An importer of record (IOR) is the party that customs in the destination country treats as responsible for an import. It is the name on the import declaration, and it answers for the declared classification, value and origin, for duties and import taxes, and for any permits or registrations the goods need. In most of Latin America, that party must be locally registered for tax, which is why foreign companies without a local entity often need an importer of record before they can ship.
This guide explains what the role involves, how it differs from a customs broker, freight forwarder or exporter of record, and what to check before you appoint an IOR for Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina or other markets in the region.
Importer of record meaning
Customs laws rarely use the exact phrase “importer of record”, but they all identify a person in whose name the goods are declared. The World Customs Organization’s Revised Kyoto Convention calls this person the declarant: “any person who makes a Goods declaration or in whose name such a declaration is made.” Latin American laws use terms such as importador, consignatario or dueño of the goods, but the idea is the same.
“Of record” means the party named in the official customs process. If the authority later questions the tariff code, the customs value, the origin or the payment of taxes, the importer of record is the party it will contact first, and often the one that is liable.
What does an importer of record do?
The exact duties depend on the country and the goods, but an importer of record usually takes on six responsibilities:
- Holding a valid importer identity: a local tax ID, importer registration or customs profile that the destination accepts.
- Confirming the goods can be imported: permits, product registrations, homologation, labelling and any restrictions that apply to the product.
- Standing behind classification, value and origin: the tariff code, customs value and country of origin drive duties, taxes and trade-agreement preferences.
- Ensuring the declaration and documents are accurate: commercial invoice, packing list, transport document, certificates and technical information.
- Accounting for duties and import taxes: including VAT and any prepayments collected at the border.
- Keeping records and answering post-clearance queries: customs can review an import after the goods have been released.
Why foreign companies need an importer of record in Latin America
Some countries let a non-resident company act as its own importer. In the United States, for example, a foreign corporation can make entry if it has a resident agent for service of process and a bond with a resident surety (19 C.F.R. § 141.18). Latin American customs systems are built differently: the importer is identified by a local tax number, and that number comes with local tax obligations.
The table below summarises how the importer is identified in the main markets. It is a starting point, not legal advice: requirements change and depend on the goods.
| Country | How the importer is identified | Points to note |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil | Active CNPJ and authorisation to operate in Siscomex (the “RADAR” habilitação) | The habilitação modality sets how much a company can import. DUIMP is replacing the old import declaration (DI) in phases. |
| Mexico | Active RFC and registration in the Padrón de Importadores | Registration also requires a valid e.firma, a verified tax address in Mexico and a designated customs broker (agente aduanal). |
| Colombia | Registration in the RUT; legal entities must be domiciled or legally represented in Colombia | A foreign company’s branch also needs its own RUT. |
| Peru | Active RUC held by the owner or consignee of the goods | Commercial imports above US$2,000 FOB are cleared through a licensed customs broker (agente de aduana). |
| Chile | The import declaration (DIN) identifies the consignee, normally by its Chilean tax number (RUT) | A licensed customs broker (agente de aduanas) is required for imports above US$1,000 FOB. |
| Argentina | In practice, an importer profile with ARCA linked to a CUIT | Since late 2023 the law no longer requires a specific importer register or a customs broker, but customs operations still run through ARCA. |
A foreign company can sometimes obtain a tax ID through a local representative. The harder questions come next: how import VAT is recovered, who invoices the local customer, who holds product registrations and whether the activity creates a taxable presence. An importer of record service is one way to separate the import role from those decisions. You can review how this works country by country on our pages for Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and Peru.
Importer of record vs customs broker, consignee and freight forwarder
Several parties touch one shipment, but only one of them is the importer of record.
| Role | What it does | Is it the importer of record? |
|---|---|---|
| Importer of record | The party in whose name the goods are declared and who answers for the import | Yes |
| Customs broker (despachante, agente de aduana, agente aduanal) | Prepares and lodges the declaration on behalf of the importer, under a mandate | No. It acts for the importer and does not replace it |
| Consignee | Receives the goods | Only if it is also the eligible importer |
| Freight forwarder or cargo agent | Books and coordinates transport and documents | No |
| Exporter of record | Answers for the export formalities in the origin country | No. It is the other end of the movement |
Latin American customs laws make the distinction explicit. In Chile and Argentina, customs brokers act on a mandate from the owner or consignee of the goods. Peru’s customs law lists the international cargo agent as a separate operator from the parties who clear goods. Appointing a broker therefore does not, by itself, solve the question of who the importer is.
Does DDP make the seller the importer of record?
Not automatically. Under the Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) Incoterms® rule, the seller takes on import clearance and pays import duties and taxes. The ICC Academy notes that this may be difficult for a foreign seller, and that where the destination requires the local importer to carry out import clearance, DDP cannot be used and DAP is the appropriate rule.
That is the typical situation in Latin America. A seller that agrees DDP without a local tax ID, or without an importer of record acting for it, has signed a contract it cannot perform. Before you accept DDP, confirm who will be the importer and how the import VAT will be handled.
