How to import detergents & disinfectants to the UAE (2026)

Last reviewed: 2026-09-24

Quick answer

HS code: 3402 — Detergents & washing preparations
Customs duty: 5% customs duty on the CIF value (GCC standard rate)
VAT: 5% on the value incl. duty
Excise: Not applicable
Certificates required: No mandatory conformity certificate — product registration and the Arabic label are the gate
Registration route in Dubai: Montaji → ECAS / EQM conformity assessment

Where do I register?Certificate checker Calculate with your numbers Request a quote

Steps in order (Dubai, imported)

1
Montaji — Dubai Municipality — Consumer Products Safety
Register cosmetics, personal care, health supplements, detergents/disinfectants and pet food sold in Dubai. One application per product variant.
Fees: AED 10 application + AED 220 certificate issuance (official DM fees; per variant)
Timeline: Consultants report 2–6 weeks by category (skincare 2–4, fragrances 3–6)
https://montaji.dm.gov.ae/
2
ECAS / EQM conformity assessment — Ministry of Industry & Advanced Technology (MoIAT) — formerly ESMA
Detergents and disinfectants have UAE technical regulations; check whether your formulation type needs ECAS conformity in addition to municipal registration.
https://www.moiat.gov.ae/

Certificates required

ConditionalECAS — Emirates Conformity Assessment Scheme certificate

Household detergents and disinfectants have UAE technical regulations; conformity is commonly required alongside municipal registration — confirm your formulation type (liquid, powder, biocide).

Official fees: MoIAT published fees: AED 600 registration request + AED 620 technical review per certificate + AED 500 certificate issuance (≈ AED 1,720), plus AED 2,500 per assessor-day if a site assessment is required. Notified-body testing/audit fees are quoted separately.

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
Safety Data Sheet (SDS/MSDS) for the formulation
Certificate of Analysis or lab test report from an accredited laboratory
Free Sale Certificate from the country of origin
GMP / ISO certificate of the manufacturing site
For each shipment: commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, bill of lading / airway bill

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
Importer name and address missing from the label
An ingredient or additive not permitted, or not declared with its E-number
Health or therapeutic claims on a food or supplement without evidence (or that push it into the EDE route)

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 (5%)	1,135.00 AED
Local costs	3,000.00 AED
Landed cost ex-VAT	26,835.00 AED
VAT 5%	1,191.75 AED
Incl. VAT	28,026.75 AED

Uplift on goods value: 34.2%

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

Frequently asked

Is there customs duty on detergents & disinfectants imported to the UAE?

5% customs duty on the CIF value (GCC standard rate). HS heading 3402 (Detergents & washing preparations). VAT of 5% is charged on top of the value including duty.

Which portal registers detergents & disinfectants in Dubai?

Steps in order: Montaji → ECAS / EQM conformity assessment.

Do I need an ECAS, EQM or halal certificate for detergents & disinfectants?

Conditional: ECAS — Emirates Conformity Assessment Scheme certificate.

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)