DDP Shipping toSaudi Arabia
Factory to your buyer's door at one price: freight, SABER handled end to end, the FASAH customs declaration, customs duty, 15% VAT and delivery.
Quick answer
How do I ship DDP to Saudi Arabia without a Saudi entity?
Under DDP the seller takes on Saudi import clearance, customs duty and 15% import VAT, but the importer named on the Saudi declaration must hold a Saudi CR, 700 code, Saudi ID or GCC ID, and Saudi VAT registration alone does not give a foreign seller either. A foreign seller with no Saudi presence therefore ships DDP through a Saudi Importer of Record, which Safe Hands provides, or sells DAP so the Saudi buyer imports and recovers the VAT.
Our credentials
- Licensed customs broker
- ZATCA customs clearance
- TGA Freight Forwarder & Broker Licence
- 42/00008120
- ISO certification
- ISO 9001:2015 AMER300621 · ISO 45001:2018 AMER300622
- Verify · Certification body's certificate check
- Head office · Warehouse
- 7273 Fatimah Al Zahraa Rd, Riyadh 12837 · Al Sulay industrial district, Riyadh
Safe Hands Shipping Line is the trade name of شركة الايدي الامينة (Al Aidi Al Amina Company). All credentials →
What a DDP price includes
Origin pickup & export
Collection from the factory and export documents at origin, coordinated with your supplier.
Sea or air freight
Full-container sea freight, or commercial air freight for smaller or urgent batches.
SABER end to end
We handle your SABER registration and certification end to end: product (PCoC) and shipment (SCoC) certificates.
FASAH declaration
Customs declaration filed before the vessel berths or the flight lands.
Duty & 15% VAT paid
Customs duty and import VAT paid at clearance and included in one DDP invoice.
Delivery to your door
Trucking to your warehouse, store or project site anywhere in the Kingdom.
Optional storage
Dry, ambient storage in Al Sulay, Riyadh, with phased delivery when you need it.
Who is the importer on your DDP shipment?
The Saudi buyer has a CR
The buyer is named as importer on the declaration; we handle clearance, payment of duty and VAT, and delivery inside the DDP price.
The seller has no Saudi entity
Safe Hands acts as Importer of Record: we are named on the declaration and carry the import obligations through to delivery.
Importer of Record serviceDDP vs DAP vs EXW into Saudi Arabia
Incoterms 2020 is the current edition. An Incoterm allocates delivery, risk, carriage and clearance tasks; Saudi law decides who is legally the importer and the customs value (Customs Law Arts 2 and 26). Sources: ICC Incoterms 2020; Customs Law; ZATCA VAT Imports/Exports Guideline s.4.2, verified 5 Oct 2026.
| Term | Importer on the Saudi declaration | Who pays Saudi duty and 15% import VAT | Customs value at the Saudi border | What to watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXW | The Saudi buyer, which must hold a CR, 700 code, Saudi ID or GCC ID | Buyer | Invoice price plus the freight, loading, handling and insurance actually paid to the Saudi port | The buyer also carries export clearance at origin; where the exporter of record must be a local party (for example Egypt, India, the UK), FCA with the seller declaring export fits better |
| DAP | The Saudi buyer (CR, 700 code, FASAH account) | Buyer, which recovers the import VAT in its VAT return | Invoice price less post-arrival transport and insurance, if shown separately | Seller carries the goods to the named Saudi place at its own risk; usually the right term for a foreign seller delivering to a Saudi business buyer |
| DDP | The term puts import clearance on the seller, but the declared importer must still hold a CR, 700 code, Saudi ID or GCC ID: the seller's own Saudi entity, or a Saudi Importer of Record | Seller | Invoice price less post-arrival transport, insurance and Saudi duties and taxes, if shown separately | Saudi non-resident VAT registration gives a foreign seller no CR or 700 code, so it cannot be the importer itself |
DDP into Saudi Arabia: the facts that set the landed price
| Topic | What applies | Source | Verified on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customs duty basis | Duty is set per 12-digit line of the ZATCA Integrated Tariff (12 digits in all GCC states since 1 Jan 2025). The GCC common external tariff's general rate is 5% of CIF value, but Saudi Arabia applies many line-level deviations, so the live 12-digit line governs. | ZATCA Integrated Tariff; GCC Common External Tariff | 1 and 5 Oct 2026 |
