Shipping from China to Amman
China โ Amman ยท via AMM air / Aqaba sea ยท clearance by Jordan Customs Department
Amman is capital holding most of the national market, and it is served through AMM air / Aqaba sea. That combination is what actually sets your delivery date on this lane โ allow +1 day for the inland leg on top of clearance.
Clearance itself is handled by Jordan Customs Department, and typical dwell at the gateway runs 3โ8 days.
How this lane actually runs
Aqaba is Jordan's only seaport and also the transit gateway for cargo continuing to Iraq and, historically, the wider Levant. The Aqaba Special Economic Zone offers reduced duty for goods consumed inside it, which is worth checking before assuming standard rates apply.
| Air gateways used | AMM (Amman Queen Alia) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 3โ6 business days |
| Sea gateways used | Aqaba |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 20โ28 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Amman | AMM air / Aqaba sea |
| Inland leg to Amman | +1 day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 3โ8 days |
| Peak season to plan around | SepโNov |
Import duty and tax position for Amman
Jordan Customs Department assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Amman consignees. Current regime: General sales tax 16%; customs duty 0โ30%, with a de-minimis position of JOD 200 for personal consignments.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: JSMO conformity for regulated goods; Arabic labeling for consumer products. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Jordan: Aqaba Special Economic Zone rules differ from the rest of the country. Transit cargo to neighboring markets needs bonded documentation. Arabic labeling required for retail goods.
Air, sea or overland into Amman?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| โ๏ธ Air Freight | 3โ6 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| ๐ข Sea Freight | 20โ28 calendar days | volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed |
Transit shown is China departure to the Jordan gateway and excludes the +1 day inland leg to Amman and 3โ8 days of clearance.
What to sort out before the cargo leaves China
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure โ it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Put the Amman delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
- Check the de-minimis position (JOD 200 for personal consignments) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (LรWรH รท 6000) โ the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
- Plan around the China-side windows too: Chinese New Year and Golden Week both compress capacity on the Jordan lane.
Mode guides for Amman
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Amman take?
China to the Jordan gateway is 3โ6 business days by air, 20โ28 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 3โ8 days of clearance with Jordan Customs Department and a +1 day inland leg to Amman.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Amman?
Jordan Customs Department applies: General sales tax 16%; customs duty 0โ30%. The de-minimis position is JOD 200 for personal consignments. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Amman.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Amman?
Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965โ970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via AMM (Amman Queen Alia). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.
What certification do I need for Jordan?
For regulated goods, plan for: JSMO conformity for regulated goods; Arabic labeling for consumer products. Missing conformity paperwork is the single most common cause of a hold, and in most cases it cannot be remedied once the cargo has arrived.
When is the busiest time on the ChinaโJordan lane?
Space and rates tighten around SepโNov, plus the China-side windows of Chinese New Year in January or February and Golden Week in early October. Book one to two weeks earlier in those periods.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for Amman?
We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight โ length ร width ร height in centimeters divided by 6000 for air โ and bill the greater of the two, rounded up to the next kilogram. Light, bulky cargo is almost always billed on volume.
Other delivery cities in Jordan
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Jordan change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling โ confirm the current position for your own HS code with Jordan Customs Department or your broker before you ship.
- Jordan Customs
- WTO โ Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IMO โ IMDG Code for dangerous goods by sea
- IATA โ Lithium battery shipping guidance (PI 965โ970)
- World Bank โ Logistics Performance Index
Page data last reviewed: 10 ๆ 2026.
Shipping by industry
This page covers the route and clearance picture for the destination. Packing, classification and the compliance step that actually holds a shipment depend on what you are sending โ these guides cover that by commodity.
- Salon Furniture Beauty, Personal Care & Wellness
- Sheet Metal Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Compressors General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Electrical Cabinets New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Flooring Building Materials & Construction Products
- Plastic Products Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Ceramic Tableware Glass & Ceramic Products
- Tableware Furniture & Home Products
- Display Stands Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Umbrellas Consumer Goods & Gifts
- Bearings Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Solar Panel New Energy, Power & Electrical
Checking the Jordan duty position yourself
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Jordan Customs Department against your declared HS code at the time of entry; where the amount is material, verify the current rate through ITC Market Access Map before committing to an order.
Classification drives everything downstream: the same carton can attract very different duty depending on the heading it lands in, and the structure those headings come from is the World Customs Organization Harmonized System. If your product sits near a boundary between two headings, resolve it before shipping rather than at the border.
For ocean cargo, restricted commodities move under the IMO's IMDG Code, and the container has to be declared and stowed accordingly. Batteries, flammables and corrosives all have a compliant ocean path; what causes rolled bookings is finding out about them after the container is packed.
If this is your first shipment into Jordan, the Jordan Country Commercial Guide covers the practical import environment in more depth than a rate page reasonably can, and it is written by a party with no stake in your booking.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Amman. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
What Is CBM? Sea Freight Volume Explained (Calculate Shipping Cost Fast!) — DDPCHAIN. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.
Customs clearance in Jordan
Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border โ plus who files the entry.
Jordan clearance requirements →