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Shipping boxes to and from Colombia

Colombia's courier rules suit boxes of everyday household things: up to USD 2,000 and 50 kg per shipment, with no duty at USD 200 FOB or less, and no IVA either on non-commercial boxes from the US. Above USD 200, expect 10% duty plus 19% IVA. Keep every item to personal quantities, and know that DIAN's own guide asks people not to send used clothing, food, cosmetics, alcohol, or jewelry by courier. Moving home for good? The menaje process covers a whole household, and Colombians back after 3 years or more abroad can qualify to bring it in tax-free.

Typical transit
3-6 business days from North America; 4-7 from Europe; 5-8 from Asia
Currency
COP
Duty-free up to
Courier shipments worth USD 200 FOB (about COP 660,000) or less, not counting delivery costs, pay no duty from any country
Receiver ID
Cédula de ciudadanía (or cédula de extranjería for foreign residents; NIT for companies)

Price a shipment to Colombia

Box size

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

What it costs to ship boxes from the US to Colombia

  • 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 Colombia and paid by the receiver. Prices updated November 2, 2026.

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Popular routes to Colombia

Sending to Colombia

Duties and taxes123456910

Duty-free threshold
Courier shipments worth USD 200 FOB (about COP 660,000) or less, not counting delivery costs, pay no duty from any country. They also pay no IVA if they are not commercial and come from a country whose trade agreement with Colombia expressly bars the tax. The US agreement does: it rules out duties and taxes on express shipments of USD 200 or less, restricted goods excepted. DIAN doesn't name other qualifying agreements, so from other countries, plan on 19% IVA from the first dollar.
Import tax
IVA (impuesto sobre las ventas) at 19%. Above USD 200 FOB, courier shipments also pay a flat 10% duty, unless the sender declares the item's specific tariff code, in which case that code's rate applies. DIAN calculates duty and IVA on the price paid plus international freight and insurance.
How value is worked out
The USD 200 and USD 2,000 limits are FOB values: the goods only, without delivery costs. Duty and IVA are calculated on the customs value, which DIAN describes as the price paid plus international freight and insurance, not the amount the shipment is insured for. The value on the waybill must match the invoice or equivalent document. Customs converts US dollars to pesos at the TRM certified by the Superintendencia Financiera for the last business day of the week before the declaration (COP 3,306.86 per USD on September 26, 2026). For used goods without receipts, declare a fair second-hand value. DIAN can replace a value that looks too low with its own, and you then have 2 days to show proof of the price.
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?
If you have lived abroad for at least 24 months, continuous or not, in the 3 years before you arrive, and are moving to Colombia to live, you can import your household goods and personal effects as a menaje doméstico. It pays a single 15% tax instead of duty and IVA, needs no import license, and is allowed once every 5 years per family unit. The goods must come from the country where you lived, be consigned to you, and arrive between 1 month before and 4 months after you. Colombians returning after at least 3 years abroad who register under the Return Law (Ley 1565 de 2012) pay nothing on menaje worth up to 2,400 UVT (about COP 125.7 million, or USD 38,000); anything above that pays tax on the difference.

Worked example

Illustrative: a box of used kitchenware, towels, and picture frames worth USD 180 FOB, with USD 60 of international shipping and insurance, so USD 240 in all (about COP 794,000). Assumes it comes from a country whose trade agreement does not require Colombia to waive IVA, and converts at COP 3,306.86 per USD, the TRM for September 26, 2026.

Duty: 0%, because the FOB value is USD 200 or less. IVA: 19% x USD 240 = USD 45.60.

About USD 46 (about COP 150,800), plus any courier fee. Sent from the US, the same box would owe nothing. Worth more than USD 200 FOB, it would also pay 10% duty.

How customs clearance works in Colombia237

Only specialized courier companies registered with DIAN, and the official post, can clear shipments in this regime. The courier checks each package against the limits, works out duty and IVA on the waybill, and collects them from the receiver at delivery. The waybill the receiver signs becomes the simplified import declaration, and the receiver should keep it for 5 years.

