Importing Personal Effects into Honduras: Documents & Customs Rules

Source: FIDI Customs Guide · Updated 2025 · Download the Honduras Import Guide (PDF)

Removal Goods - Returning Citizens

• 2 Original Bill of Lading or Original Air Waybill.
• Original inventory in Spanish.
• Valued inventory in Spanish.
• RTN – Registro Tributario Nacional.
• Dispensa / franchise (official tax exoneration)

• RTN is the National Tributary Register number given to any person who requests the importation of goods into the country. This process takes no more than 24 hours and is a must for customs clearance.
• The importation of used household goods is duty free only for Honduras returned citizen after one year abroad.
• CIF: Cost, Insurance and freight

• Send documents prior to shipment arrival.
• Inventory translation to Spanish has a US$100.00 charge.
• Upon arrival of owner, a dispensa/franchise should be requested through a lawyer before the corresponding authorities.
• Special dispensa/franchise are given to:
• returning Honduran citizens after one year abroad (only HHGS).
• Retirees and pensioners are entitled to exemption for household goods and vehicles.
• The dispensa/franchise must be obtained before arrival of the shipment.
• The origin agent must wait for the local agent’s green light to ship.

Diplomats’ removals

• 2 Original Bill of Lading or Original Air Waybill.
• Original inventory in Spanish.
• Valued inventory in Spanish.
• RTN – Registro Tributario Nacional.
• Dispensa / franchise (official tax exoneration).

• Duty free.

• Official franchises are given to Diplomats and International Mission employees and the RTN must be requested upon arrival of client to Honduras.
• Demurrage and storage charges at port are not exempted.
• The process to obtain official franchise is similar to the one for returning citizens.

Wedding trousseaux

• AWB or original B/L.
• Original invoices and copies.
• RTN.

• Subject to taxes payment.
• Taxes will be assessed according to CIF value of imported articles.

New furniture and household goods

• Same as above

• Only diplomats and international missions may import these goods tax-free.
• It needs to mention the material (if it’s made of wood or aluminium/metal).

New articles

• Same as above

• Subject to taxes payment
• Taxes will be assessed according to CIF value of imported articles.

Household appliances

• Same as above

• Same as above

Electrical appliances

• Same as above

• Subject to taxes payment.
• Taxes will be assessed according to CIF value of imported articles.
• A specific electronic item list is necessary, model, series or reference, code, type, color, feet.

• Stove: State if it is electric or gas, size on inches, material.
• Refrigerator: Length in cubic feet, numbers of doors, frost. Subject to UTOH permit.
• Washing machine: Capacity of pounds or kgs, function wash and dry, ecological
• Clothes dryer: Capacity of pounds or kgs, ecological, digital
• Television: Size inches, LCD, plasma, LED, HD
• Blender: Domestic or industrial, velocity numbers, material (glass, plastic or stainless steel) capacity of litres.

Presents, Souvenirs

• Same as above

• Subject to taxes payment.
• Taxes will be assessed according to CIF value of imported articles.

Works of Art, Antiques

• Same as above

• Same as above

Other vehicles (bicycles, water vehicles)

• AWB or Original Bill of Lading.
• Original purchase invoices w/ copies.
• Original Title of Property.
• RTN.

• Subject to taxes payment.
• Taxes will be assessed according to CIF value of imported articles.

Machine appliances, spare parts

• Same as above

• Same as above

Alcohol, wine

• AWB or Original Bill of Lading.
• Valid passport.
• RTN.
• Detailed inventory.

• Subject to taxes payment
• Customs´ system requires specifying some information per item: brand, reference or code, type (whisky, rum, wine, etc), presentation (unity and contents) in millilitre, litres / ounce, etc., degree of alcohol, degree of age, value.

• Diplomats may include some bottles but local embassy in Honduras must authorize this as this represents extra paperwork for the embassy. Special permits are required by Customs.
• It is highly recommended not to include alcohol/wines in the shipment as that delays the customs clearance process and special permits are required.

Tins and Food

• AWB or Original Bill of Lading.
• Original purchase invoices w/ copies.
• Original Title of Property.
• RTN.

• Subject to SEPA and ARSA permits.
• Subject to taxes payment.

• Diplomats may include some food but local embassy in Honduras must authorize this as this represents extra paperwork for the embassy. Special permits are required by Customs.
• It is highly recommended not to include food in the shipment as that delays the customs clearance process and special permits are required.

Medicines, narcotics, drugs, carpets

• AWB or Original Bill of Lading.
• Original purchase invoices w/ copies.
• Original Title of Property.
• RTN.

• Same as above.

