Import Taxes in Brazil: A Practical Guide for Foreign Companies
Short answer. Importing goods into Brazil triggers several taxes at once, not one. The federal layer is II (import duty), IPI (excise) and PIS/COFINS-Importação; the state layer is ICMS-Importação. From 2026, the consumption-tax reform begins replacing part of this stack with IBS/CBS over a multi-year transition. For a foreign company, what matters is the total landed cost, not the headline duty.
The import tax stack
- II — Imposto de Importação (federal). Charged on the customs (CIF) value, at the rate set for the product’s NCM code under the Mercosur Common External Tariff. [Source: Decreto-Lei 37/1966; Regulamento Aduaneiro — Decreto 6.759/2009 — Planalto]
- IPI-Importação (federal). Excise on industrialized goods, charged on customs value plus II, at the TIPI rate for the product. [Source: Regulamento do IPI — Decreto 7.212/2010 — Planalto]
- PIS/COFINS-Importação (federal). Social contributions on imports under Lei 10.865/2004. For 2026 the combined standard rate is 12.35% — PIS-Importação 2.1% plus COFINS-Importação 10.25% (the COFINS surcharge phases down to 0.6 percentage points in 2026). [Source: Lei 10.865/2004 — Planalto; PGFN — PIS/COFINS-Importação]
- ICMS-Importação (state). State VAT on imports, charged on a grossed-up base that absorbs the other import taxes. The rate is set by each state and is frequently the largest single component of the landed cost. [Source: Lei Complementar 87/1996 (Lei Kandir) — Planalto]
Customs charges beyond the taxes
Budget also for AFRMM (a surcharge on sea freight), the SISCOMEX transaction fee, and storage/handling. They are not “taxes,” but they hit landed cost and cash flow.
What the 2026 reform changes
The IBS/CBS reform (EC 132/2023; LC 214/2025) reaches imports. During the 2026–2033 transition, CBS progressively replaces PIS/COFINS-Importação and IBS replaces ICMS-Importação, while IPI is largely phased out, with an exception tied to products with incentivized manufacturing in the Manaus Free Trade Zone. The II remains as a trade-policy tax. The practical effect is a gradual shift from the fragmented import stack toward a broad, creditable dual VAT. [Source: EC 132/2023; LC 214/2025 — Planalto]
Practical takeaway for foreign companies
Model the full landed-cost stack — ICMS-Importação alone can dominate it because of the grossed-up base. If you are planning supply chains into 2026 and beyond, map how IBS/CBS will reshape import taxation across the transition years, since the credit mechanics differ materially from the legacy ICMS/PIS/COFINS regime.
FAQ
Is there a single “import tax” in Brazil? No. An import typically triggers II, IPI, PIS/COFINS-Importação (federal) and ICMS-Importação (state), plus customs charges.
What is the PIS/COFINS-Importação rate in 2026? A combined 12.35% in the standard case (2.1% PIS + 10.25% COFINS), with sector-specific variations.
Does the 2026 tax reform change import taxes? Yes — IBS/CBS gradually replace PIS/COFINS-Importação and ICMS-Importação during the 2026–2033 transition; the import duty (II) stays.
Sources
Official sources reviewed for this brief: the import-duty legislation (Decreto-Lei 37/1966) and the Customs Regulation (Decreto 6.759/2009), the IPI Regulation (Decreto 7.212/2010), the PIS/COFINS-Importação law (Lei 10.865/2004) with PGFN guidance, the ICMS general law (Lei Complementar 87/1996), and the tax-reform framework (EC 132/2023; Lei Complementar 214/2025).