SPC and vinyl flooring supplier for the UAE: trade supply for Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Six UAE questions · Customs, free zones and project rules · Report scopes · SPC, LVT or dryback
Six questions UAE flooring buyers ask,
with direct answers.
What duty and VAT apply to vinyl flooring imported into the UAE?
Dubai Customs describes the general customs duty as 5 % of the CIF value for goods from outside the GCC, and VAT at 5 % applies to imports of goods. What applies to your order depends on the full tariff code, the import procedure and any exemption, so build the landed cost from CIF with your broker rather than from the FOB Shanghai quote. For flooring, subheading 3918.10 is the starting reference; check the current full code in the Dubai Customs HS code search. Your accountant confirms how import VAT is paid or recovered.
Should the container go to a free zone or to the mainland?
Free-zone entry, mainland release and re-export follow different customs procedures. Customs duty relief or suspension depends on the declaration and the movement of the goods. VAT is assessed separately: not every free zone is a VAT Designated Zone. Confirm the consignee, customs procedure and VAT treatment before booking, because the invoice, packing list and bill of lading must name the consignee.
Transit, re-export and movement of goods already customs-cleared into another GCC state also follow different procedures. Your broker confirms the declaration, duty treatment and any guarantee or proof required for the route. The destination country’s product rules apply on top, so name the final market in your enquiry.
Who clears the shipment at Jebel Ali?
The importer, or a customs broker acting for it. Any business that uses Dubai Customs services has to register with Dubai Customs, which is done online through Dubai Trade. We issue the commercial invoice and packing list for each shipment; quantities, weights and descriptions should match the bill of lading. If your broker needs a certificate of origin or another document, tell us before the goods are loaded.
Is a Bfl-s1 report enough for Civil Defence?
Do not assume it is. Fire performance of interior finishes in UAE buildings follows the UAE Fire and Life Safety Code of Practice, enforced by Civil Defence in each emirate, and the class a floor finish needs depends on the occupancy and where it is laid. Our EN 13501-1 report is a European classification for the tested build. Ask the project’s fire consultant which test standard and class the area needs before you specify the floor, then send that to us.
Does replacing a floor in a unit need approval?
Usually from the landlord or building management at least. In Dubai Development Authority areas, Circular 318 lists flooring replacement that does not affect structural elements, and stays within the building’s design loads, among works that need the landlord’s or facilities manager’s NOC instead of a DDA fit-out permit. Other authorities and master developers publish their own fit-out rules, which can cover floor build-up or impact sound. The fit-out contractor checks them for each unit.
Will the floor help with Al Sa’fat or Estidama?
Dubai’s Al Sa’fat and Abu Dhabi’s Estidama Pearl rating systems can include criteria for materials and indoor air. Which evidence a criterion accepts depends on the system, its version and the project, and the sustainability consultant decides. GREENGUARD Gold, the EPD and our test reports are separate evidence, each for the scope it states, and do not meet a criterion automatically. If the submittal names a certificate, tell us before we quote.
Importing vinyl flooring from China to the UAE:
who confirms each point.
An order for the UAE touches three levels: the product documents, the customs entry, and what the building, the community or the consultant allows. We answer for the first. Your customs broker and accountant handle the second; the fire consultant, the sustainability consultant, the landlord or master developer and the project specification set the third.
Construction, thickness, wear layer, click system, and test reports for fire, slip, stability and emissions.
Ecoflors documents, per buildTariff code, duty, import VAT, customs procedure for mainland, free zone or re-export, and documents matched to the bill of lading.
Importer and customs brokerCivil Defence fire requirements, fit-out NOC, Al Sa’fat or Estidama criteria, consultant submittal.
