Selling hospital beds and furniture in Egypt: a distributor and importer for hospital bed manufacturers
Last verified:
Hospital beds and operating and examination tables (HS 9402.90) pay 5% import duty in Egypt, 0% for EU, EFTA, UK and Turkish goods with proof of origin (Egyptian Customs tariff). They are Class I devices imported on an EDA import approval for each shipment, but bed-head units, medical-gas outlets and ceiling pendants from non-reference countries such as China or Turkey need a Free Sale Certificate from a reference country (EDA import guideline). Egypt imported US$8.25 million of medical furniture in 2024, with China the largest origin at US$2.59 million (World Bank WITS).
Buying in Egypt?
Hospitals, labs and clinics in Egypt can order from the UltraTeb online shop.
Go to the UltraTeb shopA manufacturer or exporter?
Supply your products to Egypt — and from there to Africa and the Middle East — with UltraTeb Market Access.
Apply — 2 minutesUltraTeb Market Access is a zero-upfront-fee route into Egypt's medical market: UltraTeb registers, imports, markets, stores and sells your product, shares the risk, and pays you when it sells.
What are the key facts for hospital beds and furniture in Egypt?
| Fact | Value | Source | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| HS codes | 9402.90 other medical and surgical furniture and parts: operating and examination tables and hospital beds with mechanical fittings (9402.90.00.20 of metal; 9402.90.00.90 of other materials) | customs.gov.eg | |
| Import duty (MFN) | 5% on hospital beds and operating and examination tables, on the CIF value. Non-medical hospital furniture (plain cabinets, chairs) falls under 9403 or 9401 at different rates, not checked | customs.gov.eg | |
| Import duty with a trade agreement | 0% for EU, EFTA, UK and Turkish origin with a valid proof of origin (EUR.1 or origin declaration), and under the MERCOSUR FTA. AfCFTA: 100% (group A) or 60% (group B) reduction. Serbia: 20–100% reduction depending on the line. GSTP: 10% reduction. A Tunisia-agreement import also needs proof that no similar Egyptian product exists. Goods from China, India, Korea, Japan and the USA pay the MFN rate | customs.gov.eg | |
| Import VAT | The customs tariff still shows 14% on 9402.90.00.20/90. Law 149 of 2026 (in force 29 July 2026) set 5% for medical devices used to provide a service, so a bed sold to a hospital or clinic that uses it is probably 5%. How the 5% is applied at import is not yet documented, so we confirm your product's rate before pricing | mof.gov.eg | |
| EDA route | Hospital beds and tables are non-sterile Class I devices: an EDA import approval for each shipment with a DoC or Free Sale Certificate, on the importer's EDA licence with the manufacturer added. The customs line itself requires EDA approval (rule ق4120). Whether electric beds are handled under the medical-equipment guideline, which requires a licensed maintenance centre, is not stated | edaegypt.gov.eg | |
| Typical class | Class I for hospital beds, stretchers and patient hoists; electric hospital beds are also Class I, under the EU rules EDA follows | health.ec.europa.eu | |
| Trap: bed-head units from non-reference countries | Bed-head units, medical-gas outlets and ceiling pendants from non-reference countries (e.g. China, Turkey) need a Free Sale Certificate from a reference country; a China-only FSC is not enough | edaegypt.gov.eg | |
| Trap: new units only | Used or demo equipment cannot be imported for sale; devices must be new and unused | edaegypt.gov.eg | |
| Local manufacturing | Yes. At least one established Egyptian manufacturer makes hospital beds, examination couches and pressure-care products and states ISO 13485:2016 and CE marking; other local producers likely exist but were not verified. Imported beds therefore face the local-product price preference in public tenders | state.gov | 2025 |
| Public-tender preference | An Egyptian product with more than 40% local content is treated as the lowest bid if it is within 15% of the lowest foreign bid, so imported hospital beds compete with that preference in UPA tenders | trade.gov | |
| Egypt medical furniture imports, 2024 (HS 9402.90) | US$8.25 million: China 2.59M, Germany 1.43M, Poland 1.26M, Turkey 0.88M, Netherlands 0.40M, France 0.28M | wits.worldbank.org | 2024 |
| Search demand we measured | 'medical equipment distributors' 1,600 searches a month, worldwide — a generic equipment term; no hospital-bed term was measured (Google Keyword Planner, UltraTeb measurement) | ads.google.com |
Duty and VAT display from the Egyptian Customs Authority online tariff (chapter 94); EDA rules from the EDA import guideline for medical devices. Trade values are Egypt-reported imports for the whole HS6 line (UN Comtrade data via World Bank WITS), including operating and examination tables. Last verified 2026-09-25.
Last verified:
What does it take to sell hospital beds and furniture in Egypt?
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Have the certificates ready
A CE (EU MDR) Class I self-declaration, ISO 13485:2016 and a Declaration of Conformity or Free Sale Certificate. For electric beds, an IEC 60601-2-52 test report is common technical-file evidence, though not a named EDA requirement. On the US route, an FDA CFG and classification letter.
