Bahrain lets licensed commercial-complex warehouses hold imports worth BD10,000 or more under duty suspension for up to three years, from Oct. 2, 2026.<\/p>\n
Bahrain’s President of Customs has issued rules that let licensed warehouses inside commercial complexes hold imported goods worth BD10,000 or more without paying customs duty, in force from Oct. 2, 20261<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The measure is Decision No. 1 of 2026, published in Bahrain’s Official Gazette, issue 3908, on Oct. 1, 20261<\/a><\/sup>. It sets out the rules and conditions for storing goods in private warehouses of commercial complexes under customs duty suspension.<\/p>\n In short, a commercial complex in Bahrain can now run its own customs warehouse. Goods worth at least BD10,000 on arrival can sit there for up to three years before any duty is paid, but only with a customs licence and under customs supervision.<\/p>\n The decision creates a new kind of storage place: the private warehouse of a commercial complex<\/strong>1<\/a><\/sup>. Owners of goods deposit their goods in this warehouse inside the complex. They can store the goods and dispose of them, with the approval of the customs clearance office.<\/p>\n The goods are held under duty suspension<\/strong>, which means the customs duty is not collected while the goods stay in the warehouse. Bahrain Customs already uses this idea in its ordinary customs warehouses, where goods may be stored without paying the customs duty that is due2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The decision was signed by Shaikh Ahmed bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the President of Customs, on Oct. 1, 20261<\/a><\/sup>. Bahrain Customs Affairs sits within the Ministry of Interior2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n Only goods of a certain value qualify. Their value on arrival in Bahrain must be BD10,000 or more<\/strong>1<\/a><\/sup>. Shipments below that value are outside the definition of this warehouse.<\/p>\n The decision does not list product types or tariff codes. It speaks of "different goods", and it says the warehouse must be built to receive them and keep them safe1<\/a><\/sup>. The goods must also meet all the conditions of the GCC Unified Customs Law, the shared customs law of the Gulf Cooperation Council states1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n Bahrain’s ordinary warehouse rules add two limits. Restricted goods need approvals and permits from the competent authorities, and goods that are banned under national law cannot be stored in a customs warehouse2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The decision names three parties. The operator<\/strong> is the body that invests in and runs the warehouse1<\/a><\/sup>. The supervising office is the General Directorate of Clearance and Customs Services, the part of customs that clears goods1<\/a><\/sup>. The customs department itself approves any longer storage period1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The operator carries the main legal weight. It is responsible for the goods<\/strong> deposited with it, under the GCC Unified Customs Law and the decisions issued under it1<\/a><\/sup>. Towards customs, the operator takes the place of the goods owners in all their obligations for storing those goods1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n In practice, this means customs deals with the warehouse operator, not with each owner. If duty or fees fall due, customs can look to the operator.<\/p>\n The operator must meet six conditions before the warehouse starts work1<\/a><\/sup>:<\/p>\nWhat does Bahrain’s Decision No. 1 of 2026 do?<\/h2>\n
Which goods qualify for the commercial-complex warehouses?<\/h2>\n
Who runs the warehouse and who supervises it?<\/h2>\n
What must an operator do before opening?<\/h2>\n
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Conditions before a warehouse opens<\/h4>\n