How to import dates to the UAE (2026)

Last reviewed: 2026-09-24

Quick answer

HS code: 0804 — Dates, figs, pineapples, avocados, mangoes
Customs duty: 0% customs duty — duty-free under the GCC unified tariff
VAT: 5% on the value incl. duty
Excise: Not applicable
Certificates required: Health certificate from the country of origin
Registration route in Dubai: ZAD — national food product registration → FIRS — Food Import & Re-export System

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Notes specific to this product

Dates sit in the fruit heading (HS 0804) that GCC tariff guidance lists as duty-free; packaged dates products and date syrups may fall under different headings.

Steps in order (Dubai, imported)

1
ZAD — national food product registration — Ministry of Climate Change & Environment (MOCCAE)
Register every food SKU (brand × product × size × barcode) once, federally, before it is handled in the UAE. Local authorities read this record.
https://www.moccae.gov.ae/
2
FIRS — Food Import & Re-export System — Dubai Municipality — Food Safety Department
Register your establishment, get the label assessed, register each food item, then file an import application before the shipment lands. Food does NOT go through Montaji — that is an outright rejection.
Fees: Official DM fees reported at AED 10 application + AED 100–220 certificate (≈ AED 110–240 per product variant)
Timeline: Consultants report 2–4 weeks; 22 working days is the commonly quoted standard
https://www.dm.gov.ae/

Certificates required

MandatoryHealth certificate from the country of origin

Required for imported food consignments at port clearance (issued or endorsed by the exporting country's competent authority).

Reported fees: Set by the exporting authority (usually nominal).

Not requiredECAS / EQM conformity certificate

Not on the mandatory list for this family as of the review date — product registration + Arabic label are the gate, not a conformity certificate. Re-check MoIAT if the formulation is unusual.

Document checklist

Valid UAE trade licence with a matching activity (e.g. foodstuff trading, general trading, cosmetics trading)
Final label artwork — Arabic mandatory (not smaller than the English), all panels
Clear photos of the finished product (front, back, sides)
Full ingredient / composition list in descending order, with additives by name or E-number
Product barcode (GS1)
Shelf life and storage conditions
Manufacturer details and authorisation / appointment letter naming you as importer or distributor
Health certificate issued or endorsed by the competent authority in the country of origin (imported food)
For each shipment: commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, bill of lading / airway bill
Certificate of Analysis or lab test report from an accredited laboratory
Evidence for every claim on the pack (nutrition, health, organic, halal)

Most common rejection reasons

Arabic text missing, machine-translated, or smaller than the English
Trade licence activity does not cover the product
Shipped label differs from the registered artwork
Production/expiry dates not printed on the original label or in the wrong format
Importer name and address missing from the label
Wrong portal — food submitted through Montaji is rejected outright
An ingredient or additive not permitted, or not declared with its E-number
Net quantity not in metric units, or country of origin missing
Health or therapeutic claims on a food or supplement without evidence (or that push it into the EDE route)

Label requirements

Under UAE.S 9 (GSO 9) the following must appear in Arabic:

Product name
Ingredients
Production and expiry dates
Storage conditions
Nutrition facts
Plus: net content in metric units, country of origin and importer name

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Landed-cost example (illustrative shipment)

Goods 20,000.00 + freight 2,500.00 + insurance 200.00 + local costs 3,000.00 AED

CIF	22,700.00 AED
Customs duty (0%)	0.00 AED
Local costs	3,000.00 AED
Landed cost ex-VAT	25,700.00 AED
VAT 5%	1,135.00 AED
Incl. VAT	26,835.00 AED

Uplift on goods value: 28.5%

Illustrative planning figures, not a customs valuation. Adjust the numbers in the calculator.

Frequently asked

Is there customs duty on dates imported to the UAE?

0% customs duty — duty-free under the GCC unified tariff. HS heading 0804 (Dates, figs, pineapples, avocados, mangoes). VAT of 5% is charged on top of the value including duty.

Which portal registers dates in Dubai?

Steps in order: ZAD — national food product registration → FIRS — Food Import & Re-export System. Food is not registered through Montaji — that submission is rejected.

Do I need an ECAS, EQM or halal certificate for dates?

Mandatory: Health certificate from the country of origin.

Guidance built from official sources and consultant-reported figures where marked; the competent authority is the final reference and fees change.

Sources (reviewed 2026-09-24): Dubai Municipality — Montaji portal · Dubai Municipality — food safety & FIRS · ADAFSA — Guide No. 1 (2024) for food importers & exporters · MOCCAE — ZAD national food registration; feed import permits · MoIAT — ECAS/EQM schemes; halal certification bodies register · Emirates Drug Establishment — supplement import permit · UAE Government portal — food safety · Fee figures as reported in Shuraa's 2026 product-registration guide · Supplement MoHAP-vs-DM criteria as reported by Nextmove (2026)