ZATCA — Saudi Customs Authority: quick guide for importers

ZATCA (Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, هيئة الزكاة والضريبة والجمارك) is the government body that runs Saudi customs, VAT and zakat. Unified call number: 19993. Official portal: zatca.gov.sa. For importers it means one authority for duty (mostly 5%), VAT (15%) and customs declarations filed through the FASAH platform.

What does ZATCA do for imports?

ZATCA assesses and collects customs duty on every commercial shipment entering Saudi Arabia, verifies HS codes and declared values, and issues the customs release. It was formed in 2021 by merging the General Authority of Zakat and Tax with Saudi Customs, which is why older documents may name either body.

• Customs declarations (bayan) — filed electronically via FASAH
• Duty collection — most goods 5% of CIF value, range 0–25%
• Import VAT — 15% on CIF + duty, collected at clearance
• Tariff classification and customs valuation disputes
• Post-clearance audits of importers

How do I contact ZATCA?

The unified number 19993 works from inside Saudi Arabia around the clock; from abroad dial +966 11 204 8998. The zatca.gov.sa portal handles tariff lookups, e-services and complaints, and the @Zatca_Care account on X answers public queries. In practice, most operational clearance questions are resolved faster through a licensed customs broker with a FASAH account than through the call centre.

Sanad Global works with ZATCA daily as a licensed clearing agent: we file the declaration, answer ZATCA queries on classification or valuation, and hand you the release — typically within 1–3 working days of vessel arrival.

What ZATCA fees apply to my shipment?

Three amounts make up the ZATCA bill for a normal import: customs duty (commonly 5% of CIF, some food and steel lines up to 25%, many machinery lines 0%), VAT at 15% calculated on CIF plus duty, and small fixed service fees. VAT-registered companies recover the 15% as input tax on their next return, so for most businesses the real cost is the duty line.

Questions importers ask about this

• What is ZATCA?

Related guides

• Customs clearance in Saudi Arabia
• FASAH customs platform
• Customs clearance in Jeddah
• Customs clearance in Dammam