| Customs value by Incoterm | Always CIF to the Saudi border. EXW, FCA, FAS or FOB invoices: add freight, loading, handling and insurance actually paid to the Saudi port. CFR or CPT: add insurance. CIF or CIP to a Saudi port: use as is. DAP, DPU or DDP: deduct post-arrival transport and insurance and any Saudi duties and taxes, only if shown separately. | Customs Law Art 26; Implementing Regulations Art 1 | 5 Oct 2026 |
| Import VAT | 15% of the customs value plus customs duty, excise and any other charges on the declaration (excluding VAT). Paid at clearance with the duty; a 0% duty line still pays import VAT unless the goods fall in a VAT-exempt category. | VAT Law Art 2; GCC VAT Agreement Art 28(1); ZATCA Imports/Exports Guideline s.4.3-4.4 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Who can be the importer | The importer on the declaration must hold a CR number, 700 code, Saudi ID or GCC ID and be licensed to import. The importer need not be the buyer or owner of the goods, so a Saudi Importer of Record can clear goods owned by a foreign company. | ZATCA VAT Imports/Exports Guideline s.4.2; GCC Common Customs Law Arts 2(29), 110 | 1 and 4 Oct 2026 |
| Foreign seller VAT registration | A non-resident's Saudi VAT registration does not give it a CR or 700 code, so it does not make the foreign seller an importer. | ZATCA VAT Imports/Exports Guideline s.4.2; VAT Implementing Regulations Art 9(3) | 4 and 5 Oct 2026 |
| FTA effect on duty | Goods preferences available at the Saudi border: GCC customs union, GAFTA (Arab states), GCC-EFTA and GCC-Singapore; every other origin pays the MFN rate. A preference lowers only the duty; import VAT stays due. | GAFT list of trade agreements in force; GCC VAT Agreement Art 28(1) | 5 Oct 2026 |
| Certificate of origin | Required with the declaration when preferential treatment is claimed or when origin marking cannot be fixed on the goods. It can follow after clearance against a guarantee or written undertaking, due within 90 days. | ZATCA Customs Procedures Controls Art 3 | 5 Oct 2026 |
| Documents | Detailed commercial invoice, bill of lading or air waybill, certificate of origin where required, agency certificates and packing list; keep the freight invoice and insurance certificate for the value calculation. | ZATCA Customs Procedures Controls Art 3; Customs Law Art 26 | 1 and 5 Oct 2026 |
| SABER / SFDA path | The tariff line's Required Procedures column states which approval applies. Regulated non-food goods need a SABER PCoC per model and an SCoC per shipment, held on the Saudi importer's SABER account; food runs through SFDA. | ZATCA Integrated Tariff; SASO SABER; SFDA | 30 Sep and 1 Oct 2026 |
| Incoterms edition | Incoterms 2020 is the current ICC edition. Incoterms apply only when the contract adopts them, naming the rule, the edition and a precise place. | ICC Incoterms 2020 | 5 Oct 2026 |
Step by step: a DDP shipment into Saudi Arabia
| Step | What happens | Who | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Agree the term in the contract: rule, named Saudi place and 'Incoterms 2020', with the importer of record named. | Seller and buyer | ICC Incoterms 2020 |
| 2 | Classify the goods to the 12-digit Saudi tariff line and read its duty, restriction type and required procedures. | Importer with Safe Hands | ZATCA Integrated Tariff |
| 3 | Obtain the approvals the line lists (for example SABER PCoC, or SFDA) before loading. | Importer (approval holder) | SABER; SFDA |
| 4 | Confirm the importer's FASAH account and customs card are active and Safe Hands is authorised as the licensed customs broker. | Importer | ZATCA FASAH |
| 5 | Collect the commercial invoice, bill of lading or air waybill, certificate of origin where required, agency certificates and packing list. | Importer and supplier | ZATCA Customs Procedures Controls |
| 6 | Carrier lodges the manifest before arrival; Safe Hands files the incoming declaration with the 12-digit code, origin, value, Incoterm, freight and insurance. | Carrier; Safe Hands | ZATCA FASAH |
| 7 | Duty, 15% import VAT and the customs service fee are calculated on the declaration and paid. | Importer (funds); Safe Hands (submits) | ZATCA FASAH; SADAD |
| 8 | Risk selection (release, document check or examination), then delivery order, terminal charges, gate-out and delivery to the named place. | ZATCA and agencies; importer or forwarder | ZATCA FASAH |
SABER for your shipment
SABER is SASO's platform where product and shipment certificates are registered. What it means for goods you ship to us as your Importer of Record:
Who issues the SABER certificate?
