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ONVOYO

Shipping boxes to and from Brazil

Brazil taxes almost every courier box, including gifts and your own used things. Expect 60% import tax on the goods plus shipping, then state ICMS of 17-20% on top, and give the receiver's CPF for every box. If you're moving to Brazil or coming home, your used belongings can arrive tax-free as unaccompanied baggage, as long as they're sent in your name and arrive on time.

Typical transit
4-8 business days from North America or Europe; 6-10 from Asia
Currency
BRL
Duty-free up to
There is no tax-free amount for boxes sent between private people
Receiver ID
CPF (Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas)

Price a shipment to Brazil

Box size

Choose where it's from and where it's going.

What it costs to ship boxes from the US to Brazil

  • 1 medium box (16 × 16 × 16 in, 20 lb)$264.86delivered in 4 to 8 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 Brazil and paid by the receiver. Prices updated November 2, 2026.

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Sending to Brazil

Duties and taxes124

Duty-free threshold
There is no tax-free amount for boxes sent between private people. The USD 50 exemption for parcels between individuals ended on August 1, 2024. Since May 12, 2026, a 0% import tax up to USD 50 applies only to purchases from online stores certified in Receita Federal's Remessa Conforme program, and those still pay ICMS. Courier shipments under the simplified regime can be worth up to USD 3,000 (about BRL 15,600), counting shipping and insurance.
Import tax
Import tax (Imposto de Importação) of 60% of the customs value, meaning the goods plus shipping and insurance, with no deduction for gifts, personal belongings, and anything else outside Remessa Conforme. The state then adds ICMS of 17% to 20%, depending on the state, calculated on a base that includes the import tax and the ICMS itself. Medicines for personal use pay 0% import tax up to USD 10,000, and books are immune.
How value is worked out
Import tax and ICMS are charged on the customs value: the goods plus freight and insurance to the destination in Brazil, so shipping counts (a CIF-type value). The USD 3,000 courier limit and the USD 50 Remessa Conforme band are measured on the same total. Amounts in foreign currency are converted at the exchange rate in force on the day the courier registers the import declaration. Used goods get no special treatment: declare what you paid, or a fair market value for gifts and things you already owned. If paperwork is missing or looks inaccurate, customs can set the value from current market prices, and false values can be fined.
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?
Used clothing and personal items, books, and periodicals sent as unaccompanied baggage (bagagem desacompanhada) are tax-free. People moving to Brazil for good, and Brazilians returning after more than a year abroad, can also bring furniture, household goods, and work tools tax-free, new or used. The boxes must come from the country where you stayed or lived, travel on a waybill issued in your name, and arrive within 3 months before or 6 months after you land. Baggage items that aren't exempt pay a flat 50% import tax.

Worked example

Illustrative: a gift box of used clothes, shoes, and kitchen items with a fair second-hand value of USD 300, plus USD 100 of freight and insurance, for a customs value of USD 400 (about BRL 2,080). Assumes a 17% ICMS rate (Receita Federal gives 17% to 20% depending on the state) and BRL 5.20 per USD.

Import tax: 60% x USD 400 = USD 240, with no deduction outside Remessa Conforme. ICMS is calculated on a base that includes itself: (USD 400 + USD 240) / (1 - 0.17) = USD 771.08, and 17% of that is USD 131.08. Total USD 371.08.

About USD 371 (about BRL 1,930), plus any courier fee. At a 20% ICMS rate it would be USD 400 (about BRL 2,080). The same used items sent as unaccompanied baggage by their owner could come in tax-free.

How customs clearance works in Brazil23

The courier registers a Declaração de Importação de Remessa (DIR) for each box under the simplified tax regime, up to USD 3,000. Receita Federal and other agencies review it and the tax is assessed. Gifts and personal belongings are outside Remessa Conforme, so the receiver pays the import tax, ICMS, and any fees through the courier's system, and the box is released once payment is confirmed.

