Air Freight from China to Acajutla
China → Acajutla · via SAL air / Acajutla sea · clearance by Dirección General de Aduanas de El Salvador
We move air freight cargo from South China into Acajutla through SAL air / Acajutla sea. Acajutla is the country's main Pacific port, which shapes the kind of cargo that moves on this lane and how it should be packed.
Clearance itself is handled by Dirección General de Aduanas de El Salvador, and typical dwell at the gateway runs 3–8 days.
Duty, tax and clearance into Acajutla
Imports into El Salvador are cleared by Dirección General de Aduanas de El Salvador. The headline position is: IVA 13%; Central American common tariff 0–15%. The de-minimis threshold is USD 200 for courier consignments.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: Health registration for food and cosmetics; conformity for regulated goods. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for El Salvador: Acajutla has limited direct Asian calls — most cargo transships. Compare the Guatemala routing, which is sometimes faster overall.
What the routing looks like in practice
El Salvador uses the US dollar, which simplifies pricing, and Acajutla on the Pacific gives a shorter routing from China than the Atlantic Central American ports. Many consignees also clear through Puerto Quetzal in Guatemala and truck across, so it is worth comparing both when quoting.
| Air gateways used | SAL (San Salvador) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 4–7 business days |
| Gateway serving Acajutla | SAL air / Acajutla sea |
| Inland leg to Acajutla | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 3–8 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Before you book: Acajutla checklist
- Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the El Salvador duty rate against it yourself.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: Health registration for food and cosmetics; conformity for regulated goods.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Budget for the inland leg: same-day delivery beyond gateway clearance to reach Acajutla.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Acajutla take?
China to the El Salvador gateway is 4–7 business days. On top of that, allow 3–8 days of clearance with Dirección General de Aduanas de El Salvador and a same-day inland leg to Acajutla.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Acajutla?
Dirección General de Aduanas de El Salvador applies: IVA 13%; Central American common tariff 0–15%. The de-minimis position is USD 200 for courier consignments. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Acajutla.
Which port or airport does cargo for Acajutla clear through?
Cargo for Acajutla is routed via SAL air / Acajutla sea. Sea gateways for El Salvador are Acajutla; air gateways are SAL (San Salvador). We pick whichever gives the shortest total door time for your address.
What certification do I need for El Salvador?
For regulated goods, plan for: Health registration for food and cosmetics; conformity for regulated goods. Missing conformity paperwork is the single most common cause of a hold, and in most cases it cannot be remedied once the cargo has arrived.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Acajutla?
Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965–970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via SAL (San Salvador). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.
What documents does Dirección General de Aduanas de El Salvador require?
A commercial invoice with HS codes, a packing list, the bill of lading or air waybill, a certificate of origin where it lowers duty, and any product certification (Health registration for food and cosmetics; conformity for regulated goods). We prepare and file these as part of the service.
Other delivery cities in El Salvador
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for El Salvador change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your own HS code with Dirección General de Aduanas de El Salvador or your broker before you ship.
- Dirección General de Aduanas
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- World Bank — Logistics Performance Index
- ICC — Incoterms 2020 rules (DDP, DAP, FOB definitions)
- IPPC — ISPM 15 wood packaging standard
- WCO — Harmonized System nomenclature
Page data last reviewed: 8 月 2026.
Shipping by industry
This page covers the route and clearance picture for the destination. Packing, classification and the compliance step that actually holds a shipment depend on what you are sending — these guides cover that by commodity.
- Display Stands Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Toys Toys, Sports, Outdoor & Leisure
- Baby Products Consumer Goods & Gifts
- Bathroom Accessories Consumer Goods & Gifts
- E-commerce Fulfilment E-commerce & Retail Channels
- Bearings Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Automation Equipment General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Electronics Manufacturing Equipment Specialised Production Machinery
- Generators New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Automotive Parts Automotive & Vehicles
- Prefabricated Building Building Materials & Construction Products
- Plumbing Products Building Materials & Construction Products
Checking the El Salvador duty position yourself
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Dirección General de Aduanas de El Salvador against your declared HS code at the time of entry; where the amount is material, verify the current rate through ITC Market Access Map before committing to an order.
Classification drives everything downstream: the same carton can attract very different duty depending on the heading it lands in, and the structure those headings come from is the World Customs Organization Harmonized System. If your product sits near a boundary between two headings, resolve it before shipping rather than at the border.
On the air side, anything with a cell or a battery in it, plus liquids, powders, magnets and aerosols, is governed by the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. Those articles are not refused outright, but they need to be declared at booking so the shipment is built correctly — declaring them late is the single most common cause of an air consignment being offloaded.
For a wider view of how importing into El Salvador actually works — documentation norms, inspection behavior, the paperwork that tends to hold shipments — the U.S. ITA guide to El Salvador customs regulations is a useful independent read alongside our own lane notes.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Acajutla. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
Air freight and volumetric weight. What is dimensional, chargeable or volumetric weight? — Train Learn Grow. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.
Get a rate for Acajutla
This lane is quoted per shipment rather than from a published rate card, because the landed cost depends on the commodity, its density, the conformity requirements above and the delivery point. Send the cargo details and we will come back with a full DDP figure.
Customs clearance in El Salvador
Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border — plus who files the entry.
El Salvador clearance requirements →