For a regulated product, a conformity body accepted by SASO issues the Product Certificate of Conformity (PCoC), which is then registered on SABER. Certificates from bodies outside the Kingdom count only if the body is on SASO's accepted list. As your Importer of Record, we register the product and its certificates on SABER.
What does each shipment need?
A shipment certificate (SCoC) for every shipment: issued on SABER in 1–2 working days, valid for 90 days, SAR 350 excluding VAT. The PCoC costs SAR 500 excluding VAT on SABER and is valid for one year; the conformity body's own fees are quoted per HS code.
My product has no technical regulation. Does it still go through SABER?
Yes. A non-regulated product still needs product registration on SABER, an importer self-declaration and a shipment certificate for each shipment.
How do I know which approval my product needs?
From its 12-digit tariff line: the Required Procedures of that line in the ZATCA Integrated Tariff state whether it needs a SABER certificate, an SFDA release or another approval. Send us the HS code or a product description and we check it.
Sources: saber.sa (FAQs, services, non-regulated products, shipment certificate); SASO service catalogue; ZATCA Integrated Tariff. Checked 10 October 2026.
Where will your stock sit?
When your goods land, they either clear into the Saudi market straight away or wait under customs control. That choice decides when customs duty and import VAT are paid.
Duty-paid stock in Riyadh
We clear the goods on arrival. Customs duty (the rate of the 12-digit tariff line on the customs value), the 0.15% customs service fee and 15% import VAT are paid on the customs declaration. The stock is then free to sell and ships from our Riyadh warehouse.
Bonded storage
We arrange bonded storage through free-zone and bonded-port facilities. Import VAT is suspended together with customs duty while goods stay in a customs warehouse and falls due when they are released into the Saudi market; ZATCA may ask for a guarantee for that amount. Our licensed customs team clears each release.
How bonded storage worksSources: ZATCA Guideline on Imports and Exports under VAT (Second Edition, May 2026), sections 4.1–4.4 and 5.2; ZATCA customs service fee (from 6 October 2024). Checked 11 October 2026.
Store with us
Keep your stock in the Kingdom with the same team that imports and clears it.
- Storage in Riyadh: duty-paid in our warehouse, or bonded through free-zone and bonded-port facilities
- Pick, pack and order preparation
- B2B distribution across the Kingdom
- One partner from customs clearance to delivery
Frequently Asked Questions
What does DDP mean for a shipment to Saudi Arabia?
Delivered Duty Paid: the seller carries every cost up to the buyer's door, including freight, Saudi customs clearance, customs duty and 15% import VAT. The buyer receives cleared goods with nothing left to pay at the border.
Who is the importer on a DDP shipment into Saudi Arabia?
A party registered in Saudi Arabia must be named as importer on the customs declaration. That is either the Saudi buyer, using its own Commercial Registration, or Safe Hands acting as Importer of Record when the seller has no Saudi entity.
What does a Safe Hands DDP quote include?
Origin pickup and export documents, sea or air freight, SABER registration and certification handled end to end, the FASAH customs declaration, customs duty and 15% VAT, and delivery to your site. Storage in Riyadh can be added. Everything appears on one invoice.
How are customs duty and VAT calculated under DDP?
Customs duty is a percentage of the CIF value set by the goods' 12-digit line in the ZATCA Integrated Tariff; the GCC general rate is 5%, but Saudi Arabia applies many line-level deviations, so the live line governs. VAT is 15% of the CIF value plus duty. We confirm the exact rate from the HS code before shipping, so the DDP price holds.
What is the difference between DDP and DAP?
Under DAP the goods arrive at the agreed place and the buyer handles and pays the Saudi import clearance, duty and VAT. Under DDP the seller covers all of that, so the buyer receives cleared goods at a fixed landed price.
Does DDP cover SABER certificates?
Yes. SABER is part of the DDP job: we handle your SABER registration and certification end to end, covering the product certificate (PCoC) and the shipment certificate (SCoC), before the goods arrive.
What shipment sizes work for DDP?
Full container loads by sea (a 20ft container holds about 33 CBM), and commercial air freight for smaller or urgent batches.
How quickly can I get a DDP quote?
We reply within minutes on WhatsApp once we have the product and HS code, value, origin city, weight or volume, and delivery city.
Which Incoterms edition should a DDP contract name?
Incoterms 2020, the current ICC edition. Incoterms apply only when the contract adopts them, so name the rule, the edition and a precise place, for example 'DDP [named Saudi address] Incoterms 2020'. Source: ICC Incoterms 2020 (verified 5 Oct 2026).