Formal entry
Above USD 3,000 (goods plus freight and insurance), the DIR can't be used, so the courier or the receiver must file a Simplified Import Declaration (DSI) or a full Import Declaration (DI). The same applies to goods that can't clear on a DIR, such as alcohol, tobacco, and used goods that aren't for personal use. Personal medicines can use the DIR up to USD 10,000.
How long it takes
Receita Federal's analysis usually takes 1-2 days from registration to release, longer if Anvisa, the Army, or the agriculture ministry must check the goods. Outside Remessa Conforme, delivery also waits for the receiver's payment.
Inspections
Every declaration is analyzed and every parcel is X-rayed after arrival. Risk-based selection sends some for a closer customs check, and Anvisa, the Army, the agriculture ministry, and Ibama can hold goods they control. If customs doubts the declared value, it can set its own; you can ask for a review once, through the courier, before paying.
If duties go unpaid
The receiver has 20 days from the tax bill to pay, and 30 days to answer any customs request. After that, the box is returned abroad or treated as abandoned. Clearance can restart until the goods are auctioned, donated, or destroyed, but the receiver then pays the taxes plus interest, fines, and storage, and an extra fine equal to the customs value once forfeiture has been applied.

Moving to Brazil: claiming duty relief2410

  1. 01

    Check what you can bring

    Anyone arriving from abroad can send used clothing, personal items, books, and periodicals tax-free as unaccompanied baggage. People moving to Brazil for good, and Brazilians back after more than a year abroad, can add furniture, household goods, and work tools, new or used. Visits to Brazil of up to 45 days per year abroad don't break the year.

  2. 02

    Ship from where you lived, in your name

    The boxes must come from the country where you stayed or lived, on a waybill issued in your own name. Mark the invoice as unaccompanied baggage (bagagem desacompanhada) and list each item with its value.

  3. 03

    Time the arrival

    The boxes must arrive within 3 months before or 6 months after you land in Brazil. Late boxes lose the exemptions and pay the import tax plus a 20% fine, unless the delay was beyond your control.

  4. 04

    Gather your proof

    Copies of your passport ID page and entry and exit stamps, your ticket to Brazil, and the list of goods. Returning Brazilians should get a residence certificate (atestado de residência) from their consulate; foreigners need proof of permanent residence.

  5. 05

    Clear the boxes

    By courier, hand over your documents the way the courier asks, since each has its own process; otherwise the ordinary 60% parcel rules apply. Moves sent as cargo clear on a Simplified Import Declaration (DSI), filed by a customs officer or a customs broker. Items that aren't exempt pay a flat 50%.

Documents to have ready24610

  • Receiver's CPF and full name exactly as registered (a foreign receiver without a CPF can give a passport number)
  • Sender's full name and address
  • Itemized list in Portuguese, English, or Spanish with a fair value for each item and the purpose of the shipment (gift, used personal effects, or unaccompanied baggage)
  • For unaccompanied baggage: copies of your passport ID page and entry and exit stamps, your ticket to Brazil, and a list of the goods with values
  • Returning Brazilians: proof of more than a year abroad, such as a consulate's residence certificate (atestado de residência). Foreigners moving for good: proof of permanent residence
  • The prescription for any medicine in the box

CPF (Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas): Receita Federal requires the receiver's CPF and full name, exactly as registered, on the waybill and invoice. A foreign receiver without a CPF can give a passport number instead. If the CPF is missing, doesn't match the name, or isn't in regular status, the courier can't register the declaration and the box can be sent back. 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 forms245910