• Medicines are duty free.
• Narcotics and drugs: must consult before importation.

Sporting firearms and ammunition

• AWB or Original Bill of Lading.
• Original purchase invoices.
• RTN.
• Secretary of Defence Permit.

• Secretary of Defence permit must be requested prior to importation of firearms and ammunition.

Fumigation of imported and exported wooden crates

• Honduras Government adopted ISPM-15 (International standards for Phytosanitary Measures Publication 15) Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade (aka NIFM-15) to standardise the treatment of wood packing materials used for the transport of goods.

General remark

• It is recommended to mail all necessary instructions and documentation well in advance and prior to shipment of goods to secure rapid customs clearance, avoiding high demurrage and storage charges.
• Dispensa process may take approximately 15-20 working days
• Demurrage and storage charges at port are not exempted.
• Customs systems requires specifying some information per item, so customer must specify the information on the packing list. It does not allow items such as “kitchen items” “office items” article must be named on the packing list.
• Used clothes to dress: general characteristics weight in pounds, quality, (to differentiate between
• Clothes to dress and bedsheet, table linen, curtain, etc.: must mention amount per pieces per box (example: 5 men shirts, 5 women shoes, 3 men pants, etc)
• Used shoes: juvenile, for lady, man, child girl or boy, material (leather, synthetic, textile, etc). Must mention amount per pieces per box (example: 5 men shoes, 5 women shoes, etc).
• All Demurrage, Port Storage Charges and/or fines must be paid in advance before delivery of the goods.
• UTOH : Unidad Técnica de Ozono de Honduras
• When importing any gas-powered appliances, please make sure to send a photo of the technical specifications label well in advance of packing to your mover. Recently, Honduran Customs has imposed
• several restrictions on the importation of such item.
• While it is not recommended to import any gas-containing appliances, if the client insists on doing so, the mover will require the technical specifications in order to verify:
• That the type of gas is not prohibited, and
• If not prohibited, what specific permits will be required and under which government entities.
• If the gas is indeed prohibited, the appliance cannot be imported under any circumstance.
• It is not recommended to use any original boxes or packaging from purchase. According to the Honduran Customs Authority, any item packed in its original box may be considered new.
• In such cases, Customs may carry out a new valuation of the item, charge the corresponding difference in duties, and apply an additional fine.

Prohibited articles

• Weapons
• Gun powder
• Jewellery
• Drugs
• Toxic waste
• Pornography
• Refrigerators or similar with gas type R-11, R-12, R-502, R-22.

• Importation prohibited.

Honduras Moving Guide: Documents, Duties & Shipping Notes

Source: IAM Country Guide · Updated 2026-09-05 · Download the Honduras Country Guide (PDF)

Documents

Documents required for importing used household goods, personal effects, and related shipments.

• Copy of passport
• Original bill of lading (OBL) or air waybill (AWB)
• Packing list in Spanish, typed
• Detailed valued inventory (depreciated values, not insurance or replacement values; for customs purposes only)
• Franchise or dispensa (for duty-free entry; see Specific Information)
• Registro Tributario Nacional (RTN -- national tax registration number)
• Owner's local contact details (name, local contact person, delivery address, telephone number)
• Proof of ownership for antiques, artifacts, etc., if applicable
• Certificate of antiquity, if applicable

Specific Information

RTN (tax ID): The Registro Tributario Nacional may be obtained at the SAR (formerly DEI) office after entry into Honduras. Processing takes approximately 24 hours.

Packing list requirements: Packing lists must be specific and in Spanish. Generic descriptions such as "kitchen items" or "office items" are not accepted. Each item must be named individually because Honduran customs requires item-level data entry into the customs system.

Valued inventory: The inventory valuation is for customs purposes only and should use depreciated values, not high insurance or replacement values.

Antiques and artwork: Permitted for import if part of the household goods shipment, in reasonable quantities, and declared. Ownership documents are required. Works of art and antiques more than 100 years old are subject to 22% tax.

ISPM 15: Wood packaging materials (crates, pallets, dunnage) should comply with ISPM 15 standards.

CAFTA-DR: Honduras is a member of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). Goods originating from CAFTA-DR member countries may qualify for preferential tariff treatment, though this primarily applies to commercial goods.

