Saudi import customs clearance via FASAH: step by step

Who can import, and what registration is required?

To import into Saudi Arabia, you need a legal status that allows you to import and a registration on the FASAH platform of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA). ZATCA guidance states that anyone importing into the Kingdom must be licensed to import. Otherwise, an agent or representative carries out the import, and duties and VAT are charged to the importer.

You register through the "Register a New Importer or Exporter" service, which is free according to ZATCA's page. You need a commercial registration number or ID number. You then log in to FASAH, fill in your details and activate the account, after which you receive a confirmation by text message and email. FASAH also lets you look up the importer's customs number and update its details.

• Tax identity: The importer's VAT number must appear on the customs declaration. It is usually added automatically. If it does not appear, update your details with ZATCA using your commercial registration, national ID or GCC citizen ID.
• Prior approvals: Some goods need a permit or certificate from the competent authority before import. ZATCA works with 26 government agencies on clearance and asks importers to complete these requirements before the shipment arrives.
• Training: The FASAH subscription application form may require attendance at mandatory training, so check this on the platform.

Also make sure the activity on your commercial registration covers the goods you import. Check this with the Ministry of Commerce or your broker before you buy from the supplier.

What are the import clearance steps from arrival to release?

The steps start days before the shipment arrives. The most important are creating the customs declaration and paying what is due before the container needs space in the yard. This is the practical sequence for a sea shipment:

1. Register on FASAH: once per importer, as described in the previous section.
2. Authorize the customs broker: grant them an electronic authorization on FASAH for the required port.
3. Complete agency approvals: such as conformity certificates and import permits, if your goods require them.
4. Hand the documents to the broker: the commercial invoice and bill of lading first, then any document specific to the goods.
5. Shipping agent's manifest: the shipping agent submits the cargo manifest and goods data through ZATCA's platform.
6. Customs declaration: the broker or importer creates it on FASAH before the vessel arrives, with the tariff line, value and country of origin.
7. Calculation and payment of charges: ZATCA calculates customs duties and VAT and issues an invoice, paid through the payment channels.
8. Inspection if selected: X-ray scanning or physical inspection based on risk criteria.
9. Release, delivery order and container exit: the consignment is released, then the container leaves through the port gate.

Who handles each stage, and what can delay it?

The stages are split between the importer, the broker, the shipping line, ZATCA and the port operator, and each stage has a recurring cause of delay. The table summarizes this for a sea shipment at Jeddah Islamic Port or King Abdullah Port in Rabigh.

When must the customs declaration be filed before arrival?

Advance submission of the manifest and the customs declaration has been mandatory for goods arriving through seaports since 29 October 2025, according to ZATCA's announcement. Importers and shipping agents must submit both before the goods reach the port.

The advance submission rules require the shipping agent to submit the cargo manifest at least 72 hours before the vessel's actual arrival for distant ports and 24 hours for nearby ports. The importer or their authorized representative must file the customs declaration electronically no later than the vessel's actual arrival, after being notified that the manifest has been submitted. ZATCA's guidance pages mention earlier lead times (48 hours in the import instructions and 72 hours in ZATCA news) for faster clearance. The practical rule: create the declaration as soon as the documents are available, not on arrival day.

The 24-hour clearance program cut the documents required for import from 12 to two: the commercial invoice and the bill of lading. The program warns that failing to meet its requirements lengthens clearance time and may lead to port storage charges.

How are duties and VAT calculated and paid?

ZATCA calculates customs duties and VAT automatically from the customs declaration data, so the declared tariff line and value determine everything you pay. The broker or importer enters the tariff line, country of origin, description of the goods and their value in riyals. The customs value is based on the transaction value plus freight and insurance to the place of import.

VAT on imports is charged at 15%. It is calculated on the customs value plus customs duties, excise tax where applicable and any other charges. Try an estimate with the duty and VAT calculator, and read about the rates in our article on customs duties and VAT and our article on customs classification.

How to pay

The invoice is issued after the declaration is submitted on FASAH. The importer and broker can view it by entering the invoice number and port name in the "View Customs Declaration Invoice" service. ZATCA lets you pay outstanding invoices through SADAD, mada and Visa cards from the "Unpaid Invoices" service. In February 2024, ZATCA asked payers to use biller number 020 instead of 030 for zakat, tax and customs payments. Check which channel is available in your account when you pay.

Deferral and correction options

• Customs duty deferral: ZATCA lets importers request a 30-day payment deferral against a bank guarantee or a documentary undertaking. The request requires financial statements submitted through the Qawaem program.
• Import VAT in the return: A VAT-registered business can ask ZATCA to approve including import VAT in its return instead of paying it at entry. ZATCA requires a monthly tax period, imports at least once a month, compliance with returns and payments over the last 12 months, and proof of financial solvency. Otherwise, VAT is paid with the declaration.
• Errors in the declaration: If you notice an error in the tariff line or value, tell ZATCA before paying. ZATCA issues a payment order for the difference after clearance if needed.

What does the customs broker do, and what do you give them?

A customs broker is a natural or legal person who prepares, signs and submits customs declarations to customs and completes clearance procedures on behalf of others, according to the Common Customs Law. A clearance office may not act on your behalf until it receives an electronic authorization from you, according to the Rules for Practicing the Customs Clearance Profession.

You authorize the broker through the "Authorize a Customs Broker" service on FASAH. You need an active account, the broker's license number and the authorization period. The authorization can be limited to import or export, or cover both, and it applies to the port you specify. According to the service, the trader can choose a one-time or multiple-use authorization.

Prepare the following for your broker before the shipment arrives:

• The commercial invoice and bill of lading, and a certificate of origin if the origin needs proof.
• Product-specific documents: certificates, permits and product registration.
• The supplier's name, the country of origin and a detailed description of each item, not a general one.
• Commercial registration details and VAT number, and delivery and transport instructions after release.

The rules require the broker to translate invoices into Arabic or English when needed, and to give you a copy of the expense invoice, the customs declaration and the payment receipts. The broker is accountable for their own work and that of their staff to the importer and to the customs administration. Even so, the accuracy of the documents you provide and of the product information is your responsibility.

How do inspection, release and container exit work at the port?

Goods are inspected after the customs declaration is registered, based on risk management criteria, so not every shipment undergoes the same checks. At ports where the 24-hour clearance program applies, containers move from the vessel to X-ray scanning and then to final clearance. Containers selected for physical inspection are sent to the inspection yard.

Inspection takes place only in the presence of the owner of the goods or their representative. The owner bears the cost of moving the goods to the inspection area, opening the packages and repacking them. If inspection reveals a difference from the declaration, charges are collected based on the inspection result, with any applicable fines. If the declaration cannot be verified, customs may suspend inspection and request supporting documents. In a valuation dispute, the importer may appeal to the value dispute committee within 15 days of registering the declaration or of being notified of the value.

After release, the work moves to the transport side. The shipping line usually issues the delivery order after its charges are settled. Under the Common Customs Law, endorsing the delivery order in the broker's name counts as authorizing the broker to complete the procedures. The truck then enters the port to collect the container under the container terminal procedures at Jeddah Islamic Port or King Abdullah Port in Rabigh.

What mistakes cause a shipment to be held?

Most holds are caused by inconsistent documents or data, or a missing approval, not by a problem at the port itself. The table shows the most common mistakes and how to avoid them.

Review the list of documents and approvals with your broker for every new shipment, because requirements change depending on the goods and the agency. To confirm the latest procedures, call ZATCA's unified call center on 19993 or check the FASAH platform (fasah.sa).

Frequently asked questions