Formal entry
Shipments over USD 2,000 FOB or 50 kg, commercial quantities, or goods that don't meet the regime's rules are moved to a bonded warehouse and must switch to another import type (cambio de modalidad), with storage fees, extra costs, and any permits needed. DIAN warns that only authorized customs agencies may act as customs intermediaries.
How long it takes
Often 1-3 business days after arrival when the ID, values, and contents are in order. Longer if INVIMA or ICA must review something, or if the shipment has to switch to a formal import.
Inspections
Couriers check every package, with scanners where required, and DIAN can inspect afterward. Undervalued goods get a value adjustment, goods outside the regime's rules are moved to a formal import, and prohibited or undeclared goods can be seized. INVIMA inspects medicines, supplements, cosmetics, and medical devices, and plant and animal products go to ICA.
If duties go unpaid
Courier shipments can stay in the courier's bonded warehouse for 1 month from arrival. After that they fall into legal abandonment, and for one more month they can be recovered by paying the duty and IVA, a rescue fee of 10% of the customs value, and storage. After that, the goods become property of the Nation.

Moving to Colombia: claiming duty relief3456

  1. 01

    Check you qualify

    You need at least 24 months living abroad, continuous or not, in the 3 years before you arrive, and you must be moving to Colombia to live. One menaje is allowed per family unit, and another only 5 years after the first was released.

  2. 02

    Choose menaje or the Return Law

    Standard menaje pays a single 15% tax. Colombians back after at least 3 years abroad can register in the Cancillería's Registro Único de Retorno (RUR) and, once approved, pay nothing on menaje up to 2,400 UVT (about COP 125.7 million) or on work tools and equipment, not vehicles, up to 17,130 UVT (about COP 897 million). Apply within 12 months of moving back; the tax benefits can be used only once.

  3. 03

    Get your paperwork ready

    Keep proof of your time abroad; DIAN's page mentions a certification from the Cancillería. Return Law beneficiaries present the beneficiary certificate they receive by email. Make a detailed list of the goods.

  4. 04

    Ship in your name, on time

    Goods must come from the country where you lived, be consigned to you, and arrive between 1 month before and 4 months after you. Menaje can't be declared before you arrive, and it clears through a single customs office.

  5. 05

    Clear it promptly

    DIAN asks Return Law beneficiaries to clear their goods within a month of arrival, extendable by 1 month, or they fall into abandonment. Ask your courier whether it can clear a menaje; if not, use a licensed customs agency.

  6. 06

    Keep the goods

    Return Law goods sold or handed to someone else within 3 years of your return lose the exemption, and the taxes plus interest become due.

Documents to have ready12347

  • Receiver's cédula de ciudadanía, or cédula de extranjería for foreign residents, with the name exactly as on the ID
  • An invoice or equivalent document showing the value: DIAN's guide says every shipment should arrive with one. For used belongings, an itemized list with a fair second-hand value for each item
  • The phone's IMEI number on the waybill, if the box holds a mobile phone (one per shipment)
  • For medicines or supplements: a prescription in Spanish for no more than a standard 30-day treatment, with the details INVIMA lists
  • For menaje: the transport document in your name and proof of your time abroad; for Return Law relief, the Ley 1565 beneficiary certificate you receive by email

Cédula de ciudadanía (or cédula de extranjería for foreign residents; NIT for companies): The receiver's ID number is declared on the courier waybill, and the receiver signs that waybill at delivery. Under Colombian rules the signed waybill is the simplified import declaration, so the receiver should keep it for 5 years. If the receiver has no Colombian ID yet, ask the courier which number to use before you ship. 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 forms34578

