Shipping from China to Tegucigalpa, Honduras — Freight Guide [2026]
China → Tegucigalpa · via TGU air / Puerto Cortes sea · clearance by Administración Aduanera de Honduras
We move freight cargo from South China into Tegucigalpa through TGU air / Puerto Cortes sea. Tegucigalpa is capital and government market, which shapes the kind of cargo that moves on this lane and how it should be packed.
Clearance itself is handled by Administración Aduanera de Honduras, and typical dwell at the gateway runs 4–10 days.
What the routing looks like in practice
Puerto Cortés is the deepest and best-equipped port in Central America and clears a large share of the region's Atlantic-side volume. San Pedro Sula is the commercial centre and the natural distribution base, with Tegucigalpa served by road. Asian cargo normally transships at Panama, Cartagena or Kingston.
| Air gateways used | SAP (San Pedro Sula), TGU (Tegucigalpa) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 4–7 business days |
| Sea gateways used | Puerto Cortés, Henecán (San Lorenzo) |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 26–34 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Tegucigalpa | TGU air / Puerto Cortes sea |
| Inland leg to Tegucigalpa | +1 day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 4–10 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Duty, tax and clearance into Tegucigalpa
Imports into Honduras are cleared by Administración Aduanera de Honduras. The headline position is: ISV 15%; Central American common tariff 0–15%. The de-minimis threshold is USD 100 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 Honduras: Transshipment dependency means feeder timing drives the schedule. Free-zone regimes for the apparel sector have separate duty treatment.
Air, sea or overland into Tegucigalpa?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| ✈️ Air Freight | 4–7 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| 🚢 Sea Freight | 26–34 calendar days | volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed |
Transit shown is China departure to the Honduras gateway and excludes the +1 day inland leg to Tegucigalpa and 4–10 days of clearance.
Before you book: Tegucigalpa checklist
- Check the de-minimis position (USD 100 for courier consignments) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Budget for the inland leg: +1 day beyond gateway clearance to reach Tegucigalpa.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front — retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
- Confirm the consignee in Tegucigalpa can act as importer of record — Administración Aduanera de Honduras will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: Health registration for food and cosmetics; conformity for regulated goods.
Mode guides for Tegucigalpa
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Tegucigalpa take?
China to the Honduras gateway is 4–7 business days by air, 26–34 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 4–10 days of clearance with Administración Aduanera de Honduras and a +1 day inland leg to Tegucigalpa.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Tegucigalpa?
Administración Aduanera de Honduras applies: ISV 15%; Central American common tariff 0–15%. The de-minimis position is USD 100 for courier consignments. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Tegucigalpa.
Can you deliver door-to-door in Tegucigalpa?
Yes. Delivery to a Tegucigalpa address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to Administración Aduanera de Honduras, and the +1 day inland leg. Confirm whether your consignee wants the goods at a warehouse, a marketplace fulfilment centre or a shop front, because the last-mile requirement differs.
When is the busiest time on the China–Honduras lane?
Space and rates tighten around Sep–Nov, plus the China-side windows of Chinese New Year in January or February and Golden Week in early October. Book one to two weeks earlier in those periods.
What certification do I need for Honduras?
For regulated goods, plan for: Health registration for food and cosmetics; conformity for regulated goods. Missing conformity paperwork is the single most common cause of a hold, and in most cases it cannot be remedied once the cargo has arrived.
What documents does Administración Aduanera de Honduras require?
A commercial invoice with HS codes, a packing list, the bill of lading or air waybill, a certificate of origin where it lowers duty, and any product certification (Health registration for food and cosmetics; conformity for regulated goods). We prepare and file these as part of the service.
Other delivery cities in Honduras
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Honduras 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 Administración Aduanera de Honduras or your broker before you ship.
- Administración Aduanera de Honduras
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IPPC — ISPM 15 wood packaging standard
- WCO — Harmonized System nomenclature
- IMO — IMDG Code for dangerous goods by sea
Page data last reviewed: July 2026.
Get a rate for Tegucigalpa
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.