Guides for USA–Brazil Shippers

Incoterms Explained: FOB vs. CIF vs. EXW vs. DDP

Incoterms define exactly where the seller's responsibility ends and the buyer's begins — who pays for freight, who insures the cargo, and who handles customs at each end.

• EXW (Ex Works) – Buyer takes responsibility from the seller's dock onward, including export clearance. Maximum control, maximum responsibility, on the buyer's side.
• FOB (Free on Board) – Seller handles export clearance and loading onto the vessel; buyer takes over, and cost, from that point. The most common term for USA–Brazil ocean freight.
• CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight) – Seller pays for freight and insurance to the destination port; buyer handles import clearance and delivery from there.
• DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) – Seller handles everything, including destination duties and taxes. Maximum convenience for the buyer, maximum responsibility for the seller.

Not sure which term fits your shipment? Ask us →

RADAR Registration Checklist

Before a Brazilian company can import or export through Siscomex, it needs an active RADAR registration. Here's what that involves:

• 1. Confirm your RADAR modality – Express, Limited, or Unlimited, based on your projected annual import/export value.
• 2. Gather corporate documentation – CNPJ registration, company bylaws (contrato social), and proof of legal representation.
• 3. Register with Receita Federal – RADAR is processed through Brazil's federal revenue service.
• 4. Allow processing time – this can take several weeks, so start well before your first planned shipment.
• 5. Keep it active – RADAR status can lapse with inactivity or compliance issues, so it's worth checking before every high-value shipment, not just the first one.

HS Codes vs. NCM Codes: What's the Difference?

Both classify what you're shipping, but they're not interchangeable, and getting this wrong is one of the most common reasons a shipment gets delayed or over/under-charged.

• HS Code (Harmonized System) – A 6-digit international standard used by U.S. Customs and most of the world to classify goods.
• NCM Code (Nomenclatura Comum do Mercosul) – Brazil and its Mercosul partners extend the same first 6 HS digits to 8 digits, adding regional detail that determines the actual Brazilian import duty and any licensing requirements.
• Why it matters – The right first 6 digits are necessary but not sufficient. The final 2 NCM digits can change your duty rate significantly and determine whether extra certifications (like INMETRO or ANVISA) apply.

Shipping & Trade Glossary

• FCL – Full Container Load. Your cargo fills an entire container by itself.
• LCL – Less-than-Container Load. Your cargo shares container space with other shipments.
• Siscomex – Brazil's integrated federal system for registering and processing all import/export transactions.
• RADAR – The credential required to operate as an importer/exporter through Siscomex.
• INMETRO – Brazil's national metrology and quality institute; certifies electronics, toys, and many technical products before import.
• ANVISA – Brazil's health regulatory agency; registers food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices before import.
• Bill of Lading (B/L) – The legal document issued by the ocean carrier that serves as a receipt for the cargo and, often, the title document needed to claim it.
• Air Waybill (AWB) – The air freight equivalent of a bill of lading.
• Demurrage & Detention – Fees charged when a container isn't picked up, unloaded, or returned within the carrier's free time window.
• Freight Forwarder – A company that arranges shipping on behalf of importers/exporters, without necessarily owning the ships, planes, or trucks involved.