Consultant, landlord, developer| Topic | Position in the UAE | What it means for your order | What Ecoflors provides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customs duty | General duty described as 5 % of the CIF value for goods from outside the GCC; the rate depends on the full tariff code, procedure and any exemption. | The broker confirms the code and rate for the declaration; budget from CIF, not FOB. | Commercial invoice, FOB Shanghai. |
| VAT | 5 % VAT applies to imports of goods. | Your accountant confirms how import VAT is paid or recovered under your registration. | Invoice values and descriptions per shipment. |
| Importer registration | Businesses using Dubai Customs services register with Dubai Customs through Dubai Trade. | Register, or appoint a broker, before the vessel sails. | Invoice and packing list for each shipment. |
| Free zone | Free-zone entry and mainland release follow different customs procedures; duty relief or suspension depends on the declaration and movement. Not every free zone is a VAT Designated Zone. | Confirm consignee, customs procedure and VAT treatment before booking; documents must name the consignee. | Consignee details as you give them. |
| Transit and GCC re-export | Transit, re-export and movement of goods already cleared into another GCC state follow different procedures; the GCC customs union collects duty at the first point of entry. | The broker confirms the declaration, duty treatment and any guarantee or proof required for the route; the destination’s product rules apply on top. | Construction and test reports for the selected build. |
| Classification | Subheading 3918.10 is the starting reference for PVC flooring. SPC wall panels are classified separately. | The broker confirms the full tariff code for each construction and for wall panels. | Datasheet with the construction of each SKU. |
| Fire (Civil Defence) | UAE Fire and Life Safety Code of Practice; requirement depends on occupancy and location. | The fire consultant confirms the test standard and class before the floor is specified. | EN 13501-1 report for the tested build; not an assumed UAE equivalent. |
| Fit-out approval | DDA Circular 318: non-structural flooring replacement needs the landlord’s or FM’s NOC; other authorities set their own rules. | The contractor checks build-up, acoustic and approval rules per unit. | Total thickness per SKU on the datasheet. |
| Green building | Al Sa’fat (Dubai) and Estidama Pearl (Abu Dhabi) rating systems. | The sustainability consultant confirms which evidence a criterion accepts. | GREENGUARD Gold, EPD and test reports as separate evidence, each with its scope. |
Sources: Dubai Customs, frequently asked questions; u.ae, customs duty and tariff; ICP, customs union for GCC; Ministry of Finance, VAT; u.ae, running a business in a free zone; Federal Tax Authority, Designated Zones VAT guide; Dubai Customs, HS code search; Dubai Civil Defence, UAE Fire and Life Safety Code of Practice; Dubai Development Authority, Circular 318; Dubai Municipality, Al Sa’fat. General information, not tax, customs or fire-engineering advice. Last reviewed 5 October 2026.
Documents and their scope
For consultants, fit-out contractors and distributors: each report covers only the build that was tested. Before an order we check whether a report matches the SKU, thickness, wear layer, surface and plant, and tell you if it does not cover your build. The fire, slip and dimensional-stability reports below cover tested SPC samples. Certificates and declarations have their own stated scopes. For click LVT or dryback, send the build you are quoting and we check what covers it. Report and certificate numbers are sent on request with their scope. Datasheets and reports are in English.
| Scheme or report | Tested build or scope | Result or validity | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reaction to fire, EN 13501-1 (Intertek, July 2022) | SPC flooring, 4.0 mm total, 0.3 mm wear layer | Bfl-s1 | European classification for the tested build. Civil Defence acceptance for a given area is confirmed by the fire consultant. |
| Dimensional stability, ISO 23999 (Intertek, August 2022) | SPC 4.0 / 0.3 mm as described in the report, 6 h at 80 °C | 0.00 % mean; 0.02 % highest single value | EN ISO 10582 limit: ≤ 0.25 %. |
| Slip resistance, DIN 51130 (Intertek, August 2022) | SPC surface as described in the report | R10 · 12.6° | Tested surface only. |
| GREENGUARD Gold (UL 2818) | Click vinyl 3.2–7.0 mm; glue-down vinyl 2.0–7.0 mm | Valid to 7 January 2027 | Voluntary VOC scheme. The certificate includes 3.2 mm in its documented scope; 3.2 mm is not part of the current Ecoflors offer. Checked per SKU, build and plant. |
| EPD, EN 15804 (SCS Global Services) | SPC, LVT and PP flooring; European market scenario | Valid to 27 April 2031 | Voluntary; used in projects with environmental criteria. |
Reports and certificates are issued to the plant that makes the tested build. A report that matches your build supports the submittal; on its own it does not show that every UAE requirement is met. Scope details: SPC and LVT certifications.