What you can pack, category by category123678

What you can pack, by category
CategoryStatusWhat to know
Clothing and shoesMore on clothesAllowedUsed clothing is fine but pays 60% import tax plus ICMS as an ordinary parcel. Sent as unaccompanied baggage by its owner, used clothing is tax-free.
Books and papersMore on booksAllowedBooks are immune from import tax and tax-free in unaccompanied baggage. Photo albums don't count as books.
ElectronicsMore on electronicsConditionsPersonal quantities only, with batteries installed. Several of the same item can look commercial, and goods for resale can't be sent to a private person.
MedicationMore on medicineConditions0% import tax up to USD 10,000 for personal use if Anvisa's rules are met. Most controlled drugs are banned or need Anvisa approval first. Include the prescription.
FoodMore on foodConditionsOnly sealed, labeled, factory-made foods. No honey or bee products, and no raw or homemade meat or dairy. Chocolate, candy, and cereal bars are on the agriculture ministry's allowed list.
Cosmetics and toiletriesMore on cosmeticsConditionsPersonal amounts only. They pay the normal 60% rate plus ICMS, since the medicine rate doesn't cover cosmetics or supplements. No aerosols or nail polish.
Alcohol and tobaccoMore on alcohol or tobaccoNot allowedAlcohol and tobacco can't clear on the courier's simplified declaration, and e-cigarettes are banned outright. Travelers' allowances don't apply to shipments.
Sports and outdoor gearMore on sports and outdoor gearConditionsClean off all soil. No fuel canisters, flares, or weapons, and no toy or replica guns.
Children's items and toysMore on toys and baby gearAllowedUsed toys for your own family are fine. Toy guns that could be mistaken for real ones are banned. Remove loose batteries.
Documents and photosMore on documents and photosAllowedPersonal papers, documents, and photos are fine. Printed photo albums aren't books for tax purposes, so they may be taxed on their value.
OtherConditionsPlants, seeds, soil, wooden crafts, and items made from animal parts face agriculture ministry checks. Wild animal and plant products need a formal import. Cash can never be sent in a parcel.

Quantity limits125

Quantity limits for Brazil
ItemLimit
MedicinesPersonal-use medicines pay 0% import tax up to USD 10,000 (about BRL 52,000), if Anvisa's rules are met.
BooksBooks are immune from import tax. Photo albums don't count as books.
Unaccompanied baggageUsed clothing and personal items, books, and periodicals are tax-free. The traveler's USD 1,000 duty-free allowance does not apply to baggage sent separately.
Alcohol (travelers only)Up to 12 liters in total per traveler. Does not apply to shipments: alcohol can't clear on the courier's simplified declaration.
Tobacco (travelers only)Up to 10 packs of 20 cigarettes, 25 cigars or cigarillos, and 250 g of tobacco per traveler. Does not apply to shipments.
CashTravelers must declare cash over USD 10,000 (about BRL 52,000) to customs when entering or leaving Brazil. Cash sent in a parcel is forfeited.

What you can't send to Brazil123678

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
  • E-cigarettes and vapes, including their parts, accessories, and refills
  • Toy guns and imitation firearms that could be mistaken for real ones
  • Narcotics and illegal drugs
  • Goods for resale or for industrial use sent to a private person
  • Honey, propolis, royal jelly, beeswax, and other bee products
  • Items that offend public morals, health, or order, such as child sexual abuse material

Allowed with conditions

Medicines for personal use
Pay 0% import tax up to USD 10,000, but must meet Anvisa's rules. Describe each medicine fully, and expect customs to ask for the prescription. The 0% rate doesn't cover supplements, cosmetics, or pet medicines.
Controlled medicines
Medicines with substances on Anvisa lists A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, C2, or C5 are banned unless Anvisa authorizes the import in advance. List C1 medicines need a prescription and are allowed only when no equivalent is registered or sold in Brazil. List C3 drugs, such as thalidomide, can't be imported.
Alcohol and tobacco
Can't clear on the courier's simplified declaration (DIR) and need a formal import, so leave them out of personal boxes.
Used goods
Allowed when they are for the receiver's own use, but taxed like new ones: Brazil has no used-goods discount. Used goods for any other purpose need a formal import.
Food of animal or plant origin
Agriculture ministry (Vigiagro) rules apply. Its list allows only factory-made products in intact original packaging, labeled with contents and origin. Raw or homemade meat and dairy are banned, fresh fruit and vegetables need a phytosanitary certificate, and items that don't comply are seized and destroyed.
Seeds, plants, bulbs, and soil
Need an import authorization issued in advance by the agriculture ministry.
Pet food and treats
Only factory-made products in intact original packaging, labeled, and for your own pets. Raw or homemade pet food is banned.
Wild animal and plant products
Can't clear on the courier's simplified declaration and need a formal import with the relevant permits.
Shipments over USD 3,000
Counting shipping and insurance, they need a Simplified Import Declaration (DSI) or a full Import Declaration (DI) instead of the courier's simplified declaration.

