Jordan

Specific Information

Duty rates when exemption does not apply: Customs duties and taxes on used household goods and personal effects are approximately 52% of CIF value. Electronics are taxed at approximately 52% of declared value.

Items excluded from duty-free exemption (even when the owner qualifies): All new items and items assessed as less than 30% used (extent of use is assessed by customs officers at inspection); musical instruments; office equipment; satellite equipment and accessories (dish, signal receiver); video cameras (highly technological models may be confiscated by military authorities); CDs; facsimile machines; and amounts exceeding the permitted duty-free allowance of two pieces of each type of household electrical appliance per family.

Foreigners and customs exemption: If the owner's name appears on the office registration certificate at the Ministry of Trade and Commerce (typically as acting manager with signature authority), goods are exempt from customs duties, provided they are used and not new. If the owner is an employee of a company but not named on the registration certificate, a formal request must be submitted to customs along with the shipping documents and packing list, requesting approval for exemption. Unless the transferee's organization has a special agreement with a governmental party, expatriates generally do not receive duty exemption.

Owner presence requirement: The owner of the goods must be physically present at the time of customs clearance at Amman Customs. All shipments are subject to full physical inspection. The owner must be present to answer the inspector's questions. If any item in the shipment is locked, keys must be available.

Shipment timing: Importation of household effects should take place within 6 months of the owner's date of entry into Jordan. Shipments may arrive in several consignments.

Port storage: Free-of-charge port storage is 6 days including the day of arrival for sea shipments, and 1 day for air shipments.

Clearance duration: Air freight shipments typically clear in 2-3 working days; sea freight shipments in 7-9 working days (provided all documents are in hand and in order).

Media and electronics inspection: Video and audio cassettes, books, magazines, records, and CDs are subject to censorship by the Press and Publications Department and should be packed separately and clearly marked. Cordless telephones are inspected by the Telecommunications Department; if specifications are not within permitted criteria, the telephone will be confiscated or the owner must re-export it at their own expense. Satellite equipment requires approval from the Radio and TV Corporation: the equipment catalogue must be made available and the equipment removed from the shipment for physical inspection, which requires a separate customs formality at the owner's cost. Items found unsuitable will be confiscated.

Alcohol within shipments: A maximum of 2 litres of alcohol per shipment is accepted duty-free. Quantities exceeding 2 litres are subject to duties and taxes of 200% of actual value. Alcohol must be listed on a separate packing list. This rule applies to all categories, including diplomats (who should check with their embassy regarding any additional exemption).

Duties & Taxes

Duty-free conditions for returning Jordanian nationals: Goods enter duty-free if the owner has spent more than 12 months abroad, provided all of the following conditions are met: the owner has never previously imported used personal effects and household goods under the exemption; no member listed in the owner's Family Book has previously imported used personal effects under the exemption; and the household effects have been owned and used abroad by the owner for his or her continued personal use. This is a one-time exemption per family unit, regardless of how many years pass between periods abroad.

Prohibited & Restricted Items

Importing a Used Personal Vehicle

Required Documents

• OBL
• Vehicle ownership title / registration
• Valid motor vehicle licence (registration must be valid for at least 6 months)
• Valid driving licence
• Temporary entry permit (obtained upon arrival for temporary imports)

Specific Information

Diesel passenger vehicles are prohibited. Passenger cars operating on diesel are not allowed into Jordan.

Age restriction: Vehicles older than 5 years are not permitted for permanent entry.

Tinted windows: Vehicles with tinted windows are not allowed for permanent entry.

Temporary entry (6 months maximum): Returning citizens or foreigners with valid licence plates may obtain a temporary entry permit allowing the shipper to drive using origin-country plates and registration for 3 months, renewable for an additional 3 months. The vehicle must be licenced in the country of origin and carrying metal plates. After 6 months, the vehicle must be transported to the Zarqa Free Zone, where the owner must either pay duties and obtain Jordanian plates, re-export the vehicle, or sell it duty-free.

Temporary entry bank guarantee: Vehicles imported under temporary entry must be guaranteed by the clearing agent through a bank guarantee posted with the Directorate of Customs Department in the amount of the exact customs duties and taxes. Upon re-export, an application accompanied by the finalized re-export customs form must be submitted to the Directorate to cancel and return the guarantee.

Permanent entry process: Used vehicles must be transported to the Zarqa Free Zone for testing by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and Licensing to determine eligibility based on Jordanian specifications. If the vehicle fails, recommended modifications must be made by the Bureau. The owner bears all costs, including transport from the point of entry to the Zarqa Free Zone under a bank guarantee of the freight forwarding/clearing agent. Once tested and approved, the clearing agent arranges to clear the vehicle from the Free Zone for licencing before delivery to the owner.

Duty exemptions: Vehicles of diplomatic organizations are exempt from customs duties and taxes; exemption must be applied for through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Returning Jordanians must pay customs duties on vehicles in all cases, unless the same vehicle was previously exported from Jordan with all customs duties paid and is now being re-imported.

Pets

• ISO 15-digit microchip (ISO 11784 / Annex A to ISO 11785)
• Rabies vaccination certificate (administered between 21 days and 12 months prior to entry; multi-year vaccinations not recognized unless administered within 12 months)
• Veterinary health certificate issued in the country of origin
• Vaccination record showing all required vaccinations
• Import licence, Certificate of Origin, and Permission for Home Quarantine (required for unaccompanied pets arriving as air cargo, or for accompanied pets if importing more than two animals)

Microchip requirement: All dogs and cats entering Jordan should be identified with a 15-digit ISO-compliant microchip. The microchip must be implanted before vaccinations are administered. All documentation should reflect the microchip number.

Rabies vaccination: Required for all cats and dogs over 3 months of age. Must be administered between 21 days and 12 months before entry. Multi-year rabies vaccinations are not recognized unless given within 12 months of import. Rabies titer test results and veterinary exemption letters are not accepted as substitutes for proof of vaccination.

Additional vaccinations: Dogs must be vaccinated against distemper, canine hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, and leptospirosis. Cats must be vaccinated against feline rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia.

Parasite treatment: Internal and external parasite treatments must be administered within 10 days of entering Jordan.

Quarantine: No quarantine for accompanied pets entering as checked baggage if all import regulations are met. Non-compliant pets may be quarantined (if facilities are available), returned to the country of origin, or euthanized at the importer's expense. Unaccompanied pets arriving as air cargo are subject to a 2-week home quarantine.

Breed restrictions: Jordan does not publish a list of banned breeds. Importers are responsible for their pet's behaviour.

Birds: Permission from the Ministry of Agriculture is required for the import of all birds.

Return travel note: Jordan is classified by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) as a high-rabies-risk country. A rabies titer test may be required for pets returning from Jordan to certain countries (including the United States and EU member states). Pet owners planning temporary stays should arrange titer testing before departure to avoid delays on return.

Common mistakes: Failing to obtain an import licence for unaccompanied air cargo shipments; not listing the microchip number on all documents; presenting multi-year rabies vaccinations administered more than 12 months prior; not separating bird import applications from dog/cat procedures.

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