How we work it out
- We checked the rules in official sources on October 22, 2026. For example: SEC, SAG, SUBTEL, the Ministry of Health (Minsal), Customs and the laws in the Library of Congress (BCN). For ISP, we used its decrees and ChileAtiende.
- For your product, we show who issues the permit and which document it is. We also show when to apply and what happens without it.
- If a rule is not confirmed in an official source, we do not state it. There it says Ask us.
Watch out for this
- Thinking you can sell once Customs releases the cargo. The SEC seal and the SUBTEL QR code are required to sell.
- Paying the supplier before you know if the product needs registration. A cream without ISP registration cannot be sold.
- Shipping cargo on wooden pallets without the ISPM 15 stamp. SAG orders them to be treated or destroyed.
Questions
Which products need a permit to be imported into Chile?
Almost anything can be imported. Some products need approval from a government agency, like food, cosmetics, medicines or plants. Some electrical or Wi-Fi items need an SEC seal or SUBTEL QR code for sale. Customs has a matrix by tariff code, but it is only a reference. That matrix does not include SEC or SUBTEL.
Is a CE or FCC certificate valid in Chile?
For SUBTEL, no: its FAQ says so. For SEC, you can ask it to recognize a certificate from another country. It answers within 30 business days. Then the batch is checked.
What is the difference between taking the cargo out of the port and being allowed to sell it?
With the certificate to take the cargo out (CDA), you move it to an authorized warehouse. It does not let you sell. To sell or use the product, you need another authorization (uso y disposición).
What happens if my cargo arrives without the permit?
It depends on the permit. Without the certificate to take it out of the port (CDA), it does not leave. After 90 days without pickup, Customs can declare it abandoned and auction it. Without the SEC seal or SUBTEL QR code, the cargo leaves. But you cannot sell it.
Do wooden pallets need anything?
Yes, even if your product is not made of wood. Wooden pallets and crates carry the ISPM 15 stamp (NIMF 15) on at least two sides. Without the stamp, SAG orders the whole shipment's packaging treated or destroyed.
What SICE does
SICE is not a customs agency: a customs broker in its network files the declaration. Each government agency grants its own permits.
See also:
Sources
- Chilean Customs (Aduanas): frequently asked questions on imports
- Customs: certifications and approvals for goods
- Customs: approval matrix, version 62 of October 21, 2026 (Excel)
- SAG: imported wood packaging
- SAG: Resolution 133 of 2005 on wood packaging
- Law 18,164: certificates to release food, cosmetics and alcohol
- Minsal (Ministry of Health): foreign trade in food
- SEC: product certification system
- SEC: search tool for products with mandatory certification
- SUBTEL: short-range equipment
- Diario Oficial (official gazette): consolidated SUBTEL text, July 2026
- Customs: ISP CDA for medical devices
- ChileAtiende: registration of cosmetic products
- Decree 114 of 2005: toy safety
- SAG: phytosanitary risk categories
- SAG: import requirements search tool
- SAG: products of animal origin
- SAG: imports of animal feed
- ChileAtiende: imports of alcoholic beverages
- ChileAtiende: imported hazardous chemical substances
- SAG: imports of pesticides
- Decree 1,358 of 2010: used and retreaded tires
- Decree 26 of 1984: clothing labels
- Decree 17 of 2006: footwear labels
- ChileAtiende: time limit for goods in Customs storage
- Law 18,410: SEC fines (article 16 A)
- Law 18,168: telecommunications fines (article 36)
- Health Code (Código Sanitario): fines (article 174)
- Customs Ordinance: abandoned cargo (article 140)
- SAG: Resolution 7,008 of 2013, wood over 5 mm thick
- SAG: Resolution 1,284 of 2021, plant products by process
- SAG: Resolution 91 of 2022, animal products with no approval needed
- SAG: Resolution 1,233 of 2013, pet food
- SAG: Resolution 3,103 of 2016, used machinery
- Decree 239 of 2002: cosmetics and hygiene products
- Decree 3 of 2010: medicines
- Minsal: Resolution 15 of 2023, hazardous substances
- Diario Oficial: Resolution 39 of 2018, devices that need SEC certification
- Diario Oficial: Resolution 44 of 2026, portable power stations
- Diario Oficial: SEC circular on chargers, April 2026
- SEC: gas products with mandatory certification
- ChileAtiende: recognition of foreign certificates by SEC
- Diario Oficial: SUBTEL, new rules from February 22, 2026
- SERNAC: ruling on footwear labels, December 2025
Updated on October 22, 2026