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Get a reference-country FSC for bed-head units
Bed-head units, medical-gas outlets and ceiling pendants from non-reference countries such as China or Turkey need a Free Sale Certificate from a reference country — a China-only FSC is not enough.
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Import through a local holder
Your company is added as manufacturer on an Egyptian importer's EDA licence, and each shipment gets an EDA import approval. Everything must be new and unused: no demo or used units for sale.
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Clear customs and pay duty and VAT
5% duty, or 0% with a valid EU, EFTA, UK or Turkish proof of origin, then import VAT on the duty-paid value.
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Price for the tender preference
In UPA tenders a qualifying Egyptian product within 15% of the lowest foreign bid is treated as the lowest, so an imported bed needs a price or specification case that clears that margin.
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Sell to the right buyers
Public and university hospitals through UPA, Universal Health Insurance hospitals, private hospital groups, and university and military hospitals buying by tender.
Who buys hospital beds in Egypt?
- Public hospitals, university hospitals and Health Insurance, through UPA. Under tripartite contracts the Unified Procurement Authority (UPA) issues the purchase order and the requesting entity pays.
- Universal Health Insurance hospitals — 6 governorates in phase 1, and about 70 hospitals in phase 2.
- Private hospital groups and private hospitals.
- University and military hospitals buying by tender, and the state-owned distributor.
Do imported hospital beds compete with Egyptian-made ones?
Yes, and it is the first thing to plan for. At least one established Egyptian manufacturer makes hospital beds and examination couches, and in public tenders a qualifying Egyptian product within 15% of the lowest foreign bid is treated as the lowest (US Commercial Service). Egypt's imports on the line were US$8.25 million in 2024, with China, Germany and Poland the largest origins.
The regulatory side is the lightest of the equipment categories, because beds are Class I. So we look first at products where imports may have more room: ICU and electric beds, operating tables and bed-head units are where we start, and the free market study checks your range against local prices before anything ships.
How does UltraTeb Market Access sell your hospital beds and furniture?
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Free market study and pricing
We check your beds and tables against local makers' prices and the tender preference, and price them for private hospitals and, where they can compete, UPA tenders.
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EDA import approvals
We add you as manufacturer on the importer's EDA licence, prepare the Class I DoC or FSC file, and flag which items — bed-head units, gas outlets, pendants — need a reference-country FSC.
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Import, customs, duty and VAT
The import approval before every shipment, ACI and CargoX coordination, clearance, and the duty and VAT paid by us. We tell you which origin document gets EU, EFTA, UK or Turkish goods in at 0%, and we confirm whether the 5% VAT rate applies.
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Warehousing by serial number
Beds, tables and parts stored and tracked by serial number, with your stock visible to you at all times.
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Marketing and distribution
Arabic and English product pages on shop.ultrateb.com and campaigns once EDA advertising approval is in place, our sales team calling on private hospitals and hospital groups, and bids in UPA tenders where your product can compete.
“A hospital bed is a long sale and a heavy shipment. We take on both at our own cost, and we are paid when your beds sell.” — Mohamed Dabees, founder, UltraTeb
Frequently asked questions
What import duty do hospital beds pay in Egypt?
5% on the CIF value for hospital beds and operating and examination tables (9402.90.00.20 of metal, 9402.90.00.90 of other materials). EU, EFTA, UK and Turkish goods enter at 0% with a valid proof of origin; goods from China, India, Korea, Japan and the USA pay the MFN rate (Egyptian Customs tariff).
Is the VAT on hospital beds 14% or 5%?
The customs tariff still shows 14%. Law 149 of 2026 set 5% for medical devices used to provide a service, so a bed sold to a hospital or clinic is probably 5%, but how the rate is applied at import is not yet documented (Ministry of Finance). We confirm your product's rate before we price it, because tender prices include VAT.
Do hospital beds need full EDA registration?
Beds and tables are non-sterile Class I devices, imported on an EDA import approval for each shipment with a DoC or Free Sale Certificate (EDA import guideline). Whether electric beds fall under the equipment guideline, which requires a licensed maintenance centre, is not stated, so we confirm it for your range.
Can bed-head units made in China be imported on a Chinese Free Sale Certificate?
No. Bed-head units, medical-gas outlets and ceiling pendants from non-reference countries such as China or Turkey need a Free Sale Certificate from a reference country. See EDA reference countries.
Can demo or used beds be imported for sale?
No. Devices must be new and unused; used or demo equipment cannot be imported for sale.
Are hospital beds made in Egypt?
Yes. At least one established Egyptian manufacturer makes hospital beds and examination couches, and in public tenders a qualifying Egyptian product within 15% of the lowest foreign bid is treated as the lowest. Imported beds need a price or specification case against that, which the free market study checks.
Who pays for registration, duty and VAT with UltraTeb Market Access?
We do. The EDA approvals, import, duty and VAT, storage and marketing are funded by UltraTeb, and you are paid when your goods sell.
Sell your hospital beds and furniture in Egypt — with zero upfront fees.
Send us your range and certificates. We check demand, local competition and the EDA route in a free market study, then register, import, store, market and sell. You're paid when we sell.