Article 43 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
المادة 43 من نظام قانون الجمارك الموحد لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية · الفصل الثالث: النقل البريدي
Goods are imported and exported by mail under the provisions of this Law, subject to the international postal conventions and the other domestic laws and regulations in force.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يتم استيراد البضائع أو تصديرها عن طريق البريد وفقا لأحكام هذا النظام "القانون" مع مراعاة أحكام الاتفاقيات البريدية الدولية والقوانين والأنظمة الداخلية الأخرى النافذة.
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 43 explained in plain English
This article shows that mail is a route of import and export that is subject to the customs law, so goods are not excluded merely because they arrived or were sent by mail.
The framework governing postal goods:
- The provisions of this Law (the Unified Customs Law), which are the basis.
- The international postal conventions, which must be observed.
- The other domestic laws and regulations in force.
The article does not detail special procedures for mail, and does not mention exemptions for small parcels or value limits, so these cannot be assumed from this text. The practical meaning is that goods arriving by mail are treated in principle under the provisions of the Law, such as declaring them, along with any special provisions the postal conventions and other regulations may set.
This differs from export by ordinary means of transport, which Article 42 regulates by requiring goods to be taken to the customs district and declared in detail. Anyone whose postal parcels are held at customs is advised to consult a lawyer specializing in customs and commercial matters.
Practical example
A woman in Riyadh ordered clothes from a foreign store and they reached her by mail. These goods are subject to the provisions of the customs law like any others, subject to the international postal conventions and the domestic regulations in force.
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 43 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
Are postal parcels subject to the customs law?
Yes. Goods are imported and exported by mail under the provisions of this Law.
Are there special provisions for mail?
The article provides for observing the international postal conventions and the other domestic laws and regulations in force.
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.