Does the Incoterm change the Saudi customs value?
The Incoterm allocates delivery, risk, carriage and clearance tasks, but Saudi law sets the customs value at CIF to the Saudi border whatever term is used: on a DDP invoice, post-arrival transport, insurance and Saudi duties and taxes are deducted only if shown separately. Source: Customs Law Arts 2 and 26; Implementing Regulations Art 1 (verified 5 Oct 2026).
Can a foreign seller register for Saudi VAT and act as the importer?
Saudi non-resident VAT registration does not give a foreign seller a CR or 700 code, and the importer on the declaration must hold a CR, 700 code, Saudi ID or GCC ID. A foreign seller without a Saudi presence therefore uses a Saudi Importer of Record for DDP. Source: ZATCA VAT Imports/Exports Guideline s.4.2 (verified 4 and 5 Oct 2026).
When is DAP the better term?
DAP (or DPU if the seller unloads) usually fits a foreign seller delivering to a Saudi business buyer: the seller carries the goods to the named Saudi place at its risk, and the buyer, which holds a CR and 700 code, clears import, pays duty and VAT and recovers the VAT in its return. Where the buyer cannot import, a Saudi Importer of Record arrangement is used. Source: Incoterms 2020; ZATCA VAT Imports/Exports Guideline (verified 5 Oct 2026).
When is FCA a better fit than EXW?
Under EXW the buyer handles export clearance at origin, yet in many origin countries the exporter of record must be a local party: Egypt requires GOEIC exporter registration, India a shipping bill by the exporter with an IEC, and the UK an export declaration by the UK exporter or its representative. FCA, with the seller declaring export, fits these lanes. Source: Egypt Law 118/1975; India FTP 2023; HMRC export declaration guidance (verified 5 Oct 2026).
Which origins get lower Saudi duty on a DDP shipment?
Goods of GCC national origin, GAFTA (Arab) origin, EFTA origin (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) and Singapore origin, with the right proof of origin. Every other origin pays the MFN rate. A preference lowers only the duty, not the 15% import VAT. Source: GAFT list of trade agreements in force (verified 5 Oct 2026).
Does a 0% duty line still pay import VAT?
Yes. Duty-exempt or 0%-duty goods still pay 15% import VAT at clearance unless they fall in a VAT-exempt category such as qualifying medicines, qualifying medical equipment or investment metals. Source: ZATCA Imports/Exports Guideline s.4.3 and s.5.1 (verified 4 Oct 2026).
What exactly is in the import VAT base?
The customs value (transaction value plus freight and insurance to the place of import) plus excise tax, customs duty and any other charges on the declaration, excluding VAT. ZATCA calculates it automatically on the declaration, including its own service fee. Source: GCC VAT Agreement Art 28(1) as quoted in ZATCA's Imports Guideline s.4.4 (verified 4 Oct 2026).
Can a DDP shipment clear if a document is still missing?
A missing document, including the original invoice, does not stop clearance: goods can be released against a cash or bank guarantee or a written undertaking, with the document due within 90 days. Source: ZATCA Customs Procedures Controls Arts 3(4) and 5(2) (verified 4 Oct 2026).
Sources
- ICC Incoterms 2020 — current edition and how the rules apply (verified 5 Oct 2026)
- Saudi Customs Law Arts 2 and 26 and Implementing Regulations Art 1 — importer and CIF customs value by Incoterm (verified 5 Oct 2026)
- ZATCA VAT Imports/Exports Guideline — importer requirements, VAT base, VAT-exempt imports (verified 1 and 4 Oct 2026)
- VAT Law Art 2 and GCC VAT Agreement Art 28(1) — 15% rate and import VAT base (verified 4 Oct 2026)
- ZATCA Customs Procedures Controls Arts 3 and 5 — certificate of origin and late documents (verified 4 and 5 Oct 2026)
- GAFT list of trade agreements in force — FTA preferences at the Saudi border (verified 5 Oct 2026)
- ZATCA Integrated Tariff — 12-digit duty lines and required procedures (verified 1 Oct 2026)
- SASO SABER (saber.sa) — PCoC, SCoC, importer account (verified 30 Sep 2026)
- GOEIC; India DGFT Foreign Trade Policy 2023; HMRC — exporter-of-record rules in Egypt, India and the UK (verified 5 Oct 2026)
Duty is set per 12-digit tariff line and rules change; we confirm the live line for your product before quoting.
Get a DDP price to your door
Send the product, HS code, value, origin and delivery city. We reply within minutes on WhatsApp.