Dubai Customs announced on Thursday that it has extended the suspension of customs duties on goods imported for re-export, temporary admission, or transit by an additional 60 days, bringing the total exemption period to 180 days.
The extension applies to cases where the suspended-duty status was due to expire after February 27, 2026, with the new deadline now set at October 31, 2026. The measure covers three categories of goods: those imported for re-export, items under temporary admission, and cargo in transit in all its forms.
Dubai Customs said the decision aims to "reduce the financial and administrative burden on customers, keep supply chains running and support the smooth flow of trade amid current operational challenges." The authority had already extended similar deadlines in June through Customs Notice No. 12/2026, a move officials said benefited 6,613 companies and delivered more than Dh79 million in liquidity to 428 companies through installment payment options and an 80 percent reduction in penalties.
The latest extension comes as trading and logistics firms across the region contend with disruption linked to ongoing geopolitical tensions and rising operational costs. Trade analysts say measures of this kind give small and medium-sized enterprises additional breathing room to complete re-export or transit processes without facing immediate customs charges, helping preserve cash flow during a period of heightened uncertainty in regional shipping lanes.
Dubai, one of the world's major re-export and transshipment hubs, has repeatedly adjusted its customs policies in recent years to remain competitive against rival ports and trading centres in the region. The emirate's free zones and bonded warehouse networks are central to its strategy of positioning itself as a gateway between Asian manufacturing hubs and markets across Africa, Europe and the wider Middle East, and officials have signalled that further support measures for traders could follow depending on how regional conditions evolve in the coming months.