Article 39 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
المادة 39 من نظام قانون الجمارك الموحد لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية · الفصل الأول: الاستيراد: 1- النقل بحراً
The aircraft's pilot or his representative must present the manifest and the lists in Article 38 to the Administration's staff, and hand these documents to the customs district immediately on the aircraft's arrival.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
على قائد الطائرة أو من يمثله أن يقدم بيان الحمولة "المنافست" والقوائم المذكورة في المادة (38) من هذا النظام "القانون" إلى موظفي الإدارة، وأن يسلم هذه الوثائق إلى الدائرة الجمركية فور وصول الطائرة.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 39 explained in plain English
This article specifies when the aircraft's documents are handed over and who is bound to do so.
- Who is bound: the aircraft's pilot or his representative.
- The documents: the cargo manifest and the lists mentioned in Article 38, which requires a cargo manifest to be prepared for each aircraft load, signed by its pilot under the conditions in paragraphs (a) to (d) of Article 30.
- To whom: they are presented to the Administration's staff (the General Administration of Customs), and handed to the customs district.
- When: immediately on the aircraft's arrival.
The article gives no later period for submitting these documents, but requires them to be ready and handed over on arrival, so that the customs district can match the goods unloaded against what the statement contains. Related to this is Article 40, which prohibits unloading or dropping goods from aircraft in flight except for safety purposes, with notice to the customs district.
Anyone who is late in submitting these documents and faces liability is advised to consult a lawyer specializing in customs and commercial matters.
Practical example
A cargo aircraft arrives at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh carrying packages. The airline's representative, as the pilot's representative, hands the manifest, the list of goods and the other lists to the customs staff as soon as the aircraft lands.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 39 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
When are aircraft documents handed to customs?
Immediately on the aircraft's arrival.
May someone other than the pilot hand over the documents?
Yes. Whoever represents him may hand them over.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Cargo Manifest, Imports and Exports
- Article 20
Article 20 prohibits sea transport vessels entering the State from anchoring anywhere other than ports prepared to receive them, except in an emergency maritime circumstance or force majeure, and requires the master to notify the nearest customs district or security post without delay.
يحظر على وسائل النقل البحرية التي تدخل الدولة مهما كانت حمولتها الاستيعابية أن ترسو في غير الموانئ المعدة لاستقبالها، إلا في ظرف بحري طارئ أو بسبب قوة قاهرة، وع
- Article 30
Article 30 requires every good arriving by sea to be recorded in the cargo manifest, signed by the master and containing specified details, and presented with other documents within thirty-six hours of entering the port.
أ - تسجل في بيان الحمولة "المنافست" كل بضاعة ترد إلى الدولة عن طريق البحر. ب - يجب أن ينظم بكل الحمولة بيان واحد يوقعه ربان السفينة، متضمنا المعلومات التالية :
- Article 31
Article 31 requires the cargo manifest of vessels that do not make regular voyages, have no shipping agent at the port, or are sailing vessels, to be endorsed by the customs of the port of loading.
إذا كان بيان الحمولة "المنافست" عائدا لسفينة لا تقوم برحلات منتظمة أو ليس لها وكيل ملاحة في الميناء، أو كانت من المراكب الشراعية، فيجب أن يكون مؤشرا عليه من الس
- Article 32
Ships' cargo may not be unloaded except in the customs district at the port and under its supervision, and unloading and transfer between ships are carried out under the Director General's conditions.
أ - لا يجوز تفريغ حمولة السفن وجميع وسائط النقل المائية الأخرى إلا في الدائرة الجمركية في الميناء. ولا يجوز تفريغ أي بضاعة أو نقلها من سفينة إلى أخرى إلا تحت إش
- Article 33
The ship's master, agent or representative is liable for shortages in packages, their contents or bulk goods until the goods are received at the warehouses, storage facilities or by their owners, subject to Article 54.
يكون ربان السفينة أو وكيلها أو من يمثله مسؤولا عن النقص في عدد القطع أو الطرود، أو في محتوياتها، أو في مقدار البضائع الفرط، إلى حين استلام البضائع في المخازن ال
- Article 34
If the packages unloaded or bulk goods fall short of the manifest, the master states the reason and proves with documents that it occurred outside the maritime customs zone, and may be given up to six months against a guarantee.
إذا تحقق نقص في عدد القطع أو الطرود المفرغة عما هو مدرج في بيان الحمولة "المنافست" أو في مقدار البضائع الفرط، فعلى ربان السفينة أو من يمثله بيان سبب هذا النقص و
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.