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Dubai Customs code registration and renewal
A trade licence alone does not let you import or export through Dubai. You also need a customs code. My Eloah Business Hub registers and renews it with you on the Dubai Trade portal.
- New customs code: AED 120 government fee
- Renewal: AED 25 government fee
- Registration is fully online on Dubai Trade
Estimate import duty
A guide only. Commercial samples worth AED 5,000 or less are exempt from duty. Declaration fees are extra, and the tariff code of your goods decides the final rate.
The customs code, in brief.
A Dubai Customs code is the business registration that lets a company import or export through Dubai. It is a separate registration from the trade licence, and it gives you a Business Code, an Agent Code and access to the Dubai Trade portal.
Any trading company that moves goods through Dubai needs one, and many owners only find out when a shipment is already at the port. My Eloah Business Hub guides you through registration and renewal on Dubai Trade and helps you get each declaration right before you file.
- New code
- AED 120 per business type (AED 100 plus AED 20 KIF)
- Renewal
- AED 25
- Timeline
- Usually 1 working day; document approval typically within 3 business days
- Portal
- Dubai Trade, dubaitrade.ae
What do you need to do?
Pick the customs task you have in front of you.
What do you need to do?
Pick the customs task you have in front of you.
You apply on Dubai Trade with your trade licence, the authorised person's passport and Emirates ID. The Business Code and Agent Code are generated after you pay, and your Dubai Trade login is activated.
- Government fee
- AED 120 per business type: AED 100 plus AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation fee (KIF)
- Service completion
- Usually 1 working day
- Document approval
- Typically within 3 business days
Figures are Dubai Customs government fees; the exact declaration fee depends on the declaration type and shipping channel, and My Eloah Business Hub quotes its own service fee on WhatsApp.
What Dubai Customs charges.
These are the published Dubai Customs fees. Dubai Customs adds a AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation fee (KIF) to any service costing AED 50 or above.
| Service | Government fee | Usual completion |
|---|---|---|
| New customs code | AED 120 per business type (AED 100 plus AED 20 KIF) | 1 working day |
| Customs code renewal | AED 25, no KIF | 1 working day |
| Import declaration | AED 15 to 100 | 2 working hours |
| Export declaration | AED 15 to 100 | 2 working hours |
| Transit declaration | AED 15 to 80 | 2 working hours |
| Transfer declaration | AED 80 | 2 working hours |
| Temporary admission declaration | AED 100 | 2 working hours |
Declaration fees vary by declaration type and shipping channel, and AED 20 KIF is added to any declaration fee of AED 50 or above. The code fee is charged per business type, so a company that needs both an importer code and an exporter code pays twice.
Duty rates and the main exceptions.
Customs duty is calculated on the CIF value of the goods, meaning cost, insurance and freight, under the Common Customs Law of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
| Goods | Duty | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Standard goods | 5% | CIF value |
| Alcohol | 50% | CIF value |
| Cigarettes and tobacco | 100% | CIF value |
| Commercial samples worth AED 5,000 or less | Exempt | Duty exemption across the GCC |
| Personal allowance: tobacco | Exempt | 200 cigarettes, or 50 cigars, or 500g of tobacco |
| Personal allowance: alcohol | Exempt | Up to 4 litres, or 2 cartons of beer (24 cans of up to 355ml each) |
VAT at 5% applies on top of the duty-inclusive value at import. Duty and VAT apply to anything above the personal allowance limits.
Three things to get right.
The code is quick to obtain. These three points decide whether your first shipment clears without extra cost.
Register the code that matches your activity
Dubai Customs issues importer, exporter, broker, clearing agent, shipping line agent and airline agent codes. The fee is charged per business type.
Set up your users for declarations
Declarations are filed in Mirsal 2, the Dubai Customs declaration system. Users are created with a Trader or Broker Representative role, and each user who submits declarations needs a digital certificate.
Classify your goods from the tariff
The GCC now uses a unified 12-digit Harmonised System (HS) code, up from 8 digits. Classification drives the duty rate, so take it from the Dubai Customs Integrated Customs Tariff.
Declaration mistakes cost money.
Check HS codes, values and quantities before you submit. Some errors cannot be corrected afterwards at any price.
Amending invoice-level goods information
Dubai Customs charges a fine of AED 500 to amend invoice-level goods information on a declaration.
Cancelling an import declaration
Cancelling an import declaration in order to issue an import for re-export declaration carries a fine of AED 300.
When amendment is not allowed
You cannot amend where there is a collected claim, the declaration is under audit, a Makkasa has been issued, or the time limit has expired, for example on Transit Out or Import for Re-export.
When cancellation is not allowed
You cannot cancel a declaration once the cargo is released, or in any of the situations that block an amendment.
What to have ready.
The first three items are for the customs code. The rest are attached to each shipment's declaration.
Six steps to your customs code.
Registration is fully online on Dubai Trade, with no manual document submission, and the portal is available around the clock.
Start on WhatsApp →Open the registration service
On dubaitrade.ae, go to Service Centre, then Dubai Customs, then Request Business Registration, and choose New.
Complete the form and upload documents
Fill in the mandatory fields and upload the trade licence, passport copy and Emirates ID copy.
Submit for approval
Dubai Customs reviews the documents, typically within 3 business days, and sends updates to your registered email.
Pay the fee
Once approved, you pay through the registration enquiry service, and we confirm the exact total with you first.
Receive your codes
The Business Code and Agent Code are generated after payment and your Dubai Trade login is activated.
Set up Mirsal 2 users
Create users with the Trader or Broker Representative role and obtain a digital certificate for each person who will submit declarations.
Dubai Customs code, answered.
Ask anything else on WhatsApp and we will answer for your company.
What is a Dubai Customs code?
It is the Dubai Customs business registration that lets a company import or export through Dubai. It is separate from the trade licence and comes with a Business Code, an Agent Code and a Dubai Trade login.
How much does a Dubai Customs code cost?
The government fee for a new registration is AED 120 per business type, made up of AED 100 plus a AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation fee. A company that needs two code types, such as importer and exporter, pays twice.
How much does it cost to renew a Dubai Customs code?
The government renewal fee is AED 25. No Knowledge and Innovation fee is added because the fee is below AED 50.
How long does it take to get a customs code in Dubai?
The service usually completes in 1 working day. Approval of the uploaded documents typically comes within 3 business days, and the codes are generated after you pay.
What documents do I need for a Dubai Customs code?
You need a copy of the trade licence, and the authorised person's passport copy and Emirates ID copy. Everything is uploaded online on Dubai Trade.
What is the customs duty rate in Dubai?
The standard rate is 5% of the CIF value, meaning cost, insurance and freight. Alcohol is charged at 50% and cigarettes and tobacco at 100%.
Is VAT charged on imports into Dubai?
Yes. VAT at 5% applies on top of the duty-inclusive value at import.
Are commercial samples exempt from customs duty?
Yes, commercial samples valued at AED 5,000 or less are exempt from customs duty across the GCC.
Get your customs code before the shipment lands
Send us your trade licence on WhatsApp and we will tell you which code type you need and quote our service fee.