Duties & Taxes

Franchise/dispensa system: Honduras uses a franchise (dispensa) system for duty-free importation of household goods. The franchise must be obtained before the shipment arrives. Processing times vary:

• Diplomats and international organization officials must request the franchise through a local organization from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs prior to shipment arrival. This process takes approximately 1 month.
• Returning Honduran citizens and retirees may obtain the franchise through a lawyer prior to arrival of the shipment (approximately 1 month processing). Special franchises are available to returning citizens who have been abroad for at least 12 months and to foreigners applying for retiree residence in Honduras. The retiree franchise process takes approximately 4 to 6 months. Proof of retiree status is required from the government of the origin country, demonstrating that the transferee will have income exceeding USD 1,500 per month.
• Non-exempt shipments are subject to customs duties and taxes.

VAT: A general 15% Value Added Tax (ISV -- Impuesto Sobre Ventas) is applied to most imported goods.

Prohibited & Restricted Items

• Food items (only canned food may be imported in small quantities, subject to duties and taxes)
• Illegal drugs, narcotics, medicines, and controlled drugs
• Weapons and ammunition (without permit) PERMIT REQUIRED
• Plants and plant products
• Milk and milk products
• Pornographic material
• Knives and deadly weapons
• Counterfeit money and goods

Duty-free personal allowances (per VisaHQ):

• 200 cigarettes, or 100 cigars, or 450 grams of tobacco
• 2 bottles of alcoholic beverages
• A reasonable quantity of perfume for personal use

Alcoholic beverages in shipments: The import of alcoholic beverages within household goods shipments is strongly discouraged. If imported, duties and taxes must be paid, and the clearance process will be delayed. The detailed inventory must specify: number of bottles, quantity in litres, value, and type of beverage (beer, spirits, or wine). Diplomats may import alcoholic beverages duty-free, but a separate franchise must be requested for alcohol, distinct from the household goods franchise.

Other restricted/dutiable items:

• Works of art and antiques more than 100 years old (subject to 22% taxes)
• Weapons, explosives, and ammunition (special permit required; VisaHQ notes the permit is issued by Roatan airport for that port of entry)
• Cats, dogs, and other animals (veterinary health certificate and SENASA import permit required)

Special Categories

• Failing to obtain the SENASA import permit before arrival
• Arriving with a pet on a Friday or weekend, causing extended customs office stays
• Not having item-specific documentation (generic vaccination descriptions may cause issues)
• Not planning for enhanced CDC re-entry requirements when returning a dog to the U.S.

• Health certificate validity: The IAM guide (2016) mentions a health certificate is required but does not specify a time window. PetTravel (2026) specifies within 10 days of travel. PetTravel is the more recent and detailed source.
• Phytosanitary permit vs. import permit: The IAM guide lists a "phytosanitary permit" for pets. PetTravel and VisaHQ both refer to an "import permit from SENASA." These likely refer to the same document. The SENASA permit is the more precise term.
• Alcoholic beverage restrictions: The IAM guide says import of alcohol in household goods is "strongly discouraged" and will cause delays. VisaHQ lists a duty-free allowance of 2 bottles of alcohol for personal import. These are not contradictory; the VisaHQ allowance is for personal entry, while the IAM guide refers to alcohol included in household goods shipments, which is a different process.

• The 10-year vehicle age limit (from the 2016 IAM guide) could not be independently verified against a current Honduran government source because the relevant websites are unreachable. This restriction is consistent with Central American vehicle age limits generally but should be confirmed with the destination agent.
• The USD 1,500/month income requirement for retiree franchises (from the 2016 IAM guide) could not be confirmed against a current source. The amount may have been adjusted.
• Form 9-A temporary vehicle entry procedures could not be verified against a current government source. The SAR website is functional but no English-language guidance on this form was found.

Consignment Instructions

Recommended: Contact the destination agent to ensure all requirements have been met prior to import, especially for differences regarding air and sea shipments.

Franchise timing: The franchise/dispensa process must be initiated well before the shipment arrives. Allow at least 1 month for diplomats and returning citizens, and 4 to 6 months for retiree residence franchises. Shipments arriving before the franchise is approved will incur storage charges and delays.

Packing list specificity: The most common cause of delays in Honduras customs clearance is insufficiently detailed packing lists. Every item must be individually named in Spanish. Generic groupings will be rejected.

Customs clearance timelines: FCL: 7 to 10 business days. LCL: 5 to 7 business days. UAB: 2 to 3 business days.

Ports of entry: Sea cargo typically clears through Puerto Cortés (Atlantic coast) or San Lorenzo (Pacific coast). Air cargo clears through Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport (San Pedro Sula) or Toncontín International Airport (Tegucigalpa).

Inspections: Customs inspections are standard. Ensure all documentation is complete and accurate; fines apply for incomplete information, particularly for vehicle imports.

Unpredictable expenses: Storage, demurrage, and handling fees can accumulate, particularly if the franchise has not been approved before shipment arrival.