Dubai Customs Code: How to Get Your Customs Business Code

A Dubai customs code is the Customs Business Code that Dubai Customs issues to a licensed company so it can submit customs declarations in its own name. You apply for it online on Dubai Trade under Request Business Registration. At the time of writing (November 2026), the official fee for a new registration is AED 100 plus a AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation fee, so AED 120 in total.

If you run a new Dubai trading company, get this done before you place your first order. A container that arrives before you have a code is a container waiting on paperwork.

What is a Dubai customs code?

It is the registration that lets your company deal officially with Dubai Customs. Dubai Customs' own FAQ calls it a Customs Business Code. It says a licence holder should obtain one, and that a declaration is then submitted using that business code.

You will hear other names for the same thing: customs client code, importer code, import code, Mirsal 2 code. Dubai Customs' service page describes the service as registering your business with Customs so you can transact officially and legally. Mirsal 2, the declaration system, is accessed through Dubai Trade.

The code is not your trade licence. It is not a VAT registration either. It is a separate registration that sits on top of your licence.

Who needs a Dubai customs code?

Any company with a Customs Business Code can submit a customs declaration, according to the Dubai Customs FAQ. The same FAQ says agents with a Dubai Economic Department Clearing and Forwarding (C&F) licence can also clear cargo for consignees. They need their own business code and authorisation from the owner of the goods.

Here is how that plays out for common set-ups:

If you are not sure which row you are in, ask Dubai Customs directly. Do not rely on a consultant's summary for a legal question.

What do you need before you apply?

Dubai Trade's registration FAQ lists the documents. Gather these first:

• A valid trade licence copy.
• Passport, Emirates ID, residence permit and labour card copies of the authorised person and the owner.
• An undertaking letter, if you are a clearing agent.

It is mandatory to register at least one owner and one authorised person. So decide now who your authorised person is. Pick someone who will actually handle customs matters.

One catch is visas. Dubai Trade has a help page asking whether you can register before the owner's and authorised person's residence visas are issued or stamped. It says you will not be able to proceed otherwise. That page is old and the answer was cut off in what we could see, so read the current version. If your visas are still in process, ask before you plan the first shipment.

How do you get a Dubai customs code? Step by step

The official process has three steps, listed on the Dubai Trade Request Business Registration page: submit the application, pay the fees, then receive an email with the company registration and the customs code.

Here is the route in the portal, as described on a Dubai Trade announcement:

1. Go to dubaitrade.ae and open Service Centre.
2. Choose Dubai Customs, then Request Business Registration.
3. Click New and fill in the company, owner and authorised person details.
4. Attach the documents from the list above.
5. Pay the service fee online.
6. Wait for the email with your company registration and customs code. Save it somewhere your whole team can find it.

Dubai Trade also hosts a user's manual for new registration on the same page. Open it if a screen does not match what you expected.

The Dubai Customs service page says the service is available around the clock. That is about when you can apply, not how fast it will be approved. We could not confirm an official processing time, so check the service page for the current figure.

How much does a Dubai customs code cost?

The official figures are small. Here is the Dubai Trade fee table:

Sources: Dubai Trade fee table and the new importer code announcement.

Some consultancy sites quote much higher numbers. Those do not match the official table. A consultant may charge for their own service on top, which is a separate decision. Fees can change, so check the Dubai Trade page on the day you apply.

What mistakes delay a first registration?

These are the ones we see most often when a new trading company gets stuck:

• Applying after the order is placed. Register while the supplier is still quoting. Not once the vessel is booked.
• Missing owner or authorised person documents. One expired Emirates ID or a missing labour card copy can hold the whole application.
• Visas still in process. See the visa note above.
• Wrong business type. Adding a business type later costs AED 100. Think about what you will really do: import, export, or both.
• Forgetting restricted goods. Some goods need approval from a restricted authority. Those approvals go in with your other documents before release.
• Letting the registration lapse. Renewal is AED 25 and needs a trade licence copy. Couriers also need an Emirates Post Licence. Put the renewal date in a shared calendar.

A hypothetical example. Say a new Dubai trading company gets its licence on a Monday and orders two containers of homeware that week. Nobody checks the customs registration. The goods are on the water before the owner's visa is stamped, so the application cannot move. The company now pays port charges while it sorts out paperwork it could have started earlier. Registering first avoids this kind of wait.

What do you do once you have the code?

Use it on every declaration you submit, or give it to your clearing agent along with a written authorisation. Keep the registration email and a copy of the code with your company records.

Then build a simple habit around each shipment. Keep the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or airway bill and any restricted-goods approvals together in one folder per declaration. If a broker asks for a document, you can send it in minutes.

If you handle many declarations, a tool can help with that. Quickship's Customs Clearance module is software for UAE and KSA customs files. It does not issue codes and it does not clear anything. Dubai Customs and licensed brokers do that. Check the module page for what it covers.

Finally, if you add a new line of business, such as exporting, amend your registration. Amendments are free unless you add a business type.