Article 58 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
المادة 58 من نظام قانون الجمارك الموحد لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية · الفصل الثاني: معاينة البضائع
If the customs department cannot verify the declaration by examining the goods or documents, it may stop inspection and ask for documents that provide the necessary proof.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا لم يكن بوسع الدائرة الجمركية التأكد من صحة محتويات البيان الجمركي عن طريق فحص البضاعة أو المستندات المقدمة ، فلها أن تقرر إيقاف المعاينة وطلب المستندات التي توفر عناصر الإثبات اللازمة.
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 58 explained in plain English
This article deals with the case where the customs department is unable to verify the customs declaration by the usual means.
When it applies: If the department cannot confirm the accuracy of the contents of the customs declaration:
- By examining the goods, or
- By the documents submitted.
What the department may do:
- Decide to stop the inspection.
- Ask for documents that provide the necessary elements of proof.
The provision gives the department a discretionary power ("it may decide"), and does not specify the kind of documents that may be requested or the deadline for submitting them. The practical effect is that processing of the goods may stop until proof of the declaration's accuracy is provided, so it is in the importer's interest to be ready with invoices, contracts and correspondence relating to the shipment.
This is linked to Article 57, which provides that duties are collected according to the declaration or the inspection result when a difference appears. Article 59 also permits the department to re-inspect under Articles 52 to 56. Anyone whose goods' inspection has been stopped and who is asked for documents he does not have would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in customs and commercial matters.
Practical example
An importer of electronic parts in Riyadh submitted a declaration describing the parts with specifications that are hard to verify by examination. The department stopped the inspection and asked him for the manufacturer's catalogs and the purchase contract to prove what the declaration stated.
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 58 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
Why did Customs stop the inspection of my goods?
The department may stop inspection if it cannot confirm the accuracy of the customs declaration by examining the goods or the documents submitted.
What documents may Customs ask for?
Documents that provide the necessary elements of proof for the declaration's accuracy; the article does not name them.
More articles on Customs Declaration and Inspection of Goods
- Article 46
The article gives the customs administration the right to use electronic exchange of information in customs clearance.
للإدارة الحق باستخدام تبادل المعلومات إلكترونيا بالتخليص الجمركي.
- Article 47
A detailed customs declaration must be submitted when clearing any goods, even if exempt from duties, in the forms approved in the GCC states.
يجب أن يقدم للدائرة الجمركية عند تخليص أي بضاعة - ولو كانت معفاة من الضرائب "الرسوم" الجمركية - بيان جمركي تفصيلي وفقا للنماذج المعتمدة في إطار دول المجلس يتضمن
- Article 48
The Director General specifies the documents attached to the customs declaration and their content, and may allow clearance without some of them against cash or bank guarantees or a written undertaking, subject to Article 27(1).
مع مراعاة ما ورد في الفقرة "1" من المادة (27) من هذا النظام "القانون" يحدد المدير العام الوثائق التي يجب أن ترفق مع البيانات الجمركية والمعلومات التي يجب أن تتض
- Article 49
A customs declaration may not be amended after it is registered; its submitter may ask the Director in writing to correct it before the declaration is referred for inspection.
لا يجوز تعديل ما ورد في البيانات الجمركية بعد تسجيلها ، ولمقدم البيان الجمركي أن يتقدم للمدير بطلب خطي للتصحيح قبل إحالة البيان الجمركي للمعاينة.
- Article 50
Owners of goods or their representatives may view them before submitting the declaration and take samples with the Director's permission and under the department's supervision, and samples are subject to the prescribed duties.
يجوز لأصحاب البضائع أو من يمثلهم الاطلاع على بضائعهم قبل تقديم البيان الجمركي وأخذ عينات منها عند الاقتضاء، وذلك بعد الحصول على إذن من المدير وتحت إشراف الدائرة
- Article 51
The article limits access to customs declarations and documents to owners of goods or their representatives, with an exception for the competent judicial or official bodies.
لا يجوز لغير أصحاب البضائع أو من يمثلهم الاطلاع على البيانات والمستندات الجمركية، وتستثنى من ذلك الجهات القضائية أو الرسمية المختصة.
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.