Sending from Brazil

Shipping boxes out of Brazil29

Sending your own belongings out of Brazil by express courier is simple. For shipments up to USD 1,000 that need no export license, the courier files a simplified export declaration (DRE) for you; above that, or for licensed goods, a single export declaration (DU-E) is filed. The main checks are for cultural heritage and cash.

Documents

  • Itemized packing list with fair values, marked as used personal effects or gift
  • Sender's ID; the courier may also ask for your CPF
  • IPHAN's DSBC (Declaração de Saída de Bens Culturais do Brasil) result for any artwork, antique, or old book
  • IBAMA or CITES permit for wildlife products, if one is needed

Can't leave the country

  • Works of art and traditional crafts made or brought into Brazil up to the end of the monarchy (1889) cannot leave the country
  • Archaeological and prehistoric objects, and items heritage-listed (tombados) by IPHAN, can't leave Brazil without IPHAN's authorization
  • Books and document collections by or about Brazil printed from the 16th to the 19th century cannot be exported
  • Wildlife products, such as feathers, skins, and crafts with animal parts, may need an IBAMA or CITES permit; check with IBAMA first
  • Cash can't be sent in a parcel. Any cash found is forfeited

Before pickup

  • Check art, antiques, and old books with IPHAN's free online DSBC before you book.
  • Souvenirs, handicrafts, and modern decorative objects don't need IPHAN review.
  • Keep receipts for crafts, gemstones, and jewelry.
  • Check the destination's customs rules. The receiving country decides duties.

Addresses, delivery and timing2

Writing the address

Write the street and number, then the apartment or complement, then the neighborhood (bairro), city, two-letter state code, and the eight-digit CEP (postal code, 00000-000). Put the receiver's CPF on the shipping paperwork, not in the address.

Maria ExampleRua das Palmeiras, 482, Apto 71Vila MarianaSão Paulo - SP04117-090Brazil

Example only; not a real address.

Delivery coverage

Fastest to: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Salvador, Recife, Fortaleza, Campinas.

Remote areas: The North (Amazonas, Acre, Roraima, Amapá, and much of Pará) and interior towns can add many days and surcharges. Some river towns are reached only by boat or air.

Courier imports are cleared by Receita Federal at the São Paulo-Guarulhos, Campinas-Viracopos, Rio de Janeiro-Galeão, Brasília, Belo Horizonte-Confins, and Recife airports, then travel on the courier's domestic network. The receiver may need to pay taxes online before the box is released.

When things slow down

Expect slower service around Carnival (February or March), during Black Friday in November, and from Christmas through New Year. Customs work stoppages happen from time to time and can slow clearance.

Advice for your situation

Students

Foreign students need a CPF, or at least a passport number, on every box. Used clothes, books, and personal items can come tax-free as unaccompanied baggage if you ship them in your name from where you lived, within 3 months before or 6 months after you arrive. Furniture and household goods qualify only for people moving for good.

Returning home

Brazilians back after more than a year abroad can bring furniture, household goods, and work tools tax-free, new or used, alongside used personal items and books. Get a residence certificate from your consulate, which will ask for your CPF, and ship in your own name so the boxes arrive within the 3-months-before, 6-months-after window.

Expats and relocations

Foreigners moving to Brazil for good can bring household goods tax-free as unaccompanied baggage, with proof of permanent residence. Boxes sent later by someone else are ordinary parcels and pay 60% import tax plus ICMS. Baggage that misses the window loses its exemptions and pays the import tax plus a 20% fine.

Tips for a smooth delivery

  • Get the receiver's CPF and their name exactly as registered before you book. A missing, mismatched, or irregular CPF can send the box back.
  • List every item with a fair value and say what the shipment is: gift, used personal effects, or unaccompanied baggage. Customs can reset values it doubts and fine false ones.
  • Budget for tax on gifts: 60% of the goods plus shipping, then ICMS. The USD 50 gift exemption ended in 2024.
  • Moving? Ship as unaccompanied baggage: in your own name, from the country you lived in, arriving within 3 months before or 6 months after you land.
  • Leave out alcohol, tobacco, vapes, honey, seeds, and meat or dairy.
  • Pay only through the courier's official system. Receita Federal never sends payment slips, calls, or emails asking for money.

