Importing a car from China to Saudi Arabia: full landed-cost guide 2026
Duties, VAT, who can import, what gets in, shipping — and the DDP price of 19 popular Chinese models in Saudi Arabia, computed by our rules engine with sources and verification dates.
Who can import and what gets in
- • Age limit 5 years
- • Who can import: Individuals are restricted (residents: one car per 3 years, no resale within 3 years); companies need a commercial registration (CR)
- • Pre-shipment inspection: SABER (PCoC + SCoC, done before shipment)
- • Fuel-economy shortfall penalty 20–50%
- • Expats: one car per 3 years, no resale within 3 years
Tax rules and sources
- Duty 5% (on value depreciated 10%/year, max 50%) + VAT 15% ↗ verified 2026-09-02
- Used cars ≤5 years (current year excluded; residents 1 car per 3 years, no resale within 3 years; premium residency 2 cars per 12 months) ↗ official 2026-09-02
- SASO/SABER certification; 20–50% penalty if fuel-economy standard not met (min SAR 20,000) ↗ verified 2026-09-02
GCC duty 5% (on depreciated value), VAT 15%; used cars ≤5 years old; SASO/SABER mandatory, 20–50% penalty if fuel-economy standard not met.
Popular models: DDP price in Saudi Arabia
| Model | Ex-works | DDP |
|---|---|---|
| BYD Seal 05 DM-i | $10,500 | $16,926 |
| BYD Song Plus DM-i | $14,500 | $21,780 |
| BYD Atto 3 (Yuan Plus) | $14,800 | $22,144 |
| BYD Seal EV | $21,000 | $29,668 |
| BYD Atto 2 (Yuan Up) | $11,500 | $18,140 |
| BYD Dolphin | $11,000 | $17,533 |
| BYD Sealion 7 | $22,500 | $31,489 |
| BYD Han EV | $22,000 | $30,882 |
| BYD Seal U (Sealion 6) | $17,500 | $25,421 |
| BYD Tang EV | $30,000 | $40,590 |
| Geely Coolray | $10,500 | $16,926 |
| Geely Xingyue L (Monjaro) | $17,000 | $24,814 |
| Zeekr 001 | $33,000 | $44,231 |
| Chery Tiggo 8 Pro | $15,000 | $22,387 |
| Changan CS75 Plus | $13,000 | $19,960 |
| GWM Haval H6 | $13,500 | $20,567 |
| XPeng G6 | $24,000 | $33,309 |
| MG4 EV | $18,000 | $26,028 |
| Tesla Model Y (Shanghai-built) | $30,000 | $40,590 |
Other countries
UAERussiaPortugal / EUKazakhstanKyrgyzstanNigeriaKenyaGhanaMexicoPoland / EUGermany / EUUnited KingdomGeorgiaEthiopiaCôte d'IvoireSenegalTanzania · Dar es Salaam
Indicative only: rates, freight and rules change. Every rule shows its source; verify before you commit.