Shipping parts to Brazil

[B4A]

I need to get some spare parts sent from the US to Brazil, for an In Transit vessel with US flag. Questions:

1) How much are import duty taxes?
2) Is it possible to avoid paying them, since it's a temporary import?

The Receita Federal said it is possible but they don't know how.

Has anyone here ever done it?

[Copacabana]

Sadly, you can expect to pay 80% duty on parts shipped in (and 80% on the shipping cost!). I would look for a port "despachante" to see about importing duty free as a boat in transit. Boat parts are insanely expensive in Brazil. If they're not heavy and bulky things, you can fly to Buenos Aires and buy them at a reasonable price and fly back with them. I've done it many times...

Where are you in Brazil? Perhaps I can try to put you in contact with some people who may be able to help.

[B4A]

The value is around $500. It's a fiberglass cylinder for my watermaker. I'm in Rio right now, sailing to Ilha Grande tomorrow.

[Copacabana]

Well, I suppose the price doesn't warrant a flight to Buenos Aires in this case...

Google "despachante aduaneiro, rio de janeiro" and call or visit the closest one on google maps. Yhey should be able to inform you. The Brazilian importing regulations are quite clear and customs employees are honest and helpful, but the country is very bureaucratic.

[B4A]

What does a de spaccante do exactly? I asked the Receita Federal in Angra and they told me there should be a way to avoid import taxes but they never had a case so they didn 'they know.

Also, how would they charge you 80% for shipping? Does this happen with DHL or FedEx?

[Copacabana]

Despachante is like a customs broker- they take care of the paperwork. If you send it by mail, it ends up in a central repository (in Curitiba) where the package is opened, invoice inspected and taxes applied. PM me and I'll give you another solution.

[B4A]

I just did!

[Copacabana]

Originally Posted by B4A

I just did!

PM sent!

[B4A]

Update on this post.

I received the spare parts from Florida. They were "under warranty parts", so the invoice was USD0.00.

Nonetheless, as predicted by Copacabana, the authorities charged me 80% on the shipping costs.

There is really no other way around, I've talked to "despachantes" as suggested in this forum, and I also talked to the Customs themselves (Receita Federal).

The answer from the Custom authorities was kind of funny: "you are right, no import duties should be charged to an in-transit vessel, but we are sorry, we have never got such a case before, so we don't know how to handle it, there is no process in place".

They really wanted to help, but apparently there is no directive on how to handle such cases, so they have their hands tied.

Generally speaking, in my dealing with authorities in Brazil despite all the bureaucracy, I found officials very honest and agreeable people. I've been always been treated with outmost respect and courtesy.