SPC, click LVT or glue-down:
six flooring options in one enquiry.
In the UAE, “SPC flooring” and “vinyl flooring” are used for several different products. Ask every supplier to quote the same construction: core, thickness, wear layer, click system and backing. Thickness, packing and class are set per SKU on the product page and datasheet.
Plank with a rigid core of mineral material and PVC, a décor film and a wear layer. For apartment and villa ranges, offices and shops.
Flexible vinyl core with a fibreglass layer and a click joint on four edges, laid floating. Bare back, no attached underlay.
Thin flexible vinyl glued to a level substrate. For hotels, retail units, malls and offices with heavy traffic, and for herringbone.
SPC core in a tile format with stone, marble or terrazzo designs, for lobbies, showrooms, offices and shops where the fire consultant accepts the finish.
Heavy flexible vinyl laid without a click joint, so planks can be lifted and replaced. Whether a tackifier or pressure-sensitive adhesive is needed depends on the product, area, traffic and installation requirements.
SPC core with vinyl layers above and below, for a rigid plank with a vinyl underside.
On site: a floating floor needs a flat, dry, firm substrate; glue-down needs a level surface fit for the adhesive. Acclimatisation, site temperature during installation, moisture limits and expansion gaps follow the SKU installation instructions and the project specification. If the floor will sit in space that is not air-conditioned, or in strong sun behind glazing, say so in the enquiry and we check the instructions for that use.
Herringbone, surface, wall panels and private label
Each option is confirmed per build in the quotation.
Herringbone
Click formats at 110 × 610 mm and dryback herringbone, each with its own datasheet. A and B boards are packed as set out on the herringbone page.
Herringbone formats
Chevron
Ends cut at an angle so the boards meet in a continuous point. Sizes by construction and project.
Chevron formats
SPC wall panels
For interior walls, depending on the panel, backing and fixing method. Wall finishes have their own Civil Defence requirements, which our EN 13501-1 floor report does not cover; the fire consultant confirms them. Ask for floor and wall in one enquiry; the loading plan shows what fits in one container.
SPC wall panels
Private label (OEM)
Your brand, carton and label from 2,200 m² per custom design or colour, for distributors building their own range. Send the data the carton must carry; we confirm what we can print before production.
OEM and private label
Production line
SPC from our main factory in Jiaxing. Normal production is 35 to 40 days; the quotation gives the plan and loading date. The photo shows production, not a test result.
About Ecoflors| Topic | What we need from you |
|---|---|
| Construction | SPC, click LVT or dryback; total thickness, wear layer and click system if known |
| Quantity | m² per SKU and number of colours, or the project total if decors are still open |
| Use | Distribution stock, apartment or villa fit-out, hotel, retail, office or tender |
| Consignee | Free zone or mainland company, and the final market if goods are re-exported |
| Port and date | Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port or other; date needed at your warehouse or site |
| Project file | Fire class, acoustic, Al Sa’fat or Estidama evidence the consultant names |
| Cartons and labels | Importer details and carton content; private label or Ecoflors carton |
Step by step: importing SPC flooring from China.
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General information for trade buyers. Customs duty, VAT, free zone procedures, Civil Defence requirements, fit-out rules and green building criteria can change; confirm them with your customs broker, accountant, consultant or the relevant authority before each order. Test results apply to the samples tested; whether they apply to an order is confirmed by comparing the build, the SKU and the plant.