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Customs duty calculator for Bahrain 2026: duty and tax on what you import

Hani · Founder & Tax Data Researcher · ArabTaxCalc

Enter the value of the goods and the shipping cost to see the customs duty, any excise tax and the VAT you pay when a parcel or shipment arrives in Bahrain, and the full landed cost.

Short answer

Import VAT in Bahrain is 10%. Example: goods worth 188 Bahraini dinars (Standard GCC Common Customs Tariff duty, 5% duty) with 15 shipping: customs duty 5%: 10.15; VAT 10%: 21.32. So the full landed cost is 234 Bahraini dinars (16.7% on top of the price of the goods).

Your shipment

Leave 0 if you do not know it
Matters where a fixed duty per item applies

Customs rules in Bahrain

Valuation basis
Value of the goods + shipping + insurance (CIF).
VAT
10% on the value plus duty.
Small shipments
Since 18 May 2026, personal shipments and parcels worth 100 dinars or more are subject to customs duty and 10% VAT, and anything below that is exempt from both duty and VAT, under the amendments to the GCC Common Customs Law. The online shopping page on the customs website still states a 300-dinar threshold for the simplified declaration and appears not to have been updated.
Traveller allowance
Luggage and gifts accompanying the traveller are exempt up to 300 dinars, as are 400 regular or electronically heated cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco or 400 nicotine pouches, 50 cigars, 10 e-cigarettes and one e-shisha device. There are no restrictions on bringing in currency, but customs may ask for a declaration.
Cars
Customs duty 5% and VAT 10%. A decision of the Minister of Interior published in the Official Gazette (September 2022): imported used vehicles more than 10 years old from the date of manufacture may not be registered, with exceptions at the discretion of the authority.
Gold and jewellery
Gold jewellery 5% and raw gold 0% according to WITS/UNCTAD TRAINS data for 2023 (officially reported applied tariff), a secondary source, with 10% VAT added.

Common customs duty rates for individuals

CategoryRateExamples and notes
Standard GCC Common Customs Tariff duty5%Televisions (8528.72), games consoles (9504.50), clothing (Chapters 61 and 62), footwear (Chapter 64), bags (4202), perfumes (3303), cosmetics (3304), furniture (Chapter 94), toys (9503), watches (9102)
Smartphones, laptops and headphones0%Smartphones (8517.13), laptops (8471.30), headphones (8518.30)
Exempt staple foods0%Rice (1006.30), sugar (1701.99)
Common processed foods5%Cheese (0406.90), milk powder (0402.21), chocolate (1806.32), baked goods (1905.90), juices (2009.89)
Gold jewellery5%Jewellery and articles of gold (7113.19)

The exact rate depends on the item's Harmonized System (HS) code. The table covers the categories individuals buy most often.

Excise tax

ItemRateNote
Tobacco and tobacco products100%
Energy drinks100%
Carbonated and sweetened drinks50%Bahrain still applies the flat 50% rate; by Decree No. 22 of 2026 it ratified the amendment to the GCC Common Excise Tax Agreement that allows the tiered model, with no announced start date
  • The 100-dinar threshold is roughly 1,000 Saudi riyals, in line with parcel thresholds in the other countries.

Sources

  1. Customs Affairs: traveller exemptions
  2. Customs Affairs: online shopping
  3. Albilad: duties on shipments from 100 dinars
  4. GDN: new customs regulations
  5. GDN: ban on registering imported vehicles older than 10 years
  6. PwC: summary of other taxes in Bahrain
  7. Middle East Briefing: Decree 22 of 2026
  8. World Bank WITS: 2023 tariff data

Amounts in Bahraini dinar (BHD).

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate customs duty in Bahrain?

Customs value = the price of the goods + shipping + insurance. Customs duty = the customs value × the rate for the category of goods, then VAT at 10% on the value plus the duty.

Are small parcels exempt from customs duty in Bahrain?

Since 18 May 2026, personal shipments and parcels worth 100 dinars or more are subject to customs duty and 10% VAT, and anything below that is exempt from both duty and VAT, under the amendments to the GCC Common Customs Law. The online shopping page on the customs website still states a 300-dinar threshold for the simplified declaration and appears not to have been updated.

What is the duty-free allowance for travellers in Bahrain?

Luggage and gifts accompanying the traveller are exempt up to 300 dinars, as are 400 regular or electronically heated cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco or 400 nicotine pouches, 50 cigars, 10 e-cigarettes and one e-shisha device. There are no restrictions on bringing in currency, but customs may ask for a declaration.

How much customs duty is charged on cars in Bahrain?

Customs duty 5% and VAT 10%. A decision of the Minister of Interior published in the Official Gazette (September 2022): imported used vehicles more than 10 years old from the date of manufacture may not be registered, with exceptions at the discretion of the authority.

Other countries and tools

Customs in Saudi ArabiaCustoms in the UAECustoms in KuwaitCustoms in QatarCustoms in OmanCustoms in EgyptCustoms in JordanCustoms in IraqCustoms in MoroccoVAT calculator for BahrainVAT calculatorTax guide to Bahrain

Results are estimates based on common band rates. The final rate depends on the item's HS code and the customs valuation, and the courier may add clearance fees.

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