Bahrain · Import & Export Compliance
Customs registration, controlled/restricted goods, sanctions screening, and the official customs authority.
AI-drafted, editorial review pending. The official links below are checked — confirm specifics with the authority.
Bahrain is part of the GCC customs union, so goods from outside the GCC pay the common external tariff — 5% on most goods, with exemptions and higher rates for some — and goods already cleared in another GCC state move on without paying duty again. Importers need a commercial registration covering import activity, and Customs Affairs handles import and export procedures. Some goods need approvals from other authorities before clearance, and imports are also subject to VAT and, for products such as tobacco and sugary drinks, excise tax.
- The GCC common external tariff is 5% on most goods.
- Goods cleared in another GCC state move on without paying duty again.
- Imports also carry VAT, and excise on products such as tobacco and sugary drinks.
- Customs Affairs — Importing
Customs Affairs: import and export procedures.
- Customs Affairs — Exporting
Customs Affairs: import and export procedures.
Government portals
- Bahrain National Portal — Government services and guidance, including the emergency call centre.
- Sijilat — Commercial Registration — Ministry of Industry and Commerce portal for registering and renewing a commercial registration.
- Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) — Work permits, transfers between employers and Bahrainisation target rates.
- National Bureau for Revenue (NBR) — VAT, excise and the domestic minimum top-up tax.