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Guide

Import & Export in Suriname

How a customs declaration works, what you pay on imports and which goods need a licence.

How a customs declaration works

Commercial goods are declared electronically. You need a tax number (FIN). The official procedure of the Belastingdienst has these steps:

  1. Register and get access to the electronic declaration system.
  2. File the declaration.
  3. Upload the documents.
  4. Pay the import duties and taxes at the receiver of import duties and excise.
  5. The declaration is processed and approved.
  6. Follow the status of your declaration.
  7. The shipment is released and handled.
  8. Keep your records.
Official procedure (PDF)ASYCUDA (customs system)

Many importers use a customs broker for the declaration.

What you pay

Import dutyA percentage of the CIF value that depends on the HS code of the product. Look it up in the official tariff.
Statistics fee0.5% of the CIF value.
Consent fee1.5% of the CIF value.
ExciseOn certain goods only.
BTWOn the customs value plus import duty, excise and the other levies due on import.

The statistics and consent fee rates are reported the same by several professional sources, but the legal text is not published online; your declaration shows the amounts that apply. Customs converts foreign currency with its own exchange rate, which is set every two weeks.

Import Cost Calculator SurinamePrice & Markup CalculatorBreak-Even & CBM Calculator

Import licences

The Wet Goederenverkeer (S.B. 2003 no. 58) and the Besluit Negatieve Lijst (S.B. 2003 no. 74) determine which goods need an import, export or transit licence. Licences are issued by the Import, Export and Foreign Exchange Control department (IUD) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (EZOTI).

Change from 1 November 2026: the business association VSB announced in September 2026, after talks with the ministry, that the current import and licence procedures apply up to and including 31 October 2026 and that new procedures under the amended Negative List decree start on 1 November 2026. On 27 September 2026 the government had not yet published this itself. Check with the IUD before you import.
EZOTI: import, export and licences

Checked at the official source on 2026-09-27.

Customs contact

AddressHavenlaan 1, Paramaribo
Phone1960 toestel 161 / 162, 402626
E-maildouane@belastingdienst.sr
All government contacts

Sources

These tools follow the official rules as published. They are a guide, not tax or legal advice. Rules are checked daily against the official sources; when a rule changes we update it after verifying the official text.

Related tools

Import Cost Calculator SurinameEstimate import duty, statistics and consent fees and BTW, and the landed cost per unit.Price & Markup CalculatorTurn a USD or EUR cost into an SRD shelf price with live bank rates, margin and BTW.Government Contacts for BusinessesAddresses, phone numbers and opening hours of the Belastingdienst, customs, KKF and APF.All business toolsEvery free tool and guide for Surinamese businesses.