Article 46 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
المادة 46 من نظام قانون الجمارك الموحد لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية · الفصل الرابع: أحكام مشتركة
The article gives the customs administration the right to use electronic exchange of information in customs clearance.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
للإدارة الحق باستخدام تبادل المعلومات إلكترونيا بالتخليص الجمركي.
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 46 explained in plain English
This article is short but gives the General Customs Administration an important power: the right to use electronic exchange of information in customs clearance.
What is meant by customs clearance? Under the law's definitions, it is the documentation of the customs data for incoming, outgoing and transit goods according to the customs procedures set out in the law. The article permits this documentation and the exchange of its data to be done by electronic means.
Nature of the provision:
- The article provides a right for the Administration, that is, a power it exercises, not a detailed obligation on those dealing with it.
- The article does not specify the electronic means or systems used, the conditions for using them, or the legal effect of electronic documents; the text does not address these details.
The practical effect is that the Administration can adopt electronic data exchange in clearance procedures, including the detailed customs declaration that Article 47 requires to be submitted when clearing any goods. Article 45 deals with the application of the unloading and shortage provisions to land and air transport.
Anyone facing a problem with electronic clearance would do well to refer to Customs or consult a lawyer specializing in customs and commercial matters.
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 46 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
May Customs clear goods electronically?
Yes. The Administration has the right to use electronic exchange of information in customs clearance.
Does the article specify the electronic systems used?
No. It only provides the Administration's right to use electronic exchange of information.
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.