Oman overhauls its customs regulations: duty-free allowances, temporary admission, fines
On 2 August 2026, the Royal Oman Police published Decision No. 110/2026 in the Official Gazette, amending the implementing regulations of the GCC common customs law: new duty-free allowances, a revised temporary admission period and an updated fines schedule, in force since 3 August 2026.
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The Royal Oman Police (ROP), the sultanate's customs authority, had Decision No. 110/2026 published in Official Gazette No. 1659, dated Sunday 2 August 2026, revising the implementing regulations of the Gulf Cooperation Council's common customs law. The text, signed by General Hassan bin Mohsin Al Shuraiqi, Inspector General of Police and Customs, came into force the day after its publication.
The duty-free allowance for travellers' personal effects and non-commercial gifts is raised to 300 Omani rials, with a limit of 200 cigarettes; the allowance for postal parcels for personal use rises to 100 rials. Temporary admission of heavy machinery, where the equipment is not available on the local market, can now run for up to three renewable years, compared with six months for the general temporary admission of goods. Guarantees required on exempted goods may no longer exceed 20% of their value.
The schedule of administrative fines has been revised: from 50 to 1,000 Omani rials for routine offences, and up to one or two times the amount of duty evaded for the most serious breaches. The text also extends the acceptance of authenticated electronic customs documents for clearance, which should speed up processing at the ports of Sohar and Salalah.
What it changes for an importer
For an importer buying in China and clearing goods at Sohar, Salalah or Muscat, the main change is administrative: authenticated electronic documents are now accepted, which can smooth clearance, but the new fines schedule and the 20% guarantee cap call for closer attention on temporary admission files, for example for trade fair equipment or samples. Sorva checks with the Omani freight forwarder that each file is put together with the right documents before the container arrives.
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