What you can pack, category by category1237

What you can pack, by category
CategoryStatusWhat to know
Clothing and shoesMore on clothesConditionsDIAN's guide lists used clothing among goods not to send by courier. Pack clothes in your luggage or a menaje move; if a few pieces go in a box, keep them personal, never more than 6 of one kind.
Books and papersMore on booksAllowedBooks and printed papers for personal use are fine.
ElectronicsMore on electronicsConditionsPersonal devices with batteries installed are fine. Only one phone per shipment, with its IMEI on the waybill. DIAN's guide lists air conditioners and heaters among goods not to send.
MedicationMore on medicineConditionsNeeds a Spanish prescription for no more than a standard 30-day treatment, in sealed, labeled packaging. INVIMA can seize products that don't comply.
FoodMore on foodNot allowedDIAN's guide lists food among goods not to send by courier, and products needing ICA or INVIMA permits are held without them. Leave food out.
Cosmetics and toiletriesMore on cosmeticsNot allowedDIAN's guide lists cosmetics among goods not to send by courier, and INVIMA seizes opened or unlabeled products. Carry personal toiletries in your luggage.
Alcohol and tobaccoMore on alcohol or tobaccoNot allowedDIAN's guide lists alcoholic drinks among goods not to send, and couriers generally refuse alcohol and tobacco in personal boxes.
Sports and outdoor gearMore on sports and outdoor gearConditionsPersonal gear is fine. Clean off soil, and leave out fuel canisters, flares, bladed weapons, and firearms.
Children's items and toysMore on toys and baby gearConditionsUsed toys are fine, but toy guns and other war toys are barred. Remove loose batteries.
Documents and photosMore on documents and photosAllowedPersonal papers and photos are fine. Letters and documents sent on their own as correspondence pay no customs taxes.
OtherConditionsJewelry, gold, silver, and precious stones can't go by courier. Plants, seeds, and animal products need ICA approval. Describe everything clearly on the list.

Quantity limits137910

Quantity limits for Colombia
ItemLimit
Personal courier shipmentsUp to USD 200 FOB (about COP 660,000): no duty, and no IVA on non-commercial shipments from qualifying trade partners such as the US. The courier regime covers up to USD 2,000 (about COP 6.6 million) and 50 kg per shipment.
Items of the same kind6 units or fewer for goods with import restrictions, so the shipment counts as non-commercial. The other agency's permits still apply.
Mobile phones1 per shipment, per receiver, with the IMEI on the waybill.
Medicines and supplementsPrescription quantities for a standard 30-day treatment.
Baggage (travelers only)Accompanied baggage worth up to USD 2,000 (about COP 6.6 million) enters free of the single tax, and personal effects don't count toward it. Does not apply to shipments.
Extra purchases (travelers only)After at least 5 days abroad, up to USD 3,000 (about COP 9.9 million) more, with up to 3 units of household or sports items and 10 of other personal items, pays a 15% single tax. Once a year. Does not apply to shipments.

What you can't send to Colombia1237

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
  • Gold, silver, platinum, precious stones, jewelry, and other precious objects
  • Coins, banknotes, bearer securities, and traveler's checks
  • Counterfeit or pirated goods
  • Obscene items, including pornography and sex toys
  • Narcotics, psychotropic substances, and chemicals used to make them
  • War toys, such as toy guns (juguetes bélicos)
  • Bladed weapons (armas blancas) and their parts
  • Live animals
  • Gunpowder, explosives, poisons, and radioactive materials

Allowed with conditions

Goods with import restrictions: medicines, food, medical equipment, plants, and seeds
Allowed by courier only in non-commercial shipments, meaning 6 units or fewer of the same kind, and only if they meet the rules of the agency in charge (INVIMA or ICA). Commercial quantities are moved to a formal import.
Used clothing
DIAN's shipping guide lists used clothing among goods not to send by courier or post, so boxes of it can be held or moved to a formal import. Pack clothes in your luggage or ship them as personal effects in a menaje move. If a few pieces go in a box, keep them clearly personal, never more than 6 of one kind.
Mobile phones
One phone per shipment, per receiver, with its IMEI number and tariff code 8517.13.00.00 on the waybill. Phones split across several waybills to the same address are not allowed.
Medicines, dietary supplements, and medical devices for personal use
Need a written prescription in Spanish, using generic names, with the prescriber's registration number and the total units for a standard 30-day treatment. Products must be sealed and labeled with name, maker, lot, and expiry date. Vaccines and other biologicals are excluded. INVIMA seizes products that are opened, repackaged, or not kept at the right temperature.
Food, plants, seeds, and animal products
DIAN's guide lists them among goods not to send by courier. Plant and animal products that need ICA permits and arrive without them are handed to ICA for sanitary measures.
Other goods DIAN asks you not to send by courier
Cosmetics, alcoholic drinks, military-style clothing, furs and fur items, air conditioners and heaters, fire extinguishers, chemical batteries, fertilizers, and medical equipment.
Shipments over USD 2,000 FOB or 50 kg
Don't qualify for the courier regime. They are moved to a bonded warehouse for a formal import, with storage costs and any permits needed. DIAN warns that only authorized customs agencies may act as customs intermediaries, so avoid informal fixers.
Values DIAN doubts
If the declared value looks too low, DIAN adjusts it and charges duty and IVA on its own figure. To dispute it, show the invoice or other proof of the price within 2 days of the request.

