Jordan Agency Agreement Legalization & Registration

Appointing and Registering a Commercial Agent in Jordan

Most U.S. manufacturers reach Jordanian customers through a local agent or distributor. Jordan’s commercial agency rules expect agents representing foreign principals to be Jordanian individuals or companies registered with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply, and the agency agreement is filed with that registration. Before the Ministry will record it, a U.S.-signed agreement needs authentication in the U.S. and legalization by the Embassy of Jordan.

Why registration matters

A registered agency gives the agent standing to represent your products with Jordanian authorities, customs and buyers. For regulated products the stakes are higher: the Jordan Food and Drug Administration generally deals with a registered local agent or scientific office for medicines, devices and many other products, and government tenders often check that the bidder is the manufacturer’s authorized and registered agent. An unregistered arrangement can leave both sides without the protection or recognition they expected.

A market that values clear contracts

Jordan revised its commercial agency legislation in the period following the U.S.–Jordan Free Trade Agreement, and its framework is often described as more contract-driven than in some neighboring markets. That makes the written agreement especially important: define the products, territory, exclusivity, duration, renewal and termination procedure clearly. Even so, termination and compensation questions depend on current Jordanian law and the facts, so take advice from a Jordanian lawyer before ending an existing agency or appointing a new agent for the same products.

Supporting documents

Registration files typically include the agency agreement together with documents showing the principal’s legal existence and authority to sign, such as a certificate of good standing or incorporation and a board resolution or power of attorney. Legalizing the whole set in one order keeps names and dates consistent. Bilingual English and Arabic agreements are common in Jordan; otherwise a sworn translation is prepared there.

Legalization steps

Have the agreement signed by an authorized officer before a U.S. notary, with names and titles printed. Because Jordan is outside the Hague Apostille Convention, the document is then authenticated by the Secretary of State and the U.S. Department of State before going to the Embassy of Jordan in Washington, D.C. Our team files the embassy request online with Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, pays the fee there, and adds the duplicate copy the embassy keeps. Allow roughly a week at the embassy.