Kuwait’s General Administration of Customs runs a free tool on its website, the tariff search, that shows the duty rate for every line in the customs tariff. It is worth a minute before you order something from overseas or bring it back in your luggage. We tried it today; these are the steps as they appeared.
Steps
- Go to customs.gov.kw and, under the e-services menu («الخدمات الالكترونية»), choose the tariff search («بحث التعرفة الجمركية»). The search works in Arabic.
- You’ll see six boxes: section, chapter, heading, sub-heading, tariff line and description. Leave the code boxes empty and type the item in the description box («الوصف»).
- Press search («بحث»). A table appears with a rate column («التعرفة») and a description column.
- Read the rate next to the line that matches your item.
- Results run ten lines to a page; page numbers sit under the table.
What we got
- Perfume («عطور»): two pages, including liquid perfume, solid perfume and perfume preparations, all at 5%.
- Wristwatches («ساعات يد»): four pages, because the tariff splits watches by movement and material: gold, silver, platinum, set with precious stones. The first ten lines were all 5%.
- Phones («هواتف»): no results.
Search the way the tariff is written
The tool matches the wording of the tariff lines, not what you mean. If nothing comes up, try another form of the word, the material the item is made of, or a broader term. And read the whole line before relying on its rate: one product can be spread across many lines.
The rate isn’t the whole bill
The same site has a fee guide («الدليل الارشادي») listing service charges by type of entry point (air, sea, land or post centre), procedure and transport, with a category for parcels. Treat the tariff rate as a first estimate before you buy, not a final invoice.
Questions: Customs on 24955000, or WhatsApp 24955666, as listed at the top of its website.
Photo: a Kuwait One card with the State of Kuwait emblem and the name of the General Administration of Customs over a blurred air-cargo photo from Customs’ own materials.
Source: Kuwait Customs website, customs.gov.kw: the tariff search and the fee guide pages, both tested on 9 October 2026.
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