

At the same time, the state makes sure facilitation goes hand in hand with protection: protecting consumers from non-conforming goods, protecting the economy and local market, and protecting the security of ports and roads. That is why each topic below includes a note on “The rationale behind this procedure”.

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1. Transit of Goods

Transit means moving goods across the Kingdom’s territory to another country without releasing them into the Saudi market. It has become one of the most discussed topics since the facilitation measures announced by the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) in 2026.

Key points

  • According to ZATCA’s guide, goods bound for GCC countries or beyond pass through without paying customs duties and taxes during transit, subject to the approved rules.
  • Shipments destined for local GCC markets under a “GCC destination” declaration pay their duties and taxes at the first port of entry into the Kingdom.
  • The transit declaration is filed electronically on FASAH through a customs broker, and requires archiving documents, mainly the invoice, plus the bill of lading at air and sea ports, or the exporting country’s customs declaration at land ports. ZATCA may request additional documents.

Facilitation measures announced in April 2026

  • ZATCA allowed transit transport activity without requiring a bank guarantee during the current phase.
  • It also allowed internal transit between the Kingdom’s air and sea ports without requiring metal transit plates.

Carrier obligations during transit

  • No stopping inside cities without notifying ZATCA, and no transferring goods from one truck to another without its approval and supervision.
  • Following the routes and time limits set by ZATCA to reach the exit port.
  • Keeping tracking devices intact and untampered, and making sure the transport unit meets customs sealing requirements.

The TIR system

The Kingdom is a party to the TIR Convention, and in February 2024 ZATCA announced it had fully automated TIR procedures at all its customs ports.

The rationale behind this procedure

By regulating transit, the state turns the Kingdom’s geography into an economic advantage, making it a secure trade corridor between the Gulf and the rest of the world. Exempting goods from duties while they pass through encourages trade across the Kingdom, while tracking, seals and set routes protect the local market from goods entering without paying what is due, and keep the roads secure. ZATCA linked the 2026 measures to making the clearance system more flexible and supply chains more efficient.

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2. Advance Customs Declarations and the Two-Hour Release Initiative

The fastest way to get your shipment released is to start its procedures before it arrives — which is exactly what ZATCA encourages through advance filing.

  • Mandatory at sea ports: ZATCA made advance submission of data for goods arriving through sea ports mandatory from 29 October 2025.
  • Pre-clearance: ZATCA adopted rules for advance submission of data for goods arriving by sea. The rules define pre-clearance as completing the procedures needed for release before the goods arrive, such as paying duties and taxes and meeting import restrictions with the relevant authorities.
  • 72 hours ahead: ZATCA’s official spokesperson stressed filing the customs declaration and documents 72 hours before the shipment arrives, and checking the bill of lading and invoice data, to speed up release and avoid extra costs.
  • Release within two hours: an initiative under which government clearance bodies respond to a release request within two hours of receiving it electronically, provided the business has met all requirements.

What does this mean for you? Complete, accurate documents before the shipment arrives are the single most important factor in a fast release.

The rationale behind this procedure

Moving procedures to before the shipment arrives turns ports into fast transit points rather than waiting yards. This reflects the Kingdom’s commitments under the Trade Facilitation Agreement and ZATCA’s stated aim of faster clearance and a more secure supply chain — which directly lowers import costs and gets goods to consumers sooner.

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3. Import Duties, Taxes and Fees

Government import costs usually have three parts: customs duty, VAT, and the customs declaration processing fee.

  • Customs duty: the rate depends on the type of goods and their code in the Integrated Customs Tariff.
  • VAT: applied to imports at 15%.
  • Declaration processing fee: under the Customs Services Fees document (in force since 6 October 2024), 0.15% of the customs value of the goods including freight and insurance, with a minimum of SAR 15 and a maximum of SAR 500 per declaration. For a consolidated declaration it applies to each bill of lading separately.
  • Individuals’ online-store shipments: ZATCA set a SAR 15 processing fee for individuals’ shipments from online stores outside the Kingdom valued at up to SAR 1,000.
  • Exports: the document abolished customs service fees on exports.

ZATCA offers a customs duty and tax calculator in its official app so you can estimate charges before importing.

The rationale behind this procedure

The 2024 fees document cut service fees on imports by capping them and removed fees on exports entirely — clear support for the competitiveness of Saudi products abroad, relief for importers, and a fully transparent calculation method.

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4. The Integrated Customs Tariff and Tariff Codes

The tariff code (Harmonized System / HS code) determines the duty rate on your goods and whether they need approvals from other authorities.

  • Since 1 January 2025, the GCC Integrated Customs Tariff has applied at the 12-digit level.
  • The tariff is updated regularly with decisions that add, delete or redefine codes, so don’t rely on an old code or the supplier’s code alone.
  • You can search the tariff for free using the “Customs Tariff Inquiry” service by code, description, chapter or section.

Tip: Misclassification can change the duties due or delay release, so it’s best to verify the code before shipping.

The rationale behind this procedure

A unified GCC tariff built on the internationally recognized Harmonized System gives traders one clear language for classifying goods inside and outside the Gulf. Free tariff search means duties and restrictions are known to everyone in advance, reducing guesswork and disputes at the port.

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5. The SABER Platform and Shipment Certificates

SABER is an electronic platform of the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) used to verify that products conform to Saudi technical regulations.

  • Products covered by technical regulations need a product certificate of conformity from an accredited conformity assessment body, then a shipment certificate.
  • The shipment certificate is one of the requirements for completing customs procedures and releasing the shipment.
  • SABER is linked to FASAH, so the shipment certificate is verified automatically when the customs declaration is issued.
  • New in September 2026: SABER extended the validity of shipment certificates for imported products from 60 to 90 days.

