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Customs |
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Customs regulations exempt from duty most items carried by tourists,  including cameras, radios, hair-dryers, video equipment, etc. So far as duty allowances are concerned, you may carry up to 200 cigarettes or 200 grams of tobacco, and either one litre of spirits or two litres of wine. Modest gifts and other effects are exempt from customs duty.
Cars and electrical
appliances, from household goods to personal
computers and video cameras, are subject to duty,
which may be very high. If you intend to take
taxable goods with you when you leave, you should
ask the customs officials to enter details of
these goods in your passport to avoid paying
tax. Upon exit you will be asked to show that
your goods were tax exempted.
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| Animal Quarantine |
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 There are no regulations about bringing pets into Jordan, and the most you may be asked for is a certificate of health for the animal.
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Time |
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 Jordan is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. Daylight Savings Time occurs between April and October. |
Public Holidays |
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 Holidays in Jordan are either religious (Islamic or Christian) or celebrations of important events in Jordanian or Arab history. Non-Islamic holidays are fixed, while Islamic holidays vary according to the lunar Muslim calendar.
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Islamic Holidays |
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As the lunar Hijra calendar is 11 days shorter than  the Gregorian calendar, each year Islamic holidays fall approximately 11 days earlier than in the previous year. The precise dates are known only shortly before they fall, however, as they depend on the sighting of the moon.
* Eid al-Fitr : Also known as al-Eid al-Sagheer (the little feast). It is a three-day celebration that marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting.
* Eid al-Adha : Known commonly as the al-Eid al-Kabeer (the big feast). It falls at the end of the days of Hajj season (pilgrimage to Mecca). It commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim's offering of Isma'il for sacrifice. During these four-day celebration, families who can afford to slaughter a lamb share the meat with poorer Muslims.
* Hijra New Year: Islamic New Year
* Moulid al-Nabi: The Prophet Muhammad's birthday.
* Eid al-Isra waal Mi'raj: The feast that celebrates the nocturnal visit of Prophet Muhammad to heaven.
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Business Hours |
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Fri.'s & Sat.'s are the
weekly holidays were government offices, banks
and most offices close. Most businesses and
banks have a half-day on Thursday, and some
businesses and banks take Sunday as a half-day or a complete holiday.
Government departments are
open from 08:00 to 15:00 daily except Friday.
Banks are open from 08:30 to 15:00, and some
have recently introduced afternoon hours from
16:00 to 18:00. Small shops are open long hours,
from around 09:00 until 20:00 or 21:00, often
closing for a couple of hours in the
mid-afternoon. Most Muslim shop owners close
early or do not open on Friday, and Christians
follow similar rules on Sunday. However, the
markets and street stalls downtown remain open
all week long, and Friday is their busiest day
of the week. During Ramadan, the Muslim holy
month of fasting, business hours are shorter.
Museums are generally open every day except
Tuesday, but opening hours sometimes vary.
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| Electrical Current |
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Jordan's electricity supply
is 220 volts/50 cycles AC. Sockets are generally
of the two-pronged European variety, while a
variety of other sockets and plugs—especially
the 13 amp square three-pinned plug—are in use.
To be safe, bring a multi-purpose adapter.
American equipment requires both an adaptor and
a transformer. Most varieties of adaptors and
transformers are readily available in electrical
shops throughout Jordan. Electrical current in
Jordan is reliable and uninterrupted.
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| Tipping |
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 Many of
the best hotels and restaurants will add a
gratuity of about 10% to your bill. However, smaller establishments usually expect you to leave a tip in line with the service you received. Taxi drivers are generally not tipped, but it is customary to pay the nearest round figure to the price on the meter. It may be difficult to get change for a large bill, so carry plenty of small denominations and coins for taxis.
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Weights and Measures |
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Jordan operates on the metric system. Length is counted in meters, distances in kilometres, weight in kilograms and volume in litres. You may come across the measurement for land: the dunum. One dunum is equivalent to approximately 1000 square meters (10,760 square feet).
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| Credit Cards |
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 Credit cards
are accepted at most large hotels, restaurants, car rental companies and tourist shops. The most widely accepted cards are American Express, Visa, Diners Club and Master Card. You can also use your cards to draw cash (up to 500 JD's) at any bank linked with your credit card network. Only Jordanian bank account holders can use the automatic cash machines outside some banks in Amman and you should not attempt to use them.
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