Do I need a customs broker to import to Chile?

You're about to close your first big import and the question comes up: can I clear it myself or do I absolutely need a customs broker? The answer matters, because trying to skip that step when the law requires it is the fastest way to strand your cargo at the port. Let's get specific.

When a customs broker is mandatory

In Chile, when your goods arrive as regular cargo (ship, air cargo or truck) and are worth more than US$1,000 FOB, the law requires an authorized customs clearance agent (broker). You cannot clear that type of operation yourself. By courier the limit is different: up to US$3,000 FOB you do not need a broker, even if the goods are for resale. The courier company handles the entry with a simplified declaration (DIPS). Above US$3,000 FOB, a broker is mandatory by courier too. For a company that imports in volume to resell or produce, the broker is part of the process.

Also, since October 25, 2025 the low-value purchase rules of Law 21.713 apply: what a final consumer buys for personal use, up to US$ 500 per item with shipping included, pays only VAT (19%) and no tariff. They don't apply to a company's commercial imports, which follow the general tariff and VAT rules. If your company buys on a platform without reporting its RUT, it pays that VAT and cannot recover it. It also pays the tariff at customs.

What exactly a customs broker does

The customs broker is a licensed professional who acts as your representative before the National Customs Service (Servicio Nacional de Aduanas). In practice:

• Classifies your goods under the Harmonized System (the code sets the tariff you pay).
• Prepares and files the Import Declaration (DIN) electronically.
• Applies FTA benefits (for example, the 0% tariff with China) when the certificate of origin applies.
• Coordinates payment of tariff and VAT.
• Answers to Customs for the operation.

The point that costs you dearly: tariff classification

Here's the real risk, and it's not the broker's fee. It's the classification. The same product misclassified can mean the wrong tariff, the loss of an FTA benefit or, worse, a violation.

Under current regulations, an incorrect classification lets Customs run retroactive reviews of up to three years and apply tax differences with interest and fines of up to twice the duty omitted. A good customs broker isn't red tape: it's your insurance against that risk.

How SICE coordinates it for you

The company's real problem isn't whether it needs a customs broker. It's that, beyond the broker, it has to coordinate the shipping line, insurance, transport, and warehouse, each with its own point of contact. That's where the time is lost.

SICE works with vetted customs brokers and coordinates them within a single flow: you don't chase five providers or translate between them. We're the single point of contact. We coordinate your cargo with the right broker, verify the certificate of origin is in place to activate the FTA and keep you informed. You approve, we execute.

Mini-FAQ

Can I import without a customs broker?

Yes, in two cases. As regular cargo, up to US$1,000 FOB. By courier, up to US$3,000 FOB, even if the goods are for resale. Above those amounts, a customs broker is mandatory.

Does the customs broker get me the 0% tariff with China?

The FTA benefit applies if you provide the Form F certificate of origin from the Chinese supplier. As a general rule, without a certificate of origin you pay 6%.

How much does a customs broker charge?

They charge a fee per operation; the amount depends on the type of cargo. The cost that matters isn't their fee, but what they save you in classification errors and properly applied benefits.

Is SICE a customs broker?

SICE coordinates your foreign trade end to end and works with licensed customs brokers. We're the ones who organize the whole process so you don't have to.

Official sources (in Spanish)

• ¿Qué debo hacer para importar una mercancía? (Servicio Nacional de Aduanas). For regular cargo, above US$1,000 FOB a customs broker is required; below it there is a simplified route.
• ¿Cuáles son los procedimientos de las empresas que traen mi compra a Chile? (Servicio Nacional de Aduanas). By courier, a customs broker is mandatory above US$3,000 FOB.
• Ordenanza de Aduanas, DFL 30 de 2004 (BCN, LeyChile). Fines of up to twice the duties omitted (art. 174) and a three-year limitation period (arts. 94 and 170).
• Sin arancel aduanero hasta USD 500 (Servicio Nacional de Aduanas). The tariff exemption up to US$ 500 applies only to goods for personal use, not for commercial purposes.
• Desde el 25 de octubre rige el IVA a bienes comprados en el exterior por hasta 500 dólares (SII). Start date and scope of the rule: remote purchases by final consumers.