Iraq used household goods customs gives Iraqis arriving to live permanently special treatment: their personal effects, tools and used furniture are duty-free provided their estimated worth does not exceed 500,000 Iraqi dinars, a limit fixed by Iraq’s customs authority, certain groups of returnees get a wider exemption under a special decision, while the excess over that ceiling, and anything new, is normally dutiable by category and real value
The move itself is handled by Gulf International Shipping from any Saudi city: the truck passes through the Jadidat Arar crossing and the household reaches its governorate in about a week or less, after we draw up the inventory with the owner and show it to the clearing agent before loading. Prices begin at SAR 137 for a lone carton and SAR 2,300 for a bedroom, while a small flat’s contents start at SAR 3,220 and a whole apartment at SAR 4,140; Iraqi duty, if any, is paid separately.
We wrote this guide because much of what circulates about furniture customs in Iraq is exaggerated: adverts promising a full exemption to every returnee, others borrowing conditions from a neighbouring country’s customs law, and still others confusing the Arar crossing with crossings that are not on the Iraq route at all. Here is what is settled, who qualifies for the exemption, what gets charged, and how to prepare your inventory and papers so the truck clears without surprises.
In short
- General exemption: for Iraqis arriving to live permanently, on belongings and used furniture up to an estimated 500,000 dinars
- Wider exemption: for specific groups of returnees under a special decision, which can reach 10 million dinars plus one personal car
- What is charged: anything above the ceiling, plus new appliances and items, by type and actual value
- How it is assessed: an electronic customs declaration through a licensed agent, with duty on actual value at federal crossings
- Kurdistan Region: its own customs administration, a detailed English inventory and usually a full inspection
- Transport: by road through Jadidat Arar in 4–7 days, bedrooms from SAR 2,300
Route: your Saudi home → Jadidat Arar → Iraqi inspection → your governorate · Release: hours to one working day as a rule · Enquiries: 0568829975
Is used furniture exempt from customs in Iraq?
Yes, within limits. Iraq’s General Commission of Customs raised the exemption ceiling on personal effects, tools and household furniture for Iraqis arriving to live permanently to an estimated value of 500,000 dinars, after the old ceiling had become merely symbolic. “Estimated value” means what the customs valuer judges your used belongings to be worth, not what they cost new.
The ceiling is not large, a few hundred dollars at the approximate exchange rate, but in practice it covers a fair amount of used furniture when each item is valued in its real condition: a wardrobe that is several years old, a well-used sofa, kitchenware, clothes and books. That is where an accurate inventory makes the difference. A list that describes items by condition and age helps the valuer reach a realistic figure, while a vague one invites higher estimates.
Going over the ceiling does not mean the shipment is refused; it means duty on the excess. International movers’ guides report that returnees who do not fall under a special exemption pay around 8–10% of the declared value in practice. Treat that as an indication drawn from experience, not an official rate; Iraqi customs makes the final assessment.
Who qualifies for the wider exemption for returnees to Iraq?
Alongside the general exemption there is a special decision for specific groups of returnees, covering, for example, holders of higher degrees and people who were forced to emigrate or leave Iraq in certain circumstances, provided they have lived abroad for at least a year and meet the other conditions. They are exempt from customs and other charges on furniture and personal effects up to 10 million dinars, plus one personal car.
This wider exemption is a special case rather than a general rule, and proving that you belong to one of these groups requires documents submitted to the relevant authorities. If you think you qualify, do not build your moving budget on that assumption until we have reviewed your papers with the clearing agent. Diplomats also receive special treatment under established practice.
Your personal devices
The Commission’s instructions state that used cameras, phones and laptops for personal use are not subject to the value limit for travellers. Even so, we list them clearly on the inventory, and we prefer that the owner carries them in hand luggage.
What duty is charged on new furniture and appliances in Iraq?
New appliances and unused furniture fall outside the used-belongings exemption and are charged according to their classification. Iraqi duties are tiered by type of goods: a general rate of 5% on many products, lower rates on some foodstuffs, and 15% on luxury and non-essential goods, cars among them. At the federal crossings duty is calculated on the actual invoice value, rather than on the fixed price tables used in the past.
In practice, if you bought a new fridge or TV a few weeks before leaving and packed it with your furniture, keep the invoice and list it on the inventory as a new item. A clear invoice means duty is based on what you really paid; without one, the valuation is left to the valuer. And if shipping plus duty comes close to what the appliance costs in Iraq, buying it there may be the better deal.
How is used furniture cleared at the Arar crossing?
The Saudi truck arrives at Jadidat Arar on a slot booked in advance on the Fasah platform and completes Saudi export formalities. The cartons and furniture are then normally shifted onto an Iraqi truck in the fenced yard between the two sides, and the licensed clearing agent files the Iraqi declaration electronically together with the inventory and supporting documents. An officer then inspects the load, opening a sample of cartons or more, checks them against the list and values whatever the exemption does not cover.
Release usually takes a few hours or a single working day, and runs longer on public holidays and when pilgrim and Umrah traffic through the crossing is heavy. The owner does not need to be at the border, since the agent acts under their authorisation, but the owner’s and receiver’s phones must stay reachable. Once released, the Iraqi truck continues via Nukhayb to Karbala and Najaf, then Baghdad and the other governorates. For more on the crossing and the exchange yard, read the Jadidat Arar border crossing.
The inventory: how to write it so the load clears quickly
The inventory is the document everything at Iraqi customs rests on, and we write it with you during packing, not afterwards. These are our rules for it:
- A number for every carton and piece: the number on the carton matches the number on the list, so the inspector can open any box and check it.
