Countries › Panama › Guide › 9. Trade and customs › Customs regimes and clearance in Panama: definitive, suspensive and industrial regimes, binding advance consultations, guarantees and refunds

Customs regimes and clearance in Panama: definitive, suspensive and industrial regimes, binding advance consultations, guarantees and refunds

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Last verified: 2026-10-29 · Status: Stable

Every good entering Panama must be placed under a customs regime chosen by the importer: definitive import or export, suspensive regimes such as transit, deposit, transshipment and temporary admission, industrial regimes such as inward processing, exception regimes, and the special free zone and duty free shop regimes. Importers can obtain binding written answers from ANA on tariffs and classification, may correct their own errors without penalty before verification, and can claim refunds of overpaid duties within six months. Guarantees secure duty suspension regimes.

Panama's currency, the balboa (B/.), is at par with the US dollar, which circulates as legal tender; the Superintendencia de Bancos states that the balboa's value is on a par with the US dollar (checked 29 October 2026). USD figures therefore equal the balboa figures.

Key facts

Deadline to request refund of overpaid duties	6 months from registration of the declaration monthsDecreto Ley 1 de 2008 art. 76, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Deadline to pay customs obligations	5 business days from the taxable event daysDecreto Ley 1 de 2008 art. 75, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Charge to rectify a declaration with no duty difference	50 PABDecreto Ley 1 de 2008 art. 138, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Binding advance consultation on tariff and classification	Yes, binding and published textDecreto Ley 1 de 2008 art. 89, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Duty free temporary transfer out of a free zone for processing	6 months, extendable once monthsLey 32 de 2011 art. 30, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Exchange rate used for USD conversions	1 PAB per USDBalboa at par with the US dollar (Superintendencia de Bancos), as of 2026-10-29 · in force

The rule

1. Goods may be placed under: definitive regimes (import, import for consumption, import with tax exemption, reimport in the same state, export, re-export); suspensive regimes (transit, deposit, transshipment, temporary admission for re-export in the same state); industrial regimes (drawback, temporary admission for inward processing, temporary export for outward processing, inventory replacement with duty franchise); exception regimes (travellers, household goods, fairs, border traffic, tourist vehicles, relief consignments, ship stores); and special regimes (free zones and duty free shops). The Cabinet Council may develop, create or suppress regimes.Decreto Ley 1 de 2008, art. 96, 2008-02-13 official text · verified 2026-10-29

2. Every good entering the customs territory must receive a customs destination (destinación aduanera), which may be lodged in advance of arrival. The declaration is accepted when registered in the ANA system; acceptance does not validate its content or limit later verification.Decreto Ley 1 de 2008, arts. 91 and 116, 2008-02-13 official text · verified 2026-10-29

3. The declarant or its broker may examine the goods before declaring them. Any person with a direct or legitimate interest may consult ANA in writing or electronically on technical regulations, tariffs and classification matters; ANA's answer is binding and published. ANA may require mandatory prior consultation for risky goods because of origin, value, nature or use.Decreto Ley 1 de 2008, arts. 88 to 90, 2008-02-13 official text · verified 2026-10-29

4. A declaration is final for the declarant but may be rectified without penalty before verification or after clearance if ANA has not detected the error; other rectifications need ANA's prior authorization. Where no duty difference arises but the declaration must be corrected, ANA charges B/.50 to open and rectify it in the system.
Cost to do it: B/.50 (US$50) per rectification that causes no duty difference.Decreto Ley 1 de 2008, arts. 115 and 138, 2008-02-13 official text · verified 2026-10-29

5. A refund of duties paid in excess because of shortages or errors in weight, quantity, measure or declared value may be requested from the regional customs administration within six months from registration of the declaration; regional decisions may be appealed to the Director General within five business days.Decreto Ley 1 de 2008, art. 76, 2008-02-13 official text · verified 2026-10-29

6. Guarantees secure duties, surcharges, taxes and fees on regimes that allow them and may be given in cash, State credit instruments, bank guarantees, irrevocable payment letters, certified cheques, insurance company bonds or electronic transfer.Decreto Ley 1 de 2008, arts. 129 and 130, 2008-02-13 official text · verified 2026-10-29

7. Customs obligations must be paid within five business days from the taxable event; late payment triggers surcharges. Billed obligations become late from the sixth business day after receipt of the invoice.Decreto Ley 1 de 2008, art. 75, 2008-02-13 official text · verified 2026-10-29

8. Free zone companies may send raw materials and semi finished goods temporarily to companies outside the zone for manufacturing, assembly or processing without import duties for up to six months, extendable once for the same period; if the goods do not return, duties are due. Colón Free Zone users have the same mechanism.Ley 32 de 2011 art. 30; Ley 8 de 2016 art. 46, Ley 32 art. 30; Ley 8 art. 46, 2016-04-04 official text · verified 2026-10-29

Group	Regimes
Definitive	Import; import for consumption; import with exemption; reimport in the same state; export; re-export
Suspensive	Transit; deposit; transshipment; temporary admission for re-export in the same state
Industrial operations	Drawback; temporary admission for inward processing; temporary export for outward processing; inventory replacement with franchise
Exception	Travellers; household goods; fairs; border traffic; tourist vehicles; relief consignments; ship stores
Special	Free zones; duty free shops

Customs regimes listed in Decreto Ley 1 de 2008 art. 96.

Worked example

A contractor brings a B/.200,000 (US$200,000) crane for a 10 month project under temporary admission for re-export in the same state and posts a bank guarantee covering the suspended duties and taxes.
When the crane leaves, the guarantee is released; if it stays, the import becomes definitive and duties, ITBMS and any surcharges become due.
A distributor discovers after clearance that it overdeclared value by B/.5,000; it has six months from registration of the declaration to request the refund.

Step by step

Choose the regime that matches the commercial purpose before the goods ship.
If classification or tariff treatment is unclear, file a written consultation with ANA and keep the binding answer.
Lodge the destination in advance where possible and post any guarantee the regime requires.
Pay within five business days and track deadlines for re-export, return of processed goods and refunds.
Correct your own errors before ANA verification to avoid penalties.

Common traps

Temporary admission without a guarantee that is not re-exported in time is treated as abandoned goods.
Errors found by ANA during verification carry a 50 percent surcharge on unpaid duty unless within the quantity and weight tolerances (see Customs penalties and audits).
The six month refund deadline runs from registration, not from discovery of the error.
CAUCA and RECAUCA apply together with Decreto Ley 1 de 2008 and Decreto de Gabinete 12 de 2016, so check all three for procedure.

Sources

Related: Panama country profile · live dashboard · central bank and release calendar · our posts on X · where Argentina is involved, see The Argentine Thread guide

← Import tariffs and taxes in Panama: the national tariff, duty (DAI), 7 percent ITBMS, excise (ISC) and customs valueCourier and low value imports in Panama: tax free shipments up to B/.100, the B/.100 to B/.2,000 simplified band and courier licensing →

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