Shipping to and from Brazil: questions

Do I need a CPF to receive a package in Brazil?

Yes. Receita Federal requires the receiver's CPF and full name, matching its records, on the waybill and invoice. A foreign receiver without a CPF can be identified by passport number. Without this, the box can be returned or treated as abandoned.

Is there a tax-free limit for gifts sent to Brazil in 2026?

No. The USD 50 exemption for parcels between private people ended on August 1, 2024. Since May 12, 2026, a 0% import tax up to USD 50 applies only to purchases from stores certified in Remessa Conforme, and those still pay ICMS. Gifts pay 60% import tax plus ICMS.

How much tax will the receiver pay on a box of used belongings?

Import tax of 60% of the goods plus freight and insurance, with no deduction, then ICMS of 17-20% depending on the state, calculated on a base that includes itself. Used goods get no discount, so the tax can be more than the goods are worth.

Can I send my belongings to Brazil tax-free when I move?

Yes, as unaccompanied baggage. Used clothing, personal items, and books are tax-free, and people moving for good, including Brazilians back after more than a year abroad, can add furniture, household goods, and work tools. Ship in your own name, from the country you lived in, so the boxes arrive within 3 months before or 6 months after you.

Can I send medicine to Brazil?

Yes, in personal quantities. Medicines for personal use pay 0% import tax up to USD 10,000 if they meet Anvisa's rules, and customs can ask for the prescription. Most controlled drugs are banned unless Anvisa authorizes them in advance.

How long does shipping boxes to Brazil take?

Express door-to-door usually takes 4-8 business days from North America or Europe and 6-10 from Asia. Receita Federal's check usually adds 1-2 days, plus the time the receiver takes to pay any tax.

How do I ship boxes from Brazil to another country?

Book an express courier and list every item with a fair value. For shipments up to USD 1,000 that need no export license, the courier files a simplified export declaration (DRE). Above that, a single export declaration (DU-E) is needed. The receiver pays any import charges at the other end.

What can't I send out of Brazil?

Art and traditional crafts made or brought into Brazil up to 1889, and books or document collections by or about Brazil printed from the 16th to the 19th century, can't leave. Archaeological objects and heritage-listed items need IPHAN's authorization. Check anything old with IPHAN's free online declaration first. Cash can never go in a parcel.

Official help in Brazil

Official sources

Every section above is checked against these official pages. Rules change, and customs in Brazil makes the final decision on every shipment. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

  1. 1.

    Receita Federal do Brasil

    Tributação (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  2. 2.

    Receita Federal do Brasil

    Perguntas e Respostas (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  3. 3.

    Receita Federal do Brasil

    Proibições e Restrições (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  4. 4.

    Receita Federal do Brasil

    Bagagem desacompanhada e mudança para o Brasil (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  5. 5.

    Receita Federal do Brasil

    Bens a Declarar, Cálculo do Imposto e Pagamento (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  6. 6.

    Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (Anvisa)

    Importação de produtos controlados (opens in a new tab)

    Health regulator · checked September 26, 2026

  7. 7.

    Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (Anvisa)

    Anvisa atualiza regulação de cigarro eletrônico e mantém proibição (opens in a new tab)

    Health regulator · checked September 26, 2026

  8. 8.

    Ministério da Agricultura e Pecuária (MAPA)

    Lista de Bens Agropecuários Proibidos e Permitidos de Ingressar no Brasil como Bagagem de Viajantes (opens in a new tab)

    Biosecurity · checked September 26, 2026

  9. 9.

    Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional (IPHAN)

    Saída de Bens Culturais do Brasil (opens in a new tab)

    Government · checked September 26, 2026

  10. 10.

    Consulado-Geral do Brasil em Chicago (Ministério das Relações Exteriores)

    Atestado de Residência (opens in a new tab)

    Embassy · checked September 26, 2026

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