Shipping boxes to and from Argentina
Argentina's courier rules suit personal boxes, within limits. A small shipment worth up to USD 400 FOB skips import duty and pays only IVA, but each person can use this route just 5 times a year, with no more than 3 of the same item. The receiver needs a CUIT or CUIL. People moving to Argentina can bring household goods tax-free through a separate customs procedure.
- Typical transit
- 3-6 business days from North America or Europe; 5-8 from Asia
- Currency
- ARS
- Duty-free up to
- Small courier shipments (pequeños envíos) worth up to USD 400 FOB (about ARS 606,000) pay no import duty or statistics fee, but IVA still applies
- Receiver ID
- CUIT or CUIL (Clave Única de Identificación Tributaria / Laboral)
Price a shipment to Argentina
Choose where it's from and where it's going.
What it costs to ship boxes from the US to Argentina
- 1 medium box (16 × 16 × 16 in, 20 lb)$264.86delivered in 3 to 6 business days
- 5 medium boxes (30 lb each)$1,324.31 totalabout $264.86 a box
Includes pickup at your door, express delivery, fuel and prepared customs paperwork. Import duties and taxes, if any, are set by Argentina and paid by the receiver. Prices updated November 2, 2026.
Get my exact priceSending to Argentina
Duties and taxes123
- Duty-free threshold
- Small courier shipments (pequeños envíos) worth up to USD 400 FOB (about ARS 606,000) pay no import duty or statistics fee, but IVA still applies. Each person can use the small-shipment route 5 times per calendar year, for personal-use shipments with up to 3 units of the same kind, up to 50 kg per package, and up to USD 3,000 FOB per shipment.
- Import tax
- IVA (Impuesto al Valor Agregado) at 21%, with a half rate for some goods; books are exempt. It is charged on the customs value plus any import taxes. Above USD 400 FOB, import duty and the statistics fee apply to the excess at the normal rates for the goods.
- How value is worked out
- The USD 400 and USD 3,000 limits use the FOB value: the goods alone, without shipping. Taxes are worked out on the CIF value the courier declares, using the real freight cost, and IVA is charged on that value plus any import duties. Values are declared in US dollars. Customs can revise a value using price references and inspection, and the receiver then pays the extra tax. Give a fair, itemized value for used goods.
- Who pays
- Shipments are sent DAP. The receiver pays any duties and taxes before or on delivery. The courier may add a clearance or disbursement fee.
- Moving there?
- Argentines returning after 1-2 years abroad can bring furniture, household goods, and work tools, new or used, tax-free once every 3 years, if no visit home in the last year lasted over 60 days. After more than 2 years abroad, the same goods plus one used car worth up to USD 15,000 are tax-free, once every 7 years. Foreigners with permanent residence can bring personal and household effects tax-free with no value limit, arriving from 3 months before to 6 months after them. Temporary residents can bring them in temporarily against a guarantee of 50% of the taxes. These benefits run through a digital customs request (SITA), separate from the small-shipment courier route.
Worked example
Illustrative: a box of used clothes and shoes with a fair value of USD 300 FOB (about ARS 454,000), plus USD 80 of shipping and insurance, sent as one of the receiver's 5 small shipments this year.
Under USD 400 FOB, so no import duty or statistics fee. IVA: 21% x CIF value of USD 380 = USD 79.80.
About USD 80 (about ARS 121,000), plus any courier fee.
How customs clearance works in Argentina12
The courier files a simplified import declaration for each shipment and pays the taxes to customs on the receiver's behalf, then collects them. Exempt small shipments are declared with an ARCA code instead of a tariff classification. The receiver can follow the shipment and their yearly quota online with Clave Fiscal.
- Formal entry
- Above USD 3,000 FOB, or for goods the courier regime excludes (such as goods needing another agency's prior approval), the general import regime applies, usually through a customs broker (despachante de aduana). A sixth small shipment in a calendar year loses the small-shipment benefits.
- How long it takes
- Often 1-3 business days after arrival when the CUIT/CUIL and values are in order.
- Inspections
- Customs inspectors check goods in the courier's secure area. Shipments that don't match the declaration are held while the rest are released, and inaccurate declarations are handled as customs infractions.
- If duties go unpaid
- If the CUIT/CUIL is missing or another agency must approve something, the courier can hold the shipment for up to 5 business days to fix it and keep it in the express lane. After that it may move to a slower, formal process with storage costs. Ask the courier about return options if the receiver can't pay.
Moving to Argentina: claiming duty relief456
- 01
Check which rule fits you
Returning Argentines (more than 1 year abroad), foreigners with permanent residence, and foreigners with temporary residence each get different benefits.
