Import guide
How to import into Ecuador, step by step
What you need to settle before you pay the supplier, and what happens from the moment the cargo leaves origin until it reaches your warehouse. For companies and entrepreneurs importing for the first time or tired of losing margin on every shipment.
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In short
- You need a RUC, an electronic signature and an importer registration in ECUAPASS before your first purchase.
- The tariff code defines your duties, your permits and whether the product can enter at all. Confirm it before you buy.
- Prior-control documents from ARCSA, INEN, AGROCALIDAD, ARCOTEL or the ANT are processed before shipment.
- You pay the tariff and FODINFA on the customs value, and VAT on that value plus those duties; ICE or a safeguard may apply depending on the product.
- SENAE assigns an inspection channel to every declaration, and the physical one adds the most time.
- Always compare the total landed cost, not the FOB price or the freight on their own.
The route in eight steps
01
Register as an importer
Get a RUC, an electronic signature and an importer registration in ECUAPASS.
02
Confirm the tariff code
Classify the product by material, function and use, and confirm the tariff line with the customs broker.
03
Check permits and restrictions
Check whether the tariff line requires a prior-control document and get it before shipment.
04
Vet the supplier and set the Incoterm
Verify the factory, ask for a proforma with the Incoterm 2020 rule and exact place, and pay through traceable channels.
05
Choose the transport mode
Compare air, consolidated ocean and full container using chargeable weight and the timeline you need.
06
Gather the documents
Commercial invoice, transport document, packing list, insurance policy and, when needed, certificate of origin and prior-control documents.
07
Declare, pay and clear inspection
The customs broker files the DAI, you pay the assessment and SENAE assigns the inspection channel.
08
Receive at your warehouse
Collect the cargo from the primary customs zone, truck it to your warehouse and file the complete record.
Who can import into Ecuador?
Any individual or company with an active RUC, Ecuador's taxpayer number, that registers as an importer in ECUAPASS, the SENAE system. Registration requires an electronic signature and is done online. A personal courier purchase follows different rules: if you plan to resell, you need to import as a foreign trade operator.
- Active RUC
- With the business activity that matches what you plan to sell. It is issued by the SRI, the tax authority.
- Electronic signature
- A certificate on a token or as a file, issued by a certification authority accredited in Ecuador.
- ECUAPASS registration
- Importer account on the SENAE portal, linked to your electronic signature.
How do I know my product's tariff code?
The tariff line is determined with the General Interpretative Rules of the Harmonized System, based on what the product is, what it is made of and what it does. Ecuador uses the NANDINA nomenclature with extra national digits. Duties, permits and restrictions all depend on it, so confirm it before you buy.
ATLAS suggests possible codes from the description, and the customs broker confirms the final one. If the product is new, combines several functions or the duty gap between headings is large, you can ask SENAE for an advance classification ruling through ECUAPASS: the answer is binding.
A wrong classification does more than change the duty. It can end in a fine, a missing permit or goods held while it gets fixed.
Does my product need permits before import?
It depends on the tariff line. Many products require a prior-control document from the competent agency, and most are processed through the Ecuadorian Single Window in ECUAPASS. Get it before shipment: without it the goods cannot be cleared and storage charges pile up while it gets sorted out.
- ARCSA
- Processed food, cosmetics, hygiene products, medicines and medical devices: sanitary notification or registration.
- INEN
- Products under an Ecuadorian technical regulation, such as certain textiles, footwear, toys, appliances and auto parts: certificate of conformity.
- AGROCALIDAD
- Plant and animal products, seeds and farm inputs: phytosanitary or zoosanitary import permit.
- ARCOTEL
- Telecom terminal equipment such as phones, radios or wireless modules: type approval.
- ANT
- Vehicles and some of their components: vehicle type approval.
- Other regimes
- Controlled chemicals, weapons, waste and protected species have their own controls and, in some cases, are prohibited.
How do I buy from a supplier without getting scammed?
Verify the supplier before paying: business license, real capacity, references and the ability to export. Ask for a proforma invoice with an exact description, the Incoterm 2020 rule and the place of delivery, and pay only through traceable channels. On large orders, a pre-shipment inspection keeps you from finding the problem once the cargo is already in Ecuador.
- Be wary of prices far below market and of last-minute bank account changes.
- Ask for a video call at the factory, samples and photos of the lot before paying the balance.
- Pay an account in the name of the company that invoices, never an individual.
- Put specifications, packaging, markings and production times in writing.
Which Incoterm should I ask the supplier for?
For imports into Ecuador, FOB for sea freight or FCA for air and container cargo usually give you the most control: the supplier delivers cleared for export and you choose freight and insurance. EXW makes you handle export clearance at origin and DDP almost never works into Ecuador. Always ask for the Incoterm with its 2020 version and the exact place.
Air, consolidated ocean or full container?
Air suits urgent, light or high-value-per-kilo cargo; consolidated ocean (LCL) suits small volumes without a rush; and a full container (FCL) makes sense when your volume fills a good part of one. Air and courier charge the greater of actual and volumetric weight, so work it out before you request quotes.
