Sea Freight from China to San Salvador, El Salvador — Transit, Duty and Clearance
China → San Salvador · via SAL air / Acajutla sea · clearance by Dirección General de Aduanas de El Salvador
We move sea freight cargo from South China into San Salvador through SAL air / Acajutla sea. San Salvador is capital and the dominant national market, which shapes the kind of cargo that moves on this lane and how it should be packed.
Clearance itself is handled by Dirección General de Aduanas de El Salvador, and typical dwell at the gateway runs 3–8 days.
Duty, tax and clearance into San Salvador
Imports into El Salvador are cleared by Dirección General de Aduanas de El Salvador. The headline position is: IVA 13%; Central American common tariff 0–15%. The de-minimis threshold is USD 200 for courier consignments.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: Health registration for food and cosmetics; conformity for regulated goods. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for El Salvador: Acajutla has limited direct Asian calls — most cargo transships. Compare the Guatemala routing, which is sometimes faster overall.
Routing and transit on this lane
El Salvador uses the US dollar, which simplifies pricing, and Acajutla on the Pacific gives a shorter routing from China than the Atlantic Central American ports. Many consignees also clear through Puerto Quetzal in Guatemala and truck across, so it is worth comparing both when quoting.
| Sea gateways used | Acajutla |
|---|---|
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 22–30 calendar days |
| Gateway serving San Salvador | SAL air / Acajutla sea |
| Inland leg to San Salvador | +1 day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 3–8 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
What to sort out before the cargo leaves China
- Confirm the consignee in San Salvador can act as importer of record — Dirección General de Aduanas de El Salvador will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: Health registration for food and cosmetics; conformity for regulated goods.
- Put the San Salvador delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front — retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to San Salvador take?
China to the El Salvador gateway is 22–30 calendar days. On top of that, allow 3–8 days of clearance with Dirección General de Aduanas de El Salvador and a +1 day inland leg to San Salvador.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into San Salvador?
Dirección General de Aduanas de El Salvador applies: IVA 13%; Central American common tariff 0–15%. The de-minimis position is USD 200 for courier consignments. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in San Salvador.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to San Salvador?
Yes. Battery cargo by sea moves under UN3480/UN3481 with an MSDS, and the dangerous-goods documentation is prepared as part of the booking into Acajutla. Surcharges apply and space is more limited than for general cargo.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for San Salvador?
We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight — length × width × height in centimetres divided by 6000 for air — and bill the greater of the two, rounded up to the next kilogram. Light, bulky cargo is almost always billed on volume.
Which port or airport does cargo for San Salvador clear through?
Cargo for San Salvador is routed via SAL air / Acajutla sea. Sea gateways for El Salvador are Acajutla; air gateways are SAL (San Salvador). We pick whichever gives the shortest total door time for your address.
Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into San Salvador?
Per kilo, yes — usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 22–30 calendar days by sea versus 4–7 business days by air to the El Salvador gateway, before clearance and the +1 day inland leg. The crossover point is normally somewhere between 100 and 300 kg depending on the density of your cargo.
Other delivery cities in El Salvador
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for El Salvador change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your own HS code with Dirección General de Aduanas de El Salvador or your broker before you ship.
- Dirección General de Aduanas
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- World Bank — Logistics Performance Index
- ICC — Incoterms 2020 rules (DDP, DAP, FOB definitions)
- IPPC — ISPM 15 wood packaging standard
- WCO — Harmonized System nomenclature
Page data last reviewed: July 2026.
Get a rate for San Salvador
This lane is quoted per shipment rather than from a published rate card, because the landed cost depends on the commodity, its density, the conformity requirements above and the delivery point. Send the cargo details and we will come back with a full DDP figure.