Guide · Foreign trade
The professional who legally moves your cargo through Chilean customs — what they do, what they answer for, and how to choose one.
A customs broker in Chile is a professional licensed by the National Customs Service who legally represents importers and exporters before the authority: they classify the goods, prepare and file the customs declaration, manage permits and answer to the State for the compliance of the clearance. Mandatory for imports above USD 3,000 FOB.
The customs broker is an auxiliary of the public customs function: a professional the State licenses and holds responsible for the correctness of every declaration. That means your broker doesn't just do paperwork — they legally answer for the tariff classification, valuation and regulatory compliance of your operation.
Tariff classification of the goods (the single biggest factor in duties and permits), preparation and electronic filing of the import or export declaration, management of SAG/Sernapesca and other permits, representation before Customs during inspections, and settlement of duties and taxes.
They are often confused, and they are complementary: the freight forwarder organizes international transport (books vessels, consolidates cargo); the customs broker is the only one legally authorized to clear your cargo before Chilean Customs. Many operations use both.
| Customs broker | Freight forwarder | |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Clears the cargo before Customs | Organizes international transport |
| License | Licensed by the Chile National Customs Service | No customs license required |
| Legal responsibility | Auxiliary of the public function: answers to the State | Commercial, to its client |
| Mandatory? | Yes, imports above USD 3,000 FOB | No |
An error in classification or an omitted permit means fines, cargo holds and storage days. The criteria that matter: verifiable experience, AEO certification (supply-chain security validated by the authority — what AEO means) and the visibility you get over your operation (real-time tracking).
FAQ
The customs broker is the professional licensed by the Chile National Customs Service; the agency is the company through which the broker and their team provide the clearance service.
No. The freight forwarder organizes international transport; the customs broker is legally authorized to process the clearance before Customs. They are complementary roles.
The broker is an auxiliary of the public customs function: they answer to the State for the correct declaration of the goods, the tariff classification and the regulatory compliance of the clearance.
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