Shipping auto spare parts from China to Iraq

Today we move auto parts from China to the UAE by sea, typically 18–30 days door to door via Khor Fakkan, hold them duty-suspended in a UAE free zone and prepare the re-export papers; our own trucking into Iraq from Kuwait and Turkey is coming next, not yet running, so the onward leg is advised case by case. In Iraq, vehicle spare parts need a COSQC Certificate of Conformity before loading, and duty is charged by HS code through ASYCUDA. Every Iraq shipment passes our compliance check before we quote.

At a glance

How it works

1. Compliance checkWe review the parts, HS codes, importer, end user and payment route first.
2. COSQC certificateThe supplier or buyer books inspection with a COSQC-authorised body and obtains the CoC before loading.
3. Consolidation in GuangzhouParts from several suppliers are counted, photographed and loaded together, with dangerous goods declared separately.
4. Sea to Khor FakkanAs of November 2026 the vessel discharges at Khor Fakkan and the container moves under bond to Jebel Ali or a free zone.
5. Free zone and re-exportParts can wait duty-suspended in a free zone such as JAFZA; we file the UAE re-export or transit declaration.
6. Onward road legTrucks cross via Saudi Arabia (Batha to Arar) or Kuwait (Abdali to Safwan) with transit documents, on a route our team advises.
7. Iraqi clearanceThe Iraqi importer's licensed broker files the ASYCUDA declaration, and duty is paid in advance through the banking link.

What we run now and what comes next

Golden Way runs the China to UAE leg today: pickup and consolidation in China, export clearance, sea freight to Khor Fakkan, bonded transit to Jebel Ali, free zone storage and UAE re-export or transit paperwork. Our own road service from Kuwait and Turkey to Baghdad and Basra is coming next and is not yet running, so for the leg into Iraq our team advises the best available option per shipment. Options used in 2026 include trucks from the UAE through Saudi Arabia or Kuwait, transit via Jeddah, Aqaba to Trebil, and Mersin to Habur and Ibrahim Khalil for Erbil and Duhok. Direct calls at Umm Qasr are limited because the port lies inside the Gulf.

COSQC conformity for spare parts

Iraq's Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control (COSQC) runs a pre-shipment inspection and certification programme. Vehicle spare parts and tyres are on its list of regulated products, so every consignment needs a Certificate of Conformity from a COSQC-authorised inspection body before it is loaded. The application usually includes a request form, proforma invoice, product data sheets, test reports and the certificate of origin; regular exporters can register products to reduce per-shipment work. Without a CoC, goods can be delayed, tested at the border or sent back, so plan for one for any Iraqi destination, including the Kurdistan Region.

Duty, valuation and payment in Iraq

Iraq is not in the GCC. Duty is charged per HS line under the federal tariff, about 0.5%–30%, through ASYCUDA, and fixed container fees at Umm Qasr were replaced by item-based duty in January 2026. Customs uses the invoice value or its own reference value, whichever is higher, so list every part with its HS code, part number, quantity and unit price. There is no VAT on imports, but tax deposits are collected at the border. From 1 October 2026 import funds sit in a licensed Iraqi bank and are released only after estimated duties are paid. Only a registered Iraqi company or trader can be the importer.

Batteries, counterfeits and common mistakes

Wet lead-acid car batteries are Class 8 corrosives, lithium packs are Class 9, and airbags and aerosols are dangerous goods too; each needs an SDS, a DG declaration and carrier approval, and several lines suspended DG to Gulf ports in 2026. Counterfeit parts are banned in Iraq and the UAE, and China Customs checks exports against recorded trademarks, so carmaker brands need authorisation. Other frequent errors are mixed loads declared simply as spare parts, under-valued invoices, which ASYCUDA reference prices catch, and shipping regulated parts before the CoC is issued. We never ship with lower values or vague descriptions.

Checklist before you book

• Compliance check completed: goods, parties, end user, payment route
• COSQC Certificate of Conformity issued before loading
• HS code, part number, quantity and unit price on every invoice line
• Certificate of origin, legalised as the Iraqi broker confirms
• SDS and DG declaration for batteries, airbags and aerosols
• Brand authorisation for any carmaker trademark
• Iraqi importer's bank ready for advance duty payment
• Transit documents and TIR carnet for the road leg

Questions

Read next

General information checked against the sources below. Our team confirms the route, papers and timing for your shipment before booking; prices are quoted per shipment.

Sources

1. Iraq Ministry of Finance: ASYCUDA project page
2. Intertek: Pre-inspection, testing and Certificates of Conformity for goods imported into Iraq (COSQC regulated products)
3. Chamber International: Iraq Conformity Assessment Programme, updates for exporters (Jan 2025)
4. Shafaq News: Explainer on Iraq's updated customs tariffs (Decision 957/2025)
5. Iraq Business News: New customs rules in force at Umm Qasr Port (Jan 2026)
6. Channel8: Iraq approves ASYCUDA-based advance customs tax collection from October (2026)
7. Hapag-Lloyd: Update on transit shipments via Jeddah to the Upper Gulf including Iraq (Aug 2026)
8. IMO: International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code