Export to Paraguay: a 2026 guide for US manufacturers

Trade relationship

Paraguay is not among the US free trade agreement partners. As a Mercosur member, it uses the Mercosur Common Nomenclature and Common External Tariff. Since Law 7143/2023, customs and internal taxes are administered by a single agency, the National Directorate of Tax Revenue (DNIT).

Documents and rules

• A banker’s draft or letter of credit from a local bank, plus the vendor’s commercial invoice, bill of lading, packing list and certificate of origin.
• Paraguay requires shipment documents (such as the commercial invoice, certificate of origin and cargo manifest) to be certified by the Paraguayan consulate in the country of origin or, for a fee, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paraguay.
• All companies operating in Paraguay must use a customs broker.
• Health products (medicines, dietary supplements, cosmetics, medical devices and others) are regulated by DINAVISA and generally require sanitary registration.

US-side steps for every shipment

• Classify the product with its 10-digit Schedule B number (Census Bureau search tool); the first 6 digits are the Harmonized System code your buyer uses for their own tariff.
• File Electronic Export Information (EEI) in AES, through ACE AESDirect or a direct connection, when the value under an individual Schedule B number is over $2,500 or an export license is required. The USPPI or its authorized agent files it.
• Check your export classification. According to BIS, items subject to the EAR that are not listed on the Commerce Control List are EAR99 and, in most situations, need no license, unless they go to a restricted end user, end use or destination.
• Screen your buyer, consignee and end user against the Consolidated Screening List, which combines export screening lists of the Departments of Commerce, State and the Treasury.

Frequently asked questions