A practical, up-to-date walkthrough for businesses shipping goods into Jordan — what you will pay in duty and tax, how long clearance takes at Aqaba and Queen Alia Airport, the documents you need, and how the ASYCUDA customs system decides your inspection lane.
What an import actually costs
Landed cost in Jordan is built from three layers on top of your goods and freight. The base for tax is the CIF value — the cost of the goods plus international insurance and freight to the Jordanian border.
General Sales Tax (16%) is charged on CIF plus the customs duty — not on the goods alone. Certain electronics and appliances carry an additional Special / Qualitative Tax on top.
Customs duty by category (typical ranges)
| Goods category | Typical duty | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| IT / computers / many industrial inputs | 0% | Often duty-free, especially under trade agreements |
| Raw materials & machinery | 0–10% | Encouraged imports |
| General consumer goods | 10–20% | Most finished products |
| Vehicles, luxury & protected goods | 25–30%+ | Plus special taxes in some cases |
| Electronics & appliances | varies | May add 7–45% Special / Qualitative Tax |
Get the exact rate for your product
Duty is set precisely by HS code, not category. Use our live HS-code & duty lookup for the exact Jordanian duty and taxes on your specific goods, or Jordan Customs’ official ASYCUDA taxation simulation.
How long it takes
Transit time depends on origin and mode; customs clearance is a separate 2–5 business days once goods arrive — faster with complete, correct documentation, slower for regulated goods (food, medical, telecom) needing an approval body.
| Route & mode | Typical transit | + Clearance |
|---|---|---|
| Air freight → Queen Alia Int’l (Amman) | 1–5 days | 2–5 days |
| Sea freight (Asia) → Aqaba Port | 25–40 days | 2–5 days |
| Sea freight (Europe / Med) → Aqaba | 10–20 days | 2–5 days |
| Regulated goods (food / pharma / telecom) | — | + approval time |
Aqaba is Jordan’s only seaport and its main sea gateway; Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) handles the bulk of air cargo. Ranges are indicative for non-regulated shipments with complete paperwork.
The ASYCUDA inspection lanes
Jordan Customs clears declarations electronically through the ASYCUDA system. When your declaration is registered, it is assigned a lane that decides how much inspection happens:
No inspection — released on documents. The goal of clean, complete paperwork.
Document inspection — customs reviews your declaration and papers before release.
Full inspection — documents and a physical examination of the goods. The slowest lane.
Lane assignment is risk-based — accurate HS classification, correct valuation, a clean compliance history, and authenticated origin all push you toward green.
Documents you will need
Missing or inconsistent paperwork is the single most common cause of delay and red-lane inspection. A standard import file includes:
- Commercial invoice
- Packing list
- Bill of lading / air waybill
- Certificate of origin
- Importer card (valid)
- Insurance certificate (for CIF)
- Customs declaration (via ASYCUDA)
- Regulatory approvals (JFDA / JSMO / TRC) if applicable
Incoterms decide who pays for what
Under CIF the seller covers freight and insurance to Aqaba; under FOB you arrange main carriage; DDP means the seller delivers duty-paid to your door. Your Incoterm sets your CIF base — and therefore your tax.
Ways to pay less, legally
- Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZ): goods within the zone can be exempt from customs duty and GST where investment-law conditions are met.
- Free-trade agreements: Jordan has FTAs (US, EU, GAFTA and others) — authenticated origin can cut duty to 0% on qualifying goods.
- Correct HS classification: the right code can be the difference between 0% and 20% — worth getting exactly right.
Shipping into Jordan? We will handle the whole file.
Vertex Logistics arranges air and ocean freight, Aqaba and QAIA clearance, HS classification, and door-to-door delivery for importers across Jordan — clean documentation, green-lane focus, no surprises.
About this guide: published by Vertex Logistics Services, a Jordan-based freight forwarder and customs broker (Amman, since 2017). Figures are indicative for 2026 and simplified for planning; duty, tax, and procedures are set by Jordan Customs and change over time — confirm your specific case before shipping. Sources: Jordan Trade Portal / Customs (customs.gov.jo), ASYCUDA taxation simulation, PwC Jordan tax summary, Société Générale — Jordan customs regulations.