# Brazil Import Tariffs by NCM/HS Code: How to Check Yours

> A practical guide to Brazil import tariffs: what NCM codes are, how they differ from HS codes, how to check yours, and illustrative tariff ranges by product category.

Source: https://heyship.com.br/en/blog/brazil-import-tariffs-ncm-hs-code/

Before you can quote a Brazilian buyer a landed price, you need to know your **Brazil import tariffs** — and that starts with getting the right NCM code, not just the international HS code you already use for every other market. Brazil’s Nomenclatura Comum do Mercosul (NCM) is an 8-digit extension of the 6-digit Harmonized System that every WTO member recognizes, and the last two digits are where the tariff rate, the licensing requirement and the tax treatment actually diverge from country to country.

**Why this matters:** two exporters shipping what looks like the same product can face different Brazil import tariffs if they land on different NCM codes — and the exporter who checks the code before quoting avoids a renegotiation after the purchase order is signed.

In this article



1. [1. What NCM actually is (and how it differs from HS)](#what-is-ncm)
2. [2. How do you actually find the right NCM for your product?](#how-to-check)
3. [3. What we’re seeing: illustrative tariff ranges by category](#tariff-ranges)
4. [4. How Heyship helps](#how-heyship-helps)
5. [5. Further reading](#further-reading)

## What NCM Actually Is (and How It Differs From HS)

The Harmonized System, maintained by the World Customs Organization, standardizes the first 6 digits of a product code across virtually every trading country. Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay extend that 6-digit HS code to 8 digits under NCM (Nomenclatura Comum do Mercosul), adding a layer of local granularity that the base HS code does not capture.

- **Digits 1-6 (HS):** shared internationally — this is the part of your classification that likely already exists on your commercial invoices for other markets.
- **Digits 7-8 (NCM extension):** Mercosul-specific subdivisions that can separate, for example, a general category of electronic component into several NCM codes with different tariff treatment depending on technical specifications, use case or material composition.
- **Ex-tarifário codes:** a further layer where specific NCM codes get temporary, reduced import duty rates when the product (typically capital goods or IT equipment) has no equivalent domestic production in Brazil.

An exporter that reuses their HS code as-is, without confirming the Brazil-specific 2-digit extension, risks a customs classification the importer never agreed to — which is one of the most common causes of a shipment being held for manual review.

“Your HS code is the first six digits of the story. Brazil import tariffs are decided by the last two.”



## How Do You Actually Find the Right NCM for Your Product?

Classification is a technical exercise, not a guess, and Brazilian customs will hold a shipment if the declared NCM does not match the product description on the commercial invoice. Three practical steps for a foreign exporter:

- **Start from your existing HS code** — most classification systems worldwide start from the same 6-digit base, so you already have 75% of the code before touching anything Brazil-specific.
- **Use a Brazil-specific classification tool** rather than assuming the digits your buyer used last time still apply — technical specification changes (voltage, material, function) can shift the NCM entirely. Heyship’s [NCM Finder](https://heyship.com.br/en/ncm-finder-en/) lets you search by product description or HS code to find the matching Brazilian classification and see its associated duty treatment.
- **Confirm with your buyer’s customs broker before finalizing the invoice** — the despachante aduaneiro who will actually file the import declaration is the final authority on how a borderline product should be classified, and getting their sign-off before shipping avoids disputes after the cargo has already sailed.

This is also the point at which [Brazil’s import tax stack](https://heyship.com.br/en/blog/brazil-import-tax-explained-foreign-exporters/) gets calculated — II, IPI, ICMS and PIS/COFINS are all applied based on the NCM code you land on, so an incorrect classification does not just risk a customs hold, it risks the wrong tax bill for your buyer.

## What We’re Seeing: Illustrative Tariff Ranges by Category

Because Brazil import tariffs are set per 8-digit NCM code, publishing a single number for an entire product category is misleading — the table below shows illustrative ranges and mechanisms rather than exact current rates, which should always be confirmed for your specific NCM code via the official Receita Federal simulator before quoting a price.

Product categoryTypical II range\*NotesConsumer electronicsLow-to-mid double digitsOften combined with meaningful IPI exposureTextiles & apparelMid double digitsRates vary by fiber composition and NCM subheadingIndustrial machinery & componentsLow single digits to low double digitsCapital goods without domestic equivalent may qualify for ex-tarifário reductionToys & consumer goodsMid double digitsFrequently subject to additional regulatory (Inmetro) requirements\*Illustrative ranges only — always confirm the exact rate for your specific 8-digit NCM code via Receita Federal’s official simulator before quoting a price. **Source:** mechanism described per published Brazilian tariff structure (TEC/Mercosul); rates change and vary by subheading.

**In perspective:** the spread within a single category (for example, industrial machinery ranging from near-zero to low double digits) is usually wider than the spread between categories — reinforcing that the specific 8-digit code, not the general product type, is what determines your buyer’s real cost.

## How Heyship Helps

Heyship’s NCM Finder and landed cost simulator work together: once you or your buyer identify the correct NCM code, the platform models the full II, IPI, ICMS and PIS/COFINS stack for that specific classification, rather than relying on a rough category-level estimate. For an exporter negotiating price with a new Brazilian buyer, pointing them to a tool that classifies precisely — instead of guessing — removes one of the most common points of friction in the deal.

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## Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an HS code and an NCM code?HS (Harmonized System) is the 6-digit international code shared by nearly every trading country. NCM (Nomenclatura Comum do Mercosul) extends that code to 8 digits for Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, adding local subdivisions that determine the exact Brazil import tariffs and tax treatment for your product.



How can I check my product’s Brazil import tariff before quoting a buyer?Start from your existing HS code, then use a Brazil-specific classification tool like Heyship’s NCM Finder to identify the matching 8-digit NCM and its associated duty treatment. Confirm the classification with your buyer’s customs broker before finalizing the commercial invoice.



What is ex-tarifário and does it apply to my product?Ex-tarifario is a temporary reduced import duty regime for specific NCM codes, typically covering capital goods and IT/telecom equipment that have no equivalent domestic production in Brazil. It applies at the specific NCM code level, not to broad product categories, so eligibility must be checked case by case.



Can two similar products have different Brazil import tariffs?Yes. The 2-digit NCM extension beyond the international HS code can separate a broad product family into several classifications with different tariff and tax treatment, based on technical specification, material or use case. This is why checking the specific NCM code matters more than relying on the general product category.





## Further Reading

- [**Receita Federal do Brasil**](https://www.gov.br/receitafederal/pt-br) — hosts the official NCM tariff simulator used to confirm exact duty rates by code.
- [**Portal Único de Comércio Exterior (SISCOMEX)**](https://portalunico.siscomex.gov.br/) — Brazil’s official classification and licensing database for NCM codes.
- [**UN Comtrade**](https://comtradeplus.un.org/) — cross-references HS codes against Brazilian import volumes by category.

## The Bottom Line

Brazil import tariffs are not a country-level number — they are an 8-digit-code-level number, and the exporter who checks the code before the invoice ships is the one who doesn’t get a renegotiation call three weeks later.