- 02
Gather your documents
DNI or passport; proof of time abroad (consular residence certificate or DNI address change) or your Migraciones certificate; a detailed packing list or sworn statement; and the transport document. Foreign documents need a certified Spanish translation and apostille or legalization.
- 03
File the SITA request
Submit the right request in ARCA's SITA system: 10218 for returning Argentines, 10221 for permanent residents, or 10220 for temporary residents. These digital channels let you send customs the information in advance.
- 04
Time the shipment
Foreigners' goods must arrive from 3 months before to 6 months after you (or after permanent residence is granted), and are released only once you are in Argentina.
- 05
Keep the goods for 2 years
Keep your address updated with customs for 2 years, and don't sell or transfer franchise goods in that time without customs approval.
Documents to have ready126
- Receiver's CUIT or CUIL
- Itemized packing list with a fair value for each item, marked as used personal effects or gift
- No more than 3 units of any one kind of item per shipment
- For a move: DNI or passport; proof of time abroad (consular residence certificate or DNI address change) or a Migraciones residence certificate; the transport document; and a detailed packing list or sworn statement
- Certified Spanish translations and apostille or consular legalization for foreign documents used in a relocation request
CUIT or CUIL (Clave Única de Identificación Tributaria / Laboral): Courier declarations need the receiver's CUIT or CUIL. If it's missing, the parcel can be held for up to 5 business days while it's sorted out. The receiver can check each shipment, and how many of their 5 yearly small shipments they've used, in ARCA's 'Envíos Postales Internacionales' service with Clave Fiscal level 2 or higher. We ask for it during booking.
Onvoyo prepares the commercial invoice from your contents list. You print three copies, sign them, and send them with your boxes.
Official forms2457
- Formulario 3003: Solicitud de Destinación Simplificada PSP/Courier (SD-PSP) (opens in a new tab)
The courier's simplified import or export declaration.
- SITA subtrámite 10218: Retorno de argentino al país – Mudanza (opens in a new tab)
Relocation request for returning Argentines' household goods and tools.
- SITA subtrámites 10221 / 10220: Mudanza – Extranjeros con residencia (permanente / temporal) (opens in a new tab)
Relocation request for foreign residents' personal and household effects.
- Formulario OM 2249A (opens in a new tab)
Special customs declaration for travelers bringing in USD 10,000 or more in cash.
What you can pack, category by category12389
| Category | Status | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing and shoesMore on clothes | Conditions | Used clothing for personal use is fine. Keep to 3 or fewer of any one kind of item per shipment. |
| Books and papersMore on books | Allowed | Books and printed matter are welcome and exempt from IVA. |
| ElectronicsMore on electronics | Conditions | Personal use only, with batteries installed and 3 or fewer of a kind. Travelers can carry one phone and one laptop or tablet duty-free. |
| MedicationMore on medicine | Conditions | ANMAT rules apply; medicines aren't covered by the small-shipment exemption. Ask the courier before sending. |
| FoodMore on food | Conditions | Only sealed, labeled, commercially made products in personal quantities. No homemade food, meat, honey, or fresh produce. |
| Cosmetics and toiletriesMore on cosmetics | Conditions | Personal amounts are exempt from ANMAT checks in small shipments. No aerosols or nail polish. |
| Alcohol and tobaccoMore on alcohol or tobacco | Not allowed | Couriers generally refuse alcohol and tobacco in personal boxes. |
| Sports and outdoor gearMore on sports and outdoor gear | Conditions | Clean off soil and plant matter. No fuel canisters or weapons. |
| Children's items and toysMore on toys and baby gear | Allowed | Used toys are fine, and small shipments are exempt from local technical standards. Remove loose batteries. |
| Documents and photosMore on documents and photos | Allowed | Personal papers and photos are fine. Correspondence and documents sit outside the courier value and weight limits. |
| Other | Conditions | Plants, seeds, and animal products are controlled by SENASA and mostly barred. Check before packing. |
Quantity limits1789
| Item | Limit |
|---|---|
| Small courier shipments | Up to USD 400 FOB per shipment free of import duty and statistics fee (IVA applies); 5 per person per calendar year; up to 3 units of a kind; 50 kg per package; USD 3,000 FOB maximum. |
| Phone and laptop (travelers only) | One phone and one laptop or tablet enter duty-free with a traveler. |
| Cash (travelers) | Amounts under USD 10,000 (about ARS 15.1 million) move freely. Bringing in more needs form OM 2249A; taking out more must go by bank transfer. Under-16s: USD 5,000. |
| Food (travelers) | Sealed, labeled products from SENASA's authorized list, in quantities suited to personal use. |
| Books | Books and similar printed matter are exempt from IVA on import. |
What you can't send to Argentina1289
Not allowed
- Aerosols, spray cans, and compressed gas cylinders
- Flammable liquids and solids: fuel, lighter fluid, paint, nail polish, matches
- Loose or spare lithium batteries and power banks not installed in a device
- Cash, gift cards, checks, and other negotiable items
- Firearms, ammunition, replicas, and weapon parts
- Perishable food, and meat, dairy, or fresh produce
- Cannabis, CBD, and THC products, even where they are legal at origin
- Illegal drugs and narcotics
- Archaeological and cultural material
- Homemade or unlabeled food, honey, and bee products
- Plants and plant parts, including seeds, roots, and buds
- Animal feed and veterinary products
Allowed with conditions
- More than 3 of the same item
- Breaks the small-shipment rules. The shipment then pays full taxes and may need a customs broker.
