Shipping from China to Erbil, Iraq — Freight Guide [2026]
China → Erbil · via EBL air / Umm Qasr sea · clearance by General Commission of Customs, Iraq
Erbil is Kurdistan Region capital with its own customs handling, and it is served through EBL air / Umm Qasr sea. That combination is what actually sets your delivery date on this lane — allow +3 days for the inland leg on top of clearance.
The clearing authority is General Commission of Customs, Iraq. Historical dwell on this gateway is around 7–15 days, and it lengthens in Sep–Nov.
Duty, tax and clearance into Erbil
General Commission of Customs, Iraq assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Erbil consignees. Current regime: Customs duty 0.5–30% plus a reconstruction levy; regional variations apply in the Kurdistan Region, with a de-minimis position of No practical de-minimis.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: Certificate of Conformity (COC) issued pre-shipment under the Iraqi conformity programme is mandatory for most goods. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Iraq: A pre-shipment COC is mandatory for most commercial goods; cargo arriving without it faces heavy penalties. Security and route conditions affect inland delivery. Confirm which customs administration applies to the final destination.
Routing and transit on this lane
Umm Qasr is the sea gateway for federal Iraq, while the Kurdistan Region is more often served by air into Erbil or overland from Turkey and Iran. The two administrations apply customs differently, so the destination city changes the process — not just the trucking leg. A pre-shipment Certificate of Conformity is the single most important document on this lane.
| Air gateways used | BGW (Baghdad), EBL (Erbil), BSR (Basra) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 4–7 business days |
| Sea gateways used | Umm Qasr |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 20–30 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Erbil | EBL air / Umm Qasr sea |
| Inland leg to Erbil | +3 days from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 7–15 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Pre-shipment checklist for Erbil
- Confirm the consignee in Erbil can act as importer of record — General Commission of Customs, Iraq will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Check the de-minimis position (No practical de-minimis) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Plan around the China-side windows too: Chinese New Year and Golden Week both compress capacity on the Iraq lane.
- Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Iraq duty rate against it yourself.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
Air, sea or overland into Erbil?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| ✈️ Air Freight | 4–7 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| 🚢 Sea Freight | 20–30 calendar days | volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed |
Transit shown is China departure to the Iraq gateway and excludes the +3 days inland leg to Erbil and 7–15 days of clearance.
Mode guides for Erbil
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Erbil take?
China to the Iraq gateway is 4–7 business days by air, 20–30 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 7–15 days of clearance with General Commission of Customs, Iraq and a +3 days inland leg to Erbil.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Erbil?
General Commission of Customs, Iraq applies: Customs duty 0.5–30% plus a reconstruction levy; regional variations apply in the Kurdistan Region. The de-minimis position is No practical de-minimis. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Erbil.
Which port or airport does cargo for Erbil clear through?
Cargo for Erbil is routed via EBL air / Umm Qasr sea. Sea gateways for Iraq are Umm Qasr; air gateways are BGW (Baghdad), EBL (Erbil), BSR (Basra). We pick whichever gives the shortest total door time for your address.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Erbil?
Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965–970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via BGW (Baghdad), EBL (Erbil), BSR (Basra). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.
Can you deliver door-to-door in Erbil?
Yes. Delivery to a Erbil address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to General Commission of Customs, Iraq, and the +3 days inland leg. Confirm whether your consignee wants the goods at a warehouse, a marketplace fulfilment centre or a shop front, because the last-mile requirement differs.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for Erbil?
We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight — length × width × height in centimetres divided by 6000 for air — 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 Iraq
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Iraq change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your own HS code with General Commission of Customs, Iraq or your broker before you ship.
- General Commission of Customs
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IPPC — ISPM 15 wood packaging standard
- WCO — Harmonized System nomenclature
- IMO — IMDG Code for dangerous goods by sea
Page data last reviewed: July 2026.
Get a rate for Erbil
This lane is quoted per shipment rather than from a published rate card, because the landed cost depends on the commodity, its density, the conformity requirements above and the delivery point. Send the cargo details and we will come back with a full DDP figure.