The rationale behind this procedure

As SASO explains, SABER aims to protect consumers’ safety, health and environment by ensuring products conform to regulations before entering the market. Linking it to FASAH serves two goals at once: protecting consumers and speeding up release for compliant traders. Extending certificate validity to 90 days gives importers more flexibility without compromising safety.

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6. Updates to the Customs Procedures Regulations

ZATCA updates the regulations governing customs procedures from time to time; keeping up with them helps you avoid violations and delays.

  • June 2026: ZATCA Governor’s Decision No. (1448-99-13) approved amendments to the customs procedures regulations and the bonded-zone rules, published in the Umm Al-Qura official gazette.
  • Splitting shipments: earlier amendments require the owner or their representative to give justified reasons when splitting a single shipment.
  • Sensitive shipments: they also require providing a qualified technician for inspecting special or sensitive shipments before the declaration is referred for inspection.

We recommend reading the full text of the decision from its official source, as details vary by procedure and type of goods.

The rationale behind this procedure

ZATCA explains that issuing and updating these regulations aims to raise awareness of customs procedures and strengthen compliance, enabling flexible release and faster processing. Clear, published rules protect compliant traders and close the door on abuses such as splitting shipments without reason.

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7. Mawani: Truck Appointments and the Staging Area at Jeddah Port

A truck cannot enter Jeddah Islamic Port to collect or deliver a container without a pre-booked appointment. In 2026, the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) added a new system to organize these appointments.

Booking a truck appointment

  • Since November 2021, booking an appointment in advance via FASAH has been mandatory for every truck entering Jeddah Islamic Port, in cooperation between Mawani and FASAH.
  • Appointments are automatically linked with the relevant authorities to organize truck traffic, ease congestion and speed up clearance.

The truck staging area (2026)

  • In April 2026, Mawani announced a one-million-square-meter truck staging area at Jeddah Islamic Port with capacity for up to 40,000 trucks a day, in partnership with the Roads General Authority and others; it opened in May 2026.
  • The area runs on advance scheduling: trucks arriving on time use direct lanes, while early arrivals are directed to waiting zones until their slot.

New services for importers

  • Mawani launched an online service to check a shipment’s status and whether it is ready for collection.
  • In October 2026 it announced improvements to the Port Community System, including extending the cargo exit permit to 24 hours, a service to track a shipment’s readiness to leave, and a better method for calculating storage charges on inbound containers.

What does this mean for you? Keeping to your truck appointment and having the container ready to leave on time saves you waiting and extra storage charges.

The rationale behind this procedure

Mawani works toward the National Transport and Logistics Strategy goal of establishing the Kingdom as a global logistics hub connecting three continents. Appointment-based truck entry turns congestion around the port into scheduled traffic, cutting waiting time for drivers and traders and easing pressure on the roads around Jeddah.

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8. The Non-Disposal Undertaking: Collect Your Goods Before Test Results Are Out

For some goods, such as food and certain consumer products, samples are taken for laboratory testing before release, and results can take time. The “non-disposal undertaking” lets you collect the goods from the port and move them to your warehouse while you wait, provided you do not sell or use them until they are cleared.

How does it work?

  • The owner of the goods or their authorized representative submits the undertaking electronically on FASAH; the service is free.
  • Customs duties, taxes and any other fees due are paid.
  • The undertaking includes the customs declaration details, the goods, their owner and storage location, and the deadline for returning the goods to Customs if the result is a refusal.
  • The owner must keep the goods in the condition they arrived in and must not dispose of them until ZATCA notifies them that release is approved.

Watch out for these cases

  • If the deadline passes without a response from the owner, they are considered to have disposed of the goods under Article 143 of the GCC Common Customs Law.
  • If the information about the goods or their storage location turns out to be incorrect, the goods are considered disposed of.
  • A release request under an undertaking is not accepted if the importer has three previous undertakings that ended in refusal and remain unsettled.
  • ZATCA may refuse release under an undertaking based on its risk criteria.

Tip: Store the goods exactly at the location stated in the undertaking, and do not move them or offer them for sale before the release notice arrives.

The rationale behind this procedure

The non-disposal undertaking balances two interests: the trader’s interest in not leaving goods at the port and running up storage charges while waiting for lab results, and society’s interest in no product reaching consumers before its safety is confirmed. That is why flexibility comes with responsibility: those who comply benefit from the service, and those who violate it face the legal consequences.

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9. Voluntary Disclosure of Customs Declaration Errors

If you discover an error in a past customs declaration, such as an incorrect value, description or tariff code, it is best to disclose it yourself before Customs finds it.

  • ZATCA offers a free online service that lets anyone involved in customs operations voluntarily disclose errors and violations in customs declarations.
  • One condition is that the customs declaration is no more than five years old, with supporting documents attached.
  • ZATCA’s voluntary disclosure rules set out the conditions for acceptance and its effects; read them in full before applying.

The rationale behind this procedure

Voluntary disclosure reflects an approach built on trust and transparency, encouraging traders to correct their own mistakes rather than wait for them to be discovered. This builds a culture of voluntary compliance, one of the tasks set out in ZATCA’s founding regulation.

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10. Advance Customs Rulings

If you are unsure of the correct tariff code for a new product, you can ask ZATCA for an advance customs ruling before importing, instead of discovering a dispute when the shipment arrives.

  • An advance ruling is a decision Customs issues at the importer’s request before the goods arrive, telling them in advance how their goods will be treated, such as their tariff classification.
  • ZATCA accepts advance ruling requests online and has published a user guide explaining the steps.
  • This is especially useful for new or composite goods that could fall under more than one code.

The rationale behind this procedure

An advance ruling gives traders clarity and certainty before they commit to buying and shipping goods, and is a well-established international trade facilitation tool. The result: better import decisions, fewer disputes at the port, and faster release.

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