Sending from Colombia

Shipping boxes out of Colombia348

Sending your own belongings out of Colombia by express courier is routine. The courier files the export declaration and labels each box with the sender, receiver, contents, value in US dollars, and gross weight. Anything that needs a permit, such as artworks and cultural objects, must have it when the export is declared.

Documents

  • Itemized packing list with fair values in US dollars, marked as used personal effects or gift
  • Sender's name, address, and ID for the courier
  • Ministry of Culture export authorization, applied for online, for artworks, antiques, and other cultural objects
  • Moving your whole household abroad: DIAN's menaje export, filed as a definitive export from 30 days before to 120 days after you leave

Can't leave the country

  • Cultural works and objects need the Ministry of Culture's export authorization, including contemporary pieces you take when moving abroad, send as gifts, or sell
  • Objects made before 1920, which includes pre-Columbian and colonial pieces, need the Ministry's authorization, and some protected pieces may only leave temporarily
  • Goods that need export permits or approvals must have them when the courier presents the export to DIAN
  • Couriers will not carry cash, weapons, or dangerous goods

Before pickup

  • Sending art or antiques? Apply for the Ministry of Culture authorization before you book.
  • Keep receipts for crafts and artworks you buy to send home.
  • Pack boxes yourself and describe contents precisely. DIAN can inspect outgoing parcels.
  • Check the destination's customs rules. The receiving country decides duties.

Addresses, delivery and timing3

Writing the address

Colombian addresses follow a street grid: the street type and number (Calle, Carrera, Avenida, Diagonal, Transversal), then '#', the cross-street number, a dash, and the building number. Add the apartment, the building or conjunto (gated complex) name, the neighborhood (barrio), the city, and the department. The six-digit postal code helps routing. Include a local phone number for the courier.

María ExampleCarrera 43 # 12-58, Apto 502Edificio Los Almendros, El PobladoMedellín, Antioquia 050021Colombia

Example only; not a real address.

Delivery coverage

Fastest to: Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, Cartagena, Bucaramanga, Pereira, Santa Marta, Cúcuta.

Remote areas: The Amazon and Orinoquía regions, the Pacific coast (including Chocó), and the islands of San Andrés and Providencia can add days and surcharges. Some towns are reachable only by air or river.

Courier shipments clear at the customs office where they land, then travel on the courier's domestic network. Big cities usually get delivery within 1-2 business days of release. A local phone number helps the courier arrange payment and access to gated buildings.

When things slow down

Expect slower service during Semana Santa (Holy Week), from mid-December through early January, and around Black Friday and other online sales peaks. Many Colombian public holidays move to the following Monday, creating long weekends (puentes) when offices and deliveries slow down. Rainy seasons can cut mountain roads with landslides and delay deliveries outside the big cities.

Advice for your situation

Students

Menaje is for people moving to Colombia to live after 24 months abroad, so a student coming for a semester or a year should plan on the courier regime: modest, personal boxes, honestly valued, at USD 200 FOB or less where that's true. Colombian students coming home after 24 months or more abroad may qualify for menaje.

Returning home

After 24 months or more abroad in the last 3 years, you can bring household goods as menaje for a single 15% tax, once every 5 years. After 3 years or more, register in the Cancillería's Registro Único de Retorno within 12 months of coming back, and menaje up to 2,400 UVT (about COP 125.7 million) is tax-free. Ship so the goods arrive between 1 month before and 4 months after you.

Expats and relocations

Foreigners moving to Colombia can send personal boxes through the courier regime, with the cédula de extranjería as receiver ID once you have it. The menaje rules speak of any resident abroad moving to Colombia, but DIAN's public page is written for returning Colombians, so confirm with DIAN before relying on menaje.

Tips for a smooth delivery

  • Declare honest values. At USD 200 FOB or less a box pays no duty, and from the US no IVA either. DIAN adjusts values that look too low.
  • Pack personal quantities: 6 or fewer of any one kind of item, and only one phone per shipment.
  • Leave out jewelry, gold and silver, food, cosmetics, and alcohol. DIAN's guide lists them among goods not to send by courier.
  • Carry clothing in your luggage or ship it in a menaje move. DIAN's guide asks people not to send used clothing by courier.
  • Sending medicine? Include a Spanish prescription covering no more than 30 days of treatment.
  • Moving home for good? Check menaje, and the Return Law if you've been away 3 years or more, before you ship anything.