Which documents go with an import?
The basics are the commercial invoice, the transport document and the packing list. Depending on the product you add prior-control documents, the certificate of origin if you claim a tariff preference, and the insurance policy. The customs broker attaches them to the Import Customs Declaration (DAI) filed in ECUAPASS.
| Document | Issued by | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Supplier | Proves the purchase and the value of the goods |
| Bill of lading, air waybill or road consignment note | Ocean carrier, airline or trucker | Proves transport and lets you collect the cargo |
| Packing list | Supplier | Details packages, weights, dimensions and contents |
| Insurance policy | Insurer | Covers the cargo in transit and is part of the customs value |
| Certificate of origin | Authorized body in the country of origin | Lets you apply a trade agreement preference |
| Prior-control document | ARCSA, INEN, AGROCALIDAD, ARCOTEL or another agency | Authorizes the entry of regulated products |
| Import Customs Declaration (DAI) | Customs broker, under your RUC | Declares the goods and assesses duties before SENAE |
Which duties and taxes apply, and on what base?
You pay the ad valorem tariff for your tariff line and FODINFA, both on the customs value (CIF: cost, insurance and freight), and then VAT on CIF plus tariff, FODINFA and ICE when it applies. Depending on the product, a safeguard or a specific duty may also apply. The calculator shows the current rates with their date and source.
- 1. Customs value
- FOB plus international freight plus insurance. It is the base for the tariff and FODINFA.
- 2. Ad valorem tariff
- The percentage of your tariff line applied to the customs value.
- 3. FODINFA
- A levy applied to the customs value on most imports.
- 4. ICE
- Only for goods the law taxes, with its own base and rate.
- 5. VAT
- The current rate on the customs value plus tariff, FODINFA and ICE.
What happens when the cargo reaches Ecuador?
The customs broker files the DAI, you pay the duty assessment and SENAE assigns an inspection channel by risk: automatic, electronic, documentary or physical. A documentary check reviews the paperwork; a physical one opens the cargo. Once released, the goods leave the primary customs zone and are trucked to your warehouse.
Every day the cargo waits at the port can add storage and, for containers, demurrage from the carrier. Having the tariff code, permits and documents ready before arrival is the most direct way to cut that cost.
Is every import for consumption?
No. Import for consumption is the general regime when goods stay in the country, but the COPCI, Ecuador's production and trade code, provides others: temporary admission to re-export goods as they are or after processing, bonded warehousing to store without paying duties until clearance, and special regimes for exporters. The right regime changes what you pay and when.
How do I calculate the total landed cost?
Add FOB, freight, insurance, duties and taxes, the customs broker, port charges and local delivery, and divide by the units to compare against your selling price. That total, the landed cost, is the figure that tells you whether the import pays off. The calculator gives you a reference estimate with the date of every parameter.
Do I need a registered company to import with Daleki Trade?
You need a RUC, Ecuador's taxpayer number, and an importer registration in ECUAPASS, because the import is declared in your name; that can be a company or an individual with a RUC. Registration requires an active RUC, an electronic signature and a user account on the SENAE portal, and the team guides you through it the first time. A personal courier shipment follows different rules and does not work for goods you plan to resell.
What documents do I need to import into Ecuador?
To import into Ecuador you need, at minimum, a commercial invoice, a transport document (bill of lading, air waybill or road consignment note) and a packing list. Depending on the product, prior-control documents are added and, to claim a tariff preference, a certificate of origin; the insurance policy completes the file. The customs broker confirms the exact list before clearance.
Which products are restricted for import into Ecuador?
Some goods are prohibited and others can only be imported with a prior-control document, which is checked by tariff line before you buy. Depending on the product, ARCSA (food, cosmetics and medicines), AGROCALIDAD (plant and animal products), INEN (products under a technical regulation), ARCOTEL (telecom equipment) or the ANT (vehicles) gets involved. Most of these documents are processed through the Ecuadorian Single Window in ECUAPASS, and it pays to have them before shipment.
What happens if SENAE inspects my goods?
SENAE assigns every declaration an inspection channel based on its risk profile: automatic, electronic, documentary or physical. A documentary review checks the paperwork, while a physical one opens and examines the goods, which adds days to clearance. The customs broker handles the review and observations are answered with supporting evidence; storage costs during inspection are reviewed under the quote and the Terms, and nobody can guarantee a fixed release date.
Can I ask SENAE to confirm the tariff code before importing?
Yes. SENAE offers an advance ruling on tariff classification: you request it through ECUAPASS with the product's technical information, and the answer is binding on customs and on the applicant. It is worth it for new products, multi-function goods or cases with large duty differences between possible headings. Daleki Trade can prepare the technical grounds for the request.
We take you from the quote to your warehouse
If you would rather not coordinate every step yourself, Daleki Trade manages the whole import with one accountable lead and the cost in writing before the first payment.