Is shipping your household goods duty-free?
Not as a general rule. DIAN's menaje doméstico guide describes a 15% ad valorem single customs levy for the qualifying household-goods regime. Do not base a shipping budget on a blanket duty-free promise. Any separate exemption needs its own legal basis and eligibility check.
DIAN's guide describes qualifying residence abroad as at least 24 months, continuous or cumulative, during the previous three years, followed by establishing residence in Colombia. Have a customs professional check your circumstances, goods and shipment timing against the current rules.
Compare shipping with replacing
Make three lists: irreplaceable, expensive to replace, and easy to replace. Price local alternatives before paying to transport bulky furniture. Check dimensions, electrical compatibility, building access and whether you have actually secured a suitable home.
The cheapest ocean-freight line on a quotation is not the total moving cost. Ask for packing, collection, insurance, destination handling, customs brokerage, taxes, storage, inspections and delivery to the final address as separate items.
Paperwork happens in a real place
Keep the documents precise, then make room for the neighborhoods and routines your move would actually involve.
Get the exclusions in writing
- Which items are excluded from the household-goods regime or from the mover's service?
- Who is responsible for the inventory, declared values and customs paperwork?
- What happens if the vessel arrives late, your documents are incomplete or the property is not ready?
- How are damage claims valued, documented and submitted?
- Are port storage and delivery access charges capped or open-ended?
Keep a numbered inventory and photographs of condition. Do not put your passport, essential medication, irreplaceable records or the only copy of customs documents in a shipment you cannot access.
Decide after your first housing visit
Temporary furnished accommodation can give you time to inspect a neighborhood and obtain accurate delivery quotes. Before authorizing dispatch, have the broker confirm the consignee name, entry point, arrival window and required documents. Airline baggage rules and household-goods import rules are not interchangeable.
Sources and next checks
Reference links for the rules, data and context discussed here. Official sources, market snapshots and community anecdotes are identified by their titles. Recheck time-sensitive requirements before applying, paying or travelling. Planning checklists are editorial suggestions, not official requirements.