Shipping to and from Colombia: questions

Is there a tax-free limit for packages to Colombia in 2026?

Yes. Courier shipments worth USD 200 FOB or less pay no duty. IVA is also waived for non-commercial shipments of that value from countries whose trade agreement with Colombia requires it, which includes the US. From other countries, expect 19% IVA even on small boxes.

How much will the receiver pay above USD 200?

Usually a flat 10% duty plus 19% IVA, which DIAN calculates on the goods' price plus international freight and insurance, plus any courier fee. The courier regime covers shipments up to USD 2,000 and 50 kg.

What is Colombia's 6-unit rule?

Goods with import restrictions, such as medicines, food, or medical equipment, can come by courier only in non-commercial shipments, which Colombia defines as 6 units or fewer of the same kind. They must still meet INVIMA or ICA rules. More than that is treated as commercial and moved to a formal import.

Can I send used clothes to Colombia?

It's risky by courier. DIAN's shipping guide lists used clothing among goods not to send. Pack clothes in your luggage, or include them in a menaje move if you're relocating. If a few pieces go in a box, keep them clearly personal, never more than 6 of one kind.

Do I need a cédula to receive a package in Colombia?

The receiver's ID number goes on the courier waybill: a cédula de ciudadanía for Colombians or a cédula de extranjería for foreign residents. If the receiver has no Colombian ID yet, ask the courier before shipping.

Can I bring my household goods to Colombia tax-free?

After at least 24 months abroad in the last 3 years, menaje lets you import household goods for a single 15% tax. Colombians back after 3 years or more who register under the Return Law pay nothing on menaje up to 2,400 UVT (about COP 125.7 million). Goods must arrive between 1 month before and 4 months after you.

How do I ship boxes from Colombia to another country?

Book an express courier, which files the export declaration for you. Each box is labeled with the sender, receiver, contents, value in US dollars, and weight. Artworks and cultural objects need the Ministry of Culture's online export authorization first.

What can't I send from Colombia?

Objects made before 1920, and cultural works you take when moving abroad or send as gifts, need the Ministry of Culture's authorization, and some protected pieces may only leave temporarily. Couriers also refuse cash, weapons, aerosols, flammables, and loose batteries.

Official help in Colombia

Official sources

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

  1. 1.

    Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales (DIAN)

    Modalidad de tráfico postal y envíos urgentes (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  2. 2.

    Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales (DIAN)

    Guía para que sus envíos lleguen a Colombia sin problemas (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  3. 3.

    Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales (DIAN)

    Compilación Jurídica de la DIAN - Decreto 1165 de 2019 (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 26, 2026

  4. 4.

    Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales (DIAN)

    Menaje doméstico (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  5. 5.

    Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (Cancillería)

    Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores - Normograma [LEY 1565 de 2012 Congreso Nacional] (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 26, 2026

  6. 6.

    Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales (DIAN)

    Compilación Jurídica de la DIAN - Resolución 238 de 2025 DIAN (opens in a new tab)

    Tax authority · checked September 26, 2026

  7. 7.

    Instituto Nacional de Vigilancia de Medicamentos y Alimentos (INVIMA)

    IVC-INS-IN69 Instructivo para la importación o introducción de objetos o productos al territorio nacional bajo la modalidad de importación de tráfico postal y envíos urgentes (opens in a new tab)

    Health regulator · checked September 26, 2026

  8. 8.

    Ministerio de las Culturas, las Artes y los Saberes

    Trámite en línea para la exportación sin restricción y temporal de patrimonio cultural mueble (opens in a new tab)

    Government · checked September 26, 2026

  9. 9.

    Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia (datos.gov.co)

    Tasa de Cambio Representativa del Mercado- TRM (opens in a new tab)

    Government · checked September 26, 2026

  10. 10.

    Office of the United States Trade Representative

    United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, Chapter Five: Customs Administration and Trade Facilitation (opens in a new tab)

    Trade ministry · checked September 26, 2026

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