Customs Clearance in Argentina
Import entries into Argentina are administered by Dirección General de Aduanas (ARCA). Cargo typically sits 5–12 days at the gateway before release, and most of that window is documentation rather than physical inspection. We handle the entry itself — classification, valuation, duty and tax settlement, and the release — either as part of a delivered duty-paid movement or as a standalone brokerage service on cargo somebody else is shipping.
Clearance profile — Argentina
| Customs authority | Dirección General de Aduanas (ARCA) |
|---|---|
| Duty and tax | IVA 21% plus a 10.5% IVA perception and income-tax perception; Mercosur common external tariff of 0–35% |
| De-minimis | USD 400 for courier consignments under the simplified regime |
| Certification | Import declaration (SEDI) required before shipment for most goods; safety certification for electrical products |
| Typical port dwell | 5–12 days |
| Sea gateways | Buenos Aires, Zárate, Rosario |
| Air gateways | EZE (Buenos Aires Ezeiza), COR (Córdoba) |
Compiled from the destination customs authority and port operators as a buyer-planning reference. It is not a customs ruling — the binding position depends on your HS heading and the consignee's status.
What we do on the entry
- Classification. We agree the HS heading before the cargo sails, not after it lands. A heading argued at the border costs storage every day it runs.
- Valuation. We build the customs value the way Argentina expects it — including or excluding freight and insurance according to the local rule, with the supporting evidence attached.
- Entry filing and duty settlement. Lodged in the consignee's name or, where the market allows it, under our own importer arrangement.
- Release and onward delivery. Terminal release, any inspection attendance, and delivery to the door if you want the movement quoted duty-paid.
What actually holds shipments here
Pre-shipment import declaration approval is required; goods shipped without it can be refused. Foreign-currency access constrains duty settlement and supplier payment. Tax perceptions on top of IVA raise the effective landed cost well above the headline rate.
None of that is unusual, but all of it is easier to resolve before the container sails than after it arrives.
How the lane behaves
Argentina's constraint is administrative rather than physical. Import declarations must be filed and approved before the cargo ships, and foreign-exchange access for paying suppliers has been rationed for years — both directly affect whether a DDP structure is workable. Verify the consignee's declaration status and FX position before booking, not after.
Documents we will ask for
- Commercial invoice and packing list matching the goods exactly
- Bill of lading or air waybill
- Certificate of origin where a preference is claimed
- Consignee registration or tax identifier for the market
- Product certification, permits or licences where the commodity requires them
Mismatches between the invoice and the transport document are the single most common reason an entry is queried. We check them before filing rather than after a query lands.
Clearing agents in Argentina
Our entries in Argentina are filed by licensed local brokers, not sub-contracted blind. If you hold a customs broker licence or AEO authorisation here, we are open to adding capacity — we send referred volume from an ocean freight book that already discharges at your gateways.
The network is vetted rather than open: licence verification with the issuing authority, insurance, two contactable references and supervised trial entries before any unsupervised volume.
Apply to become our Argentina clearance partner →Freight rates into Argentina
Clearance is quoted alongside the freight. These are the priced lanes we currently run into this market.
- Ningbo to Buenos Aires FCL Ocean Freight Rates | 20GP & 40HQ
- Ningbo to Zarate Container Shipping — 40HQ Rates
- Shanghai–Buenos Aires Sea Freight: Container Rates and Schedule
- Shipping a Container from Shanghai to Zarate: Cost & Transit
- Yantian to Buenos Aires FCL Ocean Freight Rates | 20GP & 40HQ
- Yantian to Zarate Container Shipping — 40HQ Rates
Destination guide
Gateways, inland legs, port behaviour and seasonal pressure for Argentina — the background this clearance page assumes.
Argentina destination guide →Common questions
Who administers customs clearance in Argentina?
Import entries are administered by Dirección General de Aduanas (ARCA).
How long does clearance take in Argentina?
Cargo typically sits 5–12 days at the gateway. Complete paperwork lodged before arrival is what keeps a shipment at the short end of that range.
What duty and tax applies in Argentina?
IVA 21% plus a 10.5% IVA perception and income-tax perception; Mercosur common external tariff of 0–35% The rate that applies to your shipment depends on the HS heading — send the specification for a firm figure.
Can you clear cargo in Argentina that you did not ship?
Yes. Brokerage is available as a standalone service on cargo moved by another forwarder, as well as bundled into a duty-paid movement we carry ourselves.
Do you work with local brokers in Argentina?
Yes — our clearance network is built on vetted local licence holders. Brokers in this market can apply to join through our partner programme.