- A sixth small shipment in the same year
- The 5-per-year limit is per person. Later shipments lose the USD 400 exemption and the other small-shipment benefits.
- Medicines
- Excluded from the small-shipment exemption from ANMAT checks, so ANMAT rules apply. Ask the courier before sending any.
- Cosmetics, hygiene products, and non-prescription medical devices
- Small personal shipments are exempt from ANMAT intervention for these. Couriers still refuse aerosols and nail polish.
- Packaged food
- SENASA allows sealed, labeled products made under official sanitary control, in personal quantities: for example canned fish, pasteurized dairy products, jams, juices, sugar, and oil. Couriers may still refuse perishables.
- Goods needing another agency's approval
- If conditions must be met before release, the goods can't use the simplified courier route and go through the general import regime.
- Goods for sale
- The small-shipment route is for personal use only. Commercial quantities are excluded.
Sending from Argentina
Shipping boxes out of Argentina27810
Sending your own belongings out of Argentina by express courier got simpler in July 2026, when the value cap on courier exports was removed. The courier files a simplified export declaration for you. Checks focus on cultural heritage, controlled medicines, and cash.
Documents
- Itemized packing list with fair values, marked as used personal effects or gift
- Sender's DNI or passport; the courier may ask for your CUIT or CUIL
- Authorization for any medicines containing narcotics or psychotropic substances
Can't leave the country
- Archaeological and cultural material is on ARCA's prohibited list; don't ship such pieces
- Medicines with narcotics or psychotropic substances need export authorization
- Travelers can take less than USD 10,000 in cash out of the country; larger sums must go by bank transfer, and couriers don't carry cash
Before pickup
- Sending medicine to family abroad? No ANMAT paperwork is needed unless it contains narcotics or psychotropics.
- Keep receipts for leather goods, silver, and crafts you are sending.
- Anything old or archaeological-looking? Check with the national heritage authorities before you pack it.
- Check the destination's customs rules. The receiving country decides duties.
Addresses, delivery and timing
Writing the address
Write the street and number, then floor (piso) and apartment (depto.), then the postal code, city, and province. Argentina's CPA postal codes have 8 characters: a letter, four digits, and three letters.
Lucía ExampleCalle Los Ceibos 1234, Piso 3, Depto. BC1425ABC Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos AiresArgentinaExample only; not a real address.
Delivery coverage
Fastest to: Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Rosario, Mendoza, La Plata, Mar del Plata, San Miguel de Tucumán, Salta, Neuquén.
Remote areas: Patagonia (Chubut, Santa Cruz, and Tierra del Fuego, including Ushuaia) and small towns in the far north and the Andes can add several days and remote-area surcharges.
Buenos Aires and other big cities usually get delivery within a day or two of customs release. Give the receiver's phone number so the courier can arrange payment and delivery.
When things slow down
Expect slower service from Christmas through the January summer holidays, around Carnival (February or March) and Semana Santa, and during online sales events such as Hot Sale and CyberMonday. Long weekends around national holidays also slow deliveries.
Advice for your situation
Students
Foreign students with temporary residence can bring personal effects in temporarily against a 50% tax guarantee. For a few boxes, the small-shipment route is simpler: up to USD 400 FOB per shipment pays only IVA, 5 times a year.
Returning home
Argentines back after more than a year abroad can bring furniture, household goods, and work tools tax-free; after more than 2 years, one used car up to USD 15,000 as well. File SITA request 10218 before shipping.
