📄 Documents and customs for shipping in Brazil
Brazil is non-EU with one of the most complex customs in the Americas (Receita Federal). Obligatory documents:
- commercial invoice or proforma in English or Portuguese
- detailed description of the goods
- free export declaration
- CPF of consignee (Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas) - Brazilian tax code, required for customs clearance
- CNPJ for corporate shipments
Brazilian duties and ICMS
Brazil applies a complex tariff structure:
- Imposto de Importação (II)variable customs duty per category, can go up to 60%+
- ICMS (state tax): varies by state, generally 12-18%
- IOF, PIS, COFINSother applicable taxes
De minimis threshold: shipments between private individuals of a value up to 50 USD (approx. €46) are duty-free. Above this threshold, all taxes apply. For commercial shipments the threshold is practically zero.
📋 What is the TARIC code and how to find it
⚠️ CPF of recipient - mandatory
The CPF (Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas) is the Brazilian tax number — mandatory for customs clearance in Brazil. Without the recipient's CPF the shipment is blocked. Always ask the recipient before booking.
Prohibited or restricted products
🚫 Narcotics, weapons, pornographic material, embargoed products, fresh food without MAPA (Ministério da Agricultura) health certification.
💡 Always use precise descriptions in English or Portuguese. “Men's cotton shirt - 2 pieces - value 60€ - made in Italy” instead of “clothes” or “gift”.