Importer of record vs exporter of record
The importer of record answers for the import in the destination country. The export side is governed by the country of origin, and the party that answers for it is often called the exporter of record. In the United States, the regulations speak of the U.S. principal party in interest (USPPI) and require Electronic Export Information to be filed in AES in some cases. In the United Kingdom, exports are declared in HMRC’s Customs Declaration Service with an EORI number that starts with GB. One shipment may need both roles. Read more about our Exporter of Record services.
A note on acronyms: in hiring and payroll, “EOR” usually means Employer of Record, a different service. In trade, write “Exporter of Record” in full to avoid confusion.
How duties and import taxes are calculated in Latin America
In most of the region, customs duties are charged on a customs value that includes international freight and insurance, which is effectively the CIF value. This applies in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Chile. Import VAT is then charged on the customs value plus duty. Three examples:
- Chile: a general 6% duty on the CIF value, plus 19% IVA on the CIF value plus duty. Goods that qualify under a trade agreement can enter with reduced or zero duty.
- Peru: an ad valorem duty of 0%, 6% or 11% depending on the tariff line, plus 18% IGV (16% IGV and 2% municipal promotion tax). SUNAT also collects an IGV prepayment (percepción) at import, which is higher for a first-time importer.
- Mexico: the general import duty for the tariff line, a customs processing fee (DTA) of 0.8% of the customs value and 16% VAT.
Prepayments collected at the border, such as Peru’s percepción or Argentina’s VAT and income tax prepayments, affect cash flow even when they can later be credited. Whether they can be recovered depends on the importer’s tax position, which is one reason the choice of importer matters commercially as well as legally.
When an importer of record service makes sense
An IOR service is worth evaluating when your company needs goods in a Latin American country where it has no eligible importing entity, for example to:
- deliver equipment for a customer project, data center deployment or installation;
- test a market before deciding whether to set up a subsidiary;
- send spare parts, replacement units or IT hardware to an existing customer;
- supply a buyer that cannot or will not act as importer;
- manage project-based shipments across several countries in the region.
Where the goal is to sell locally on a recurring basis, a buy-sell distribution model, in which a local entity buys the goods and resells them, may fit better than a pure import role. Our trade services cover both models.
What an importer of record service does not replace
- freight, insurance and the carrier that moves the goods;
- product testing, certification or registration with regulators such as ANATEL and ANVISA (Brazil), COFEPRIS (Mexico), INVIMA (Colombia) or DIGEMID and MTC (Peru);
- export formalities in the country of origin;
- legal and tax advice for the transaction;
- local sales, invoicing, after-sales service or returns, unless they are agreed separately.
How to evaluate an importer of record provider in Latin America
Ask specific questions before you appoint a provider:
- Which legal entity will appear on the import declaration in this country? Ask for the country, not a regional claim.
- Can it accept these exact goods? Telecom equipment, medical devices and cosmetics usually involve a sector regulator.
- Who will hold the permits and product registrations? Some regulators require a local holder.
- How will import VAT and border prepayments be handled? Ask who funds them, who recovers them and how the local customer will be invoiced.
- Which customs broker and entry points will be used? And how will the provider work with your freight forwarder?
- What happens after release? Delivery, storage, records, returns and post-clearance queries.
Be cautious with universal coverage claims or guaranteed clearance times. A credible provider reviews the goods, parties and documents first.
What to prepare before requesting an IOR assessment
- destination country and final delivery address;
- product description, model, intended use and tariff code if known;
- country of origin and any origin documents for a trade-agreement claim;
- commercial invoice value, currency and proposed Incoterms® rule;
- quantities, shipment frequency and target dates;
- certificates, test reports and existing registrations;
- the local recipient and what happens to the goods after release.
Missing information is normal at the start; what matters is that the gaps are visible before the goods move. If you have a shipment in mind, talk to our trade team or start with our Importer of Record services in Latin America.
Frequently asked questions
What does IOR stand for?
IOR stands for importer of record: the party in whose name goods are declared to customs in the destination country and who answers for the import.
Can a foreign company be the importer of record in Latin America?
Usually not without local registration. In Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and Peru, the importer is identified by a local tax ID (CNPJ, RFC, RUT or RUC), and that registration brings local tax obligations. Companies without a local entity commonly use an importer of record service or a local buyer.
Is the importer of record the same as the customs broker?
No. The customs broker prepares and files the declaration under a mandate from the importer. The importer of record is the party in whose name the goods are declared.
Does DDP make the seller the importer of record?
DDP makes the seller responsible for import clearance and import taxes under the contract, but it does not make the seller eligible to import. Where the destination requires a local importer, DDP cannot be performed without one.
Who pays import duties and taxes when an IOR is used?
The importer of record is usually liable to customs, but the contract decides who funds the payments and how they are recovered or invoiced. Agree this before the goods ship.
What is the difference between an importer of record and an exporter of record?
The importer of record answers for the import in the destination country. The exporter of record answers for the export formalities in the country of origin. A shipment may need both.