Saudi Arabia’s Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) has introduced new customs regulations, including fee waivers for certain services and revised import rules.
The updated Fee Rules on Customs Services will take effect on October 6. Key changes include waiving fees for all export customs services and reducing import service fees through a new calculation method. Import service fees will now be 0.15% of the value of incoming goods.
Key Points of the New Customs Rules
The new rules set a SR15 ($4) fee for customs declaration processing on individual shipments from online stores, provided the shipment value does not exceed SR1,000 ($266).
Previously, import fees included SR100 ($26) per container for X-ray inspection, SR100 ($26) for information exchange services, and SR20 ($5) for customs declaration processing. Now, fees will be capped at SR500 ($133) with a minimum of SR15 ($4), and a special cap of SR130 ($34) for duty-exempt shipments.
Export services with waived fees include customs declaration processing, lead seal, land port loading, X-ray inspection, customs data exchange, and sample analysis at specialized labs.
ZATCA encourages customers to reach out with inquiries via phone, email, or their website.
- Phone: 19993
- Email: info@zatca.gov.sa
- Online: zatca.gov.sa
The fee waivers are designed to support exporters, especially SMEs, by reducing financial burdens and enhancing the competitiveness of Saudi exports. The new import fee calculation method aims to lower import costs and allow importers to predict customs fees more accurately.
The decision also seeks to standardize fee calculations across land, sea, and air ports, promoting trade facilitation and supporting Saudi Arabia’s strategic goals. ZATCA’s measures are intended to boost confidence among importers and exporters, improve transparency, and align with Vision 2030’s objective of making Saudi Arabia a global logistics hub.