Expats and relocations
Foreigners with permanent residence can bring personal and household effects tax-free with no value limit if they arrive within 3 months before to 6 months after you. Temporary residents import them temporarily against a guarantee of 50% of the taxes.
Tips for a smooth delivery
- Get the receiver's CUIT or CUIL before you book. Without it the parcel can be held.
- Send several boxes as one shipment, within USD 3,000 FOB. Each box can weigh up to 50 kg, and the whole shipment counts as one of the receiver's 5 yearly uses.
- Keep to 3 or fewer of any one kind of item, and keep values honest. Up to USD 400 FOB, only IVA is due.
- Leave out homemade food, fresh produce, seeds, and honey. SENASA can confiscate them.
- Moving to Argentina? File the SITA relocation request early. It lets you send customs your information before the boxes arrive.
Shipping to and from Argentina: questions
Is there a tax-free allowance for packages to Argentina?
Small courier shipments up to USD 400 FOB pay no import duty or statistics fee, but the receiver still pays 21% IVA. Each person can use this 5 times a year, with up to 3 units of a kind per shipment.
Does the receiver need a CUIT or CUIL?
Yes. The courier declares it for customs. If it's missing, the parcel can be held for up to 5 business days while it's fixed.
How many small shipments can someone receive per year?
Five per person per calendar year. The receiver can check how many they've used in ARCA's 'Envíos Postales Internacionales' service with Clave Fiscal level 2.
Can I bring my household goods tax-free when I move to Argentina?
Yes, if you qualify. Argentines returning after more than a year abroad and foreigners with permanent residence can bring household goods tax-free. Temporary residents bring them in temporarily against a guarantee. File the request through ARCA's SITA system.
Can I send food to Argentina?
Only sealed, labeled, commercially made products in personal quantities. SENASA bars homemade food, meat, honey, fresh fruit and vegetables, plants, and seeds.
How long does shipping boxes to Argentina take?
Express door-to-door usually takes 3-6 business days from North America or Europe and 5-8 from Asia, plus customs time.
How do I ship boxes from Argentina to another country?
Book an express courier and list every item with a fair value. Since July 2026, courier exports have no value cap. The courier files a simplified export declaration, and the receiver pays any import charges at the other end.
Can I send medicine from Argentina to family abroad?
ANMAT requires no procedure for medicines sent to family abroad, except those containing narcotics or psychotropic substances, which need authorization. Check the destination's rules too.
Official help in Argentina
- ARCA: Consultas web (opens in a new tab)
Online questions on tax and customs topics.
- ARCA: Canal telefónico (opens in a new tab)
General queries: 0810-999-2722, Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 16:00.
Official sources
Every section above is checked against these official pages. Rules change, and customs in Argentina makes the final decision on every shipment. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
- 1.
Agencia de Recaudación y Control Aduanero (ARCA)
Pequeños envíos Importación - Courier - Envíos internacionales (opens in a new tab)Customs · checked September 26, 2026
- 2.
ARCA, Biblioteca Electrónica
Resolución General N° 5608/2024: Prestadores de Servicios Postales PSP/Courier (texto vigente y anexos) (opens in a new tab)Legislation · checked September 26, 2026
- 3.
InfoLEG, Ministerio de Justicia de la Nación
Ley de Impuesto al Valor Agregado, texto ordenado en 1997 (opens in a new tab)Legislation · checked September 26, 2026
- 4.
Agencia de Recaudación y Control Aduanero (ARCA)
Argentinos que retornan a residir al país (opens in a new tab)Customs · checked September 26, 2026
- 5.
Agencia de Recaudación y Control Aduanero (ARCA)
Extranjeros que ingresan a residir en el país (opens in a new tab)Customs · checked September 26, 2026
- 6.
Agencia de Recaudación y Control Aduanero (ARCA)
¿Cómo realizo la solicitud de importación de bienes? (opens in a new tab)Customs · checked September 26, 2026
- 7.
Agencia de Recaudación y Control Aduanero (ARCA)
Ingreso y egreso de valores (opens in a new tab)Customs · checked September 26, 2026
- 8.
Agencia de Recaudación y Control Aduanero (ARCA)
Objetos permitidos y prohibiciones (opens in a new tab)Customs · checked September 26, 2026
- 9.
Servicio Nacional de Sanidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria (SENASA)
Ingresar o regresar al país con alimentos (opens in a new tab)Biosecurity · checked September 26, 2026
- 10.
Administración Nacional de Medicamentos, Alimentos y Tecnología Médica (ANMAT)
Enviar al exterior medicamentos para uso familiar (opens in a new tab)Health regulator · checked September 26, 2026