- Specific descriptions: “children’s clothes and shoes” or “glass kitchenware” rather than “personal effects” or “miscellaneous”.
- Condition and age: “used wooden wardrobe, about 6 years old” helps the valuer arrive at a realistic value.
- New items apart: a separate section for new appliances and items with their invoice numbers.
- Electronics with serials: type, brand and serial number for screens, computers and large appliances.
- Two languages for Kurdistan: Arabic and English if the destination is Erbil, Sulaymaniyah or Duhok.
Documents needed to clear returnees’ furniture in Iraq
- Owner’s identity: Iraqi passport or Iraqi national ID card
- Proof of residence in the Kingdom: a copy of the Saudi iqama, with the final exit visa or other evidence the residency is over
- Inventory: detailed, numbered and signed, and also in English for the Kurdistan Region
- Used-goods declaration: the owner’s statement that the furniture and belongings are used and for personal use, not for trade
- Invoices for new items: for any new appliances or items
- Special-group documents: for anyone claiming the wider exemption, proof of belonging to the qualifying group
- Authorisations: for the clearing agent, an electronic authorisation on Fasah, and an owner’s letter if someone else receives the goods
- Receiver details: a working Iraqi mobile number for the receiver or the owner
Furniture customs in the Kurdistan Region: what is different?
The Kurdistan Region has its own customs administration, and not every decision applied at federal crossings applies there, including duty on actual invoice value. In practice, if your furniture is going to Erbil, Sulaymaniyah or Duhok, expect a detailed English inventory with no vague entries, an inspection that may cover every carton rather than a sample, copies of the owner’s residence permit or visa, an owner’s authorisation letter on delivery in Erbil, and customs offices that are often closed over the weekend.
So we schedule Regional shipments to avoid arriving at the weekend, ask for the English inventory from the start, and let owners know that delivery usually takes a day or two longer than Baghdad. If a car is travelling with the furniture, the Region’s car rules are much stricter; we cover them in car shipping from Saudi Arabia to Iraq, including the Erbil specifics.
Myths about Iraqi furniture customs
- “100% exemption on all used furniture”: not true; the general exemption has an estimated-value ceiling and the wider one is for specific groups.
- Conditions like “two appliances and 50 m² of carpet”: these come from another country’s customs law, not from Iraqi instructions.
- “Clearance fees at the Nassib crossing”: Nassib lies between Syria and Jordan; road freight from the Kingdom to Iraq goes through Jadidat Arar.
- “Crossing into Iraq at Al-Haditha or Halat Ammar”: both are crossings between the Kingdom and Jordan, not Iraq.
- “The Saudi truck drives to your door”: the load is usually transferred to an Iraqi truck at the border, and the packing must allow for that.
What is banned or restricted in returnees’ belongings for Iraq?
Before sealing we review the cartons with you, because a single banned item can put the whole load under close inspection. These are the main categories Iraqi customs typically bans or restricts, and we verify any special case before closing up:
Approximate prices for moving returnees’ furniture from Saudi Arabia to Iraq
Gulf International Shipping’s moving prices start from the figures below, each one trimmed below the cheapest equivalent rate we could find from other Iraq movers. They include dismantling, packing, transport and unloading, while any Iraqi customs duty is paid separately:
Note: a household moved from the central and eastern regions arrives in 4–6 working days and from the Hijaz and Tabuk in 5–7 days, and Kurdistan or Basra deliveries need one or two extra days. Every other category, with its starting price, appears on our page shipping prices from Saudi Arabia to Iraq, notes included.
Air freight for returnees’ belongings to Iraq
Some of what a returning family needs should not wait for the truck or go through a full furniture inspection: original documents, the children’s school certificates, work tools and clothes for the first few weeks. Gulf International Shipping flies these out at SAR 41 per kg and up, landing at Baghdad, Najaf, Erbil or Basra, depending on the flights available on the day you book, most of them leaving from Jeddah, Dammam or Madinah. Your family usually receives them two to four days later. Remember that air cartons go through customs too, so we give them their own list, separate from the truck inventory.
Steps to move your furniture to Iraq without customs surprises
- 1Establish your customs status
Tell us whether you are returning to live permanently, whether you belong to a special group, and your governorate. - 2Decide what to ship
Separate what is worth shipping from what you will sell in the Kingdom, and compare large appliances with prices in Iraq. - 3Gather the papers
passport or national ID, iqama, invoices for new items, and special-group documents if any. - 4Packing and inventory
we pack, number and write the list with you on the same day, keeping new items apart from used ones. - 5Review with the clearing agent
we send the list to the agent before loading so you know the expected charges in advance. - 6Crossing and release
the truck crosses at Jadidat Arar, the declaration is filed, and inspection and release follow. - 7Delivery and assembly
your belongings reach your home and we check the cartons against the list number by number.
Why returning families choose Gulf International Shipping
Accurate information
We explain the exemption as it really is, with no promises of a full exemption that does not exist.
An inventory written with you
We number the cartons and write the list during packing, not after.
Reviewed before loading
You know the expected charges before the truck moves.
Iraq and the Region covered
From Basra to Duhok, with Kurdistan paperwork prepared in advance.
Check your customs position before you ship
Send us your governorate, your return date and photos of your belongings, and we will tell you what the exemption covers, the expected charges and the moving cost.
Related Iraq guides
- Furniture moving from Saudi Arabia to Iraq and land freight from Saudi Arabia to Iraq
- The Jadidat Arar border crossing and car shipping from Saudi Arabia to Iraq
- Shipping prices from Saudi Arabia to Iraq
- Customs clearance, international furniture moving and all destinations
