Exporting an American SUV from the US to the UAE
The Gulf is the friendliest big-vehicle export market — light tax, strong demand.
By Sofia Berg, Customs & compliance writer · 6 min read
UAE duty and VAT are 5% each, among the lowest of any major destination.
GCC-spec cooling and AC matter more for resale than the modest tax stack.
The full cost breakdown
Plug in your own purchase figure — everything below the vehicle scales only modestly with value. All amounts are researched 2026 estimates in USD.
| Vehicle (purchase price) | $65,000 |
| Seller-side export documentation | $150 |
| Ocean freight | $2,600 |
| Marine insurance (~1.5%) | $975 |
| UAE customs duty is 5% of CIF | $3,429 |
| 5% UAE VAT | $3,600 |
| Customs broker & port handling | $830 |
| Type-approval / inspection | $2,500 |
| Inland transport & registration | $1,500 |
| Estimated all-in landed cost | $80,584 |
Compliance & the fine print
Vehicles should ideally meet GCC specifications; a US car is accepted with inspection and registration.
Frequently asked questions
UAE taxes?+
5% duty and 5% VAT.
Spec note?+
GCC heat-spec is valued in resale.
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