Shipping from China to Callao, Peru — Freight Guide [2026]
China → Callao · via LIM air / Callao sea · clearance by SUNAT — Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas
Freight from China into Callao clears through LIM air / Callao sea. Callao is the port district adjoining Lima, and the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.
Clearance itself is handled by SUNAT — Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas, and typical dwell at the gateway runs 3–8 days.
Duty, tax and clearance into Callao
Imports into Peru are cleared by SUNAT — Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas. The headline position is: IGV 18%; duty 0–11%, with 0% on most goods under the China–Peru free trade agreement. The de-minimis threshold is USD 200 for courier consignments.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: Certificate of origin for FTA preference; DIGEMID or DIGESA registration for health and food products. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Peru: FTA preference requires a valid certificate of origin. Health, food and cosmetic products need consignee-side registration before arrival. Chancay's inland connections are still maturing — confirm the final trucking arrangement.
Routing and transit on this lane
The Chancay megaport opened in late 2024 and created the first direct Shanghai–South America service, cutting roughly a week off the traditional Callao routing that transships in Mexico or Panama. For cargo destined to Lima it is now worth quoting Chancay and Callao separately — the difference in transit is material, and Chancay is positioning itself as a redistribution hub for the whole west coast.
| Air gateways used | LIM (Lima Jorge Chávez) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 4–6 business days |
| Sea gateways used | Callao, Chancay, Paita |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 22–30 calendar days to Chancay, 26–34 to Callao |
| Gateway serving Callao | LIM air / Callao sea |
| Inland leg to Callao | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 3–8 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Pre-shipment checklist for Callao
- Confirm the consignee in Callao can act as importer of record — SUNAT — Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: Certificate of origin for FTA preference; DIGEMID or DIGESA registration for health and food products.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Check the de-minimis position (USD 200 for courier consignments) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Peru duty rate against it yourself.
Air, sea or overland into Callao?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| ✈️ Air Freight | 4–6 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| 🚢 Sea Freight | 22–30 calendar days to Chancay, 26–34 to Callao | volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed |
Transit shown is China departure to the Peru gateway and excludes the same-day inland leg to Callao and 3–8 days of clearance.
Mode guides for Callao
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Callao take?
China to the Peru gateway is 4–6 business days by air, 22–30 calendar days to Chancay, 26–34 to Callao by sea. On top of that, allow 3–8 days of clearance with SUNAT — Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas and a same-day inland leg to Callao.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Callao?
SUNAT — Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas applies: IGV 18%; duty 0–11%, with 0% on most goods under the China–Peru free trade agreement. 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 Callao.
Which port or airport does cargo for Callao clear through?
Cargo for Callao is routed via LIM air / Callao sea. Sea gateways for Peru are Callao, Chancay, Paita; air gateways are LIM (Lima Jorge Chávez). We pick whichever gives the shortest total door time for your address.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for Callao?
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.
What documents does SUNAT — Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas 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 (Certificate of origin for FTA preference; DIGEMID or DIGESA registration for health and food products). We prepare and file these as part of the service.
Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Callao?
Per kilo, yes — usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 22–30 calendar days to Chancay, 26–34 to Callao by sea versus 4–6 business days by air to the Peru gateway, before clearance and the same-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 Peru
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Peru 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 SUNAT — Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas or your broker before you ship.
- SUNAT — Aduanas
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IATA — Lithium battery shipping guidance (PI 965–970)
- World Bank — Logistics Performance Index
- ICC — Incoterms 2020 rules (DDP, DAP, FOB definitions)
Page data last reviewed: July 2026.
Get a rate for Callao
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.