Customs Clearance

What is included

Argentine import clearance is where most China-to-Argentina shipments lose time. The cargo arrives, but the declaration does not match the invoice, or the NCM classification is wrong, or a certificate the product needs was never obtained. Clearance is a document problem far more often than a customs problem.

The role of a forwarder here is narrow and specific: prepare the file before the vessel arrives, have a licensed despachante de aduana file the import declaration, and resolve discrepancies while the cargo is still at sea rather than while it accrues storage. That is the whole difference between a five-day clearance and a three-week one.

Commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading review

tariff classification support before dispatch

Coordination with brokers and terminal operators

Release and delivery follow-up to your warehouse

Best for: first-time importers and shipments with special documentation requirements.

The three taxes you actually pay

An Argentine import is taxed on a declared customs value, not on what you paid the supplier if the two differ. Duty depends entirely on the NCM classification and runs from zero to thirty-five percent. On top of duty comes IVA at 21%, then a 3% statistical tax. The PAIS tax that used to apply to imports was abolished in December 2024, so any quote still including it is out of date.

Customs duty — 0-35% depending on NCM classification
IVA — 21% on the taxable base
Statistical tax — 3%
PAIS tax — abolished December 2024, no longer applies

NCM classification is the whole game

The NCM code decides the duty rate, whether a certificate is required and whether the product is restricted at all. Two similar products can sit in different chapters with very different rates. Classification is not something to guess from a product name: it turns on material, function, and how the goods are presented. A wrong code is the most expensive mistake in the file, because it is discovered after the duty has been assessed.

Classification follows material, function and presentation, not marketing names
Some chapters require prior intervention from a regulator
A wrong code triggers reassessment, penalties and storage
We confirm the code against the product description before booking

Certificates and registrations by product type

Certain product families cannot clear on documents alone. Electronics need conformity approval, food-contact and medical goods need health authorisation, agricultural inputs need phytosanitary clearance. These are issued to the importer or manufacturer, take time, and cannot be produced at the terminal on the day of arrival.

Electronics — conformity approval before clearance
Food-contact, cosmetics, medical goods — health authorisation
Agricultural products and inputs — phytosanitary certificate
Standards certification for regulated categories

The document set that actually clears

A clean file is short: commercial invoice, packing list, transport document, certificate of origin where a preference applies, and the import declaration filed by the despachante. What causes delay is not missing documents in the abstract but mismatches between them — a weight that differs across three documents, a consignee name spelled two ways, a description too vague to classify.

Commercial invoice with unit values and Incoterm stated
Packing list with weights and marks matching the transport document
Bill of lading or air waybill consistent with invoice and packing list
Certificate of origin where a trade preference is claimed

How we shorten clearance

Clearance time is decided before the vessel sails, not after it berths. We collect the invoice, packing list and product details at booking, confirm the NCM code, and flag any certificate the product needs while there is still time to obtain it. The draft bill of lading is checked against the commercial documents before departure, so corrections happen at origin where they are free.

NCM confirmed at booking, not at arrival
Certificate requirements identified early enough to obtain them
Draft bill of lading reconciled before departure
Declaration pre-filed so clearance starts on arrival, not after

Component	Basis	Rate
Customs duty	Customs value, by NCM	0-35%
IVA	Taxable base	21%
Statistical tax	Customs value	3%
PAIS tax	—	Abolished December 2024
Terminal handling	Per container or per CBM	Set by the terminal
Despachante fees	Per declaration	Quoted per shipment

Component

Basis

Rate

Customs duty

Customs value, by NCM

0-35%

IVA

Taxable base

21%

Statistical tax

Customs value

PAIS tax

—

Abolished December 2024

Terminal handling

Per container or per CBM

Set by the terminal

Despachante fees

Per declaration

Quoted per shipment

Customs Clearance: frequently asked questions

How much is import duty into Argentina?

Duty runs from zero to thirty-five percent of the customs value and depends entirely on the NCM classification, not on the product category in general. On top of duty you pay IVA at 21% and a 3% statistical tax. The PAIS tax that used to apply was abolished in December 2024.

How long does customs clearance take?

A clean file with a correct NCM code and no missing certificate typically clears in a few days after arrival. The delays come from document mismatches, wrong classification, or a certificate that was never obtained — each of which can add weeks rather than days, plus storage.

Do I need a local importer to clear goods in Argentina?

Yes. The import declaration must be filed by a licensed Argentine despachante de aduana on behalf of an importer of record. If you do not have an import registration, DDP is the route that avoids you needing one — but the legal importer on the declaration is still a named party, and you should know who that is.

What happens if my NCM code is wrong?

Customs reassesses the declaration, which means a different duty rate, possible penalties, and storage while the file is corrected. It is the most expensive error in an import file, which is why we confirm classification against the product description before the cargo sails rather than after it arrives.

Is the PAIS tax still charged?

No. The PAIS tax on imports was abolished in December 2024. If a provider still quotes it as a line item, the quote is using an outdated tax structure and should be questioned.