Air Freight from China to Lima, Peru — Transit, Duty and Clearance
China → Lima · via LIM air / Chancay sea · clearance by SUNAT — Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas
We move air freight cargo from South China into Lima through LIM air / Chancay sea. Lima is capital and the destination for most imports, which shapes the kind of cargo that moves on this lane and how it should be packed.
On the destination side, SUNAT — Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas handles clearance; budget 3–8 days of dwell before the cargo is released.
What you will pay on arrival in Peru
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.
How this lane actually runs
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 |
| Gateway serving Lima | LIM air / Chancay sea |
| Inland leg to Lima | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 3–8 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Pre-shipment checklist for Lima
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: Certificate of origin for FTA preference; DIGEMID or DIGESA registration for health and food products.
- Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Peru duty rate against it yourself.
- Confirm the consignee in Lima can act as importer of record — SUNAT — Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Plan around the China-side windows too: Chinese New Year and Golden Week both compress capacity on the Peru lane.
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Lima take?
China to the Peru gateway is 4–6 business days. On top of that, allow 3–8 days of clearance with SUNAT — Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas and a same-day inland leg to Lima.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Lima?
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 Lima.
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.
Can you deliver door-to-door in Lima?
Yes. Delivery to a Lima address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to SUNAT — Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas, and the same-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.
Which port or airport does cargo for Lima clear through?
Cargo for Lima is routed via LIM air / Chancay 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.
When is the busiest time on the China–Peru 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.
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 Lima
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.