Dubai Customs business code: how to get it and renew it

What is a Dubai Customs business code?

A business code is the unique number Dubai Customs gives your company when you register with it. Many importers call it an import code or a customs code. Registration is what lets your company deal with Dubai Customs, so get the code before your first shipment arrives. You apply online through the Dubai Trade portal.

How to get a Dubai Customs business code, step by step

Any business licensed in the UAE or another GCC state can register. Dubai Trade lists the completion time for the service as one working day.

• Go to the Dubai Trade portal and open Request Business Registration under Dubai Customs
• Choose a new registration and enter your licence details, business address and activities
• Upload the required documents
• Pay the service fee
• Receive an email with your company registration and your customs code

What you need before you start

Have these ready for a new registration. The business type you choose must match the activities on your licence.

• Copy of a valid trade licence
• Passport copy of the authorised person
• Emirates ID copy
• Undertaking letter, for professional companies only

How do you renew a Dubai Customs business code?

Renew your trade licence first. Dubai Customs ties the business code to the licence, and you can ask for a renewal only after the licensing authority has renewed the licence. Then open the same Request Business Registration service on Dubai Trade, choose renew and upload a copy of the new licence.

Common problems

Check these before you apply and before your first shipment.

• The trade licence has expired, so the code is no longer valid
• The business type chosen does not match the activities on the licence
• The cargo arrives before the registration is finished
• A staff member deals with customs without a Customs Representative ID, which is also issued through Dubai Trade

Where Gxpress fits

Once you have your code, Gxpress can clear your cargo. We hold our own customs broker registration with Dubai Customs, and we check your documents before the cargo ships.