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What it costs to import from the US to

Forwarder fees, shipping, customs duty and ICMS for a phone, compared across 6 US package forwarders. Cheapest estimated total first.

Duty
60% import tax on the price plus shipping, up to $3,000, because forwarders are not in the Remessa Conforme program.
ICMS
ICMS state tax of 17% to 20%, calculated on top of the import tax. This estimate uses 17%.
Duty-free limit
No duty-free amount for purchases from sellers outside Remessa Conforme.
Batteries
Used devices with lithium batteries cannot go by USPS, so expect DHL, FedEx or UPS.

Checked October 2026

Show totals in
$600 phone to Brazil, 0.3 kg (0.6 lb) Estimated totals include the item, US sales tax, forwarder fees, shipping, duty and ICMS.
# Forwarder Courier Fees + sales tax Shipping Duty + taxes Total Link
1 MyUS DHL Express2-5 days · From a quote R$0 R$194 R$3,074 Shipping R$194 · Fees and sales tax R$0 · Duty and taxes R$3,074 R$6,388$1,228 Visit
Florida charges 7% sales tax in Sarasota, but this address is on the state list of certified forwarding agents, so sellers that apply the list do not charge it. A seller that ignores the list will charge 7%. Premium membership is free for 30 days, then $9.99 a month. This estimate assumes the free month.
2 Ship To Box DHL Express2-4 days · From a quote R$88 R$166 R$3,049 Shipping R$166 · Fees and sales tax R$88 · Duty and taxes R$3,049 R$6,424+R$36 Visit
No sales tax in Delaware. Free standard membership, $2 receiving fee per box, plus a $15 lithium battery fee on devices. Free consolidation.
3 Forwardme UPS WorldWide Expedited4-8 days · From a quote R$0 R$296 R$3,170 Shipping R$296 · Fees and sales tax R$0 · Duty and taxes R$3,170 R$6,586+R$198 Visit
No sales tax in Delaware. Free membership and free package processing. Consolidation is $3.25 per package on the free plan; Premium, $9.50 a month, promises lower shipping rates.
4 Stackry DHL Worldwide Express2-5 days · From a quote R$75 R$281 R$3,155 Shipping R$281 · Fees and sales tax R$75 · Duty and taxes R$3,155 R$6,631+R$243 Visit
No sales tax in New Hampshire. No membership, $2 receiving fee per package, plus a $12.50 hazmat fee on phones and smartwatches. Consolidation is $3 per package.
5 Shipito DHL Express2-4 days · From a quote R$64 R$339 R$3,209 Shipping R$339 · Fees and sales tax R$64 · Duty and taxes R$3,209 R$6,733+R$344 Visit
No sales tax in Oregon. Oregon is the default address for Premium members; free accounts default to Torrance, CA, where sales tax applies. Premium membership, $10 a month, for the tax-free Oregon address, plus a $2.25 processing fee per package.
6 Planet Express DHL Express Worldwide1-6 days · From a quote R$10 R$446 R$3,308 Shipping R$446 · Fees and sales tax R$10 · Duty and taxes R$3,308 R$6,885+R$496 Visit
No sales tax in Oregon. Planet Express also has a tax-free address in Fort Pierce, FL and one in Torrance, CA, where sales tax applies. Free mailbox, $2 mail-out fee per package. Consolidation needs Premium, $10 a month.

Shipping comes from each forwarder's own calculator, quoted at 1 lb and 5 lb and interpolated in between, so it is an estimate, not a live price. Check the forwarder's calculator before you buy. Devices with lithium batteries only go by services that accept them, usually DHL, FedEx or UPS, so most postal and budget services are left out.

Buying a refurbished iPhone? Compare prices from US sellers

Before you buy a phone in the US

  • iPhone 14 and later models sold in the US have no SIM tray and work only with eSIM. Check that your carrier offers eSIM, or pick an iPhone 13 or earlier, which takes both.
  • Pick an unlocked phone. One locked to a US carrier will not work with your local SIM or eSIM.
  • Any charger in the box has a US plug. Most phone, tablet and laptop chargers accept 100 to 240 V, so a plug adapter is enough.
  • The warranty and returns are the US seller's. The return window starts when the parcel reaches your forwarder's US address, and a repair or return means paying to ship it back to the US.

How Brazil taxes this phone

Duty and taxes for the cheapest option above, in the order customs applies them.

Charge Rate Amount
Import tax 60% R$1,988
ICMS state tax 17% R$1,086
Total duty and taxes R$3,074

Importing to Brazil: common questions

Why is the import tax 60% even on a cheap item?

Package forwarders are not certified under Remessa Conforme, so the Receita Federal applies the general rule: 60% import tax with no discount, even below $50.

How is ICMS calculated?

ICMS is calculated "por dentro", which means the tax is part of its own base. At 17%, ICMS adds about 20.5% of the price, shipping and import tax combined. States that charge 20% add about 25%.

Is the 60% rate going down?

Lei 15.502 of 10 September 2026 lets the finance minister cut the rate to 30% for purchases up to $3,000 and set different rates for sellers outside the compliance program. On 1 October 2026 the Receita Federal still listed 60% for those sellers, and this estimate uses 60%.

Which forwarder is cheapest to Brazil?

For a $600 phone weighing 0.3 kg (0.6 lb), MyUS comes out cheapest in our estimate at $1,228 delivered, using DHL Express. The order changes with weight and item type, and shipping prices are estimates, so check the forwarder's calculator before you buy.

Can I use a forwarder to buy from Apple's online store?

No. Apple's US online store ships only to US addresses and cancels orders sent to freight forwarder addresses. Retailers such as Amazon, Back Market or eBay sellers are the usual route, and their return and warranty terms can change once a parcel leaves the US.

The same phone, shipped elsewhere

Cheapest estimated total for a $600 phone in each country we cover. Each country has its own page.

Sources

Rules checked in October 2026. Exchange rates from 1 Oct 2026, Rates By Exchange Rate API. RefurbMe has no referral deals with these forwarders; the order is always the cheapest estimated total.