Shipping to Belize: Complete Freight Guide for Importers and Exporters

Ship to Belize by LCL or FCL from Miami to the Port of Belize (about 6 days) or by air into BZE (1 to 3 days); declarations go through Belize Customs and Excise in ASYCUDA World, with CARICOM CET duty, Revenue Replacement Duty, 3% Environmental Tax and 12.5% GST. Belize is the only English-speaking country in Central America and a full CARICOM member, which gives it a different freight profile from its neighbors. It sits on the Central American mainland but applies the CARICOM Common External Tariff, files declarations in ASYCUDA World like much of the Caribbean, and imports most of what it consumes, builds and sells to tourists. Volumes are modest, so the bulk of US cargo moves as consolidated LCL from Miami into Belize City, with full containers reserved for construction projects, distributors and resort openings. The landed cost is driven less by the freight rate than by the stack of charges at the border: import duty, Revenue Replacement Duty, a 3% Environmental Tax and 12.5% GST, all calculated from the CIF value. With classification and documents planned, Belize is a short, predictable lane from Florida.

Belize Shipping at a Glance: Transit Times and Options

LCL from Miami to Belize City takes about six days and costs about $1,020 for 5 CBM / 1,500 kg on IWF's published rate, air freight takes one to three days, and Asian cargo needs 35 to 50 days via transshipment.

Rates and schedules change with fuel, season and space, so use the table for planning and request a firm quote.

How to Ship to Belize: Step by Step

Shipping to Belize follows eight steps, and the permit check in step 2 is the one most first-time importers miss.

1. Classify the goods under Belize's tariff, which follows the Harmonized System and the CARICOM Common External Tariff, and check whether the item needs an import licence or a BAHA permit.
2. Obtain licences and permits before shipping: import licences for restricted goods, and BAHA permits for food, plants and animal products, filed about a week before import.
3. Choose mode and Incoterm: LCL from Miami to the Port of Belize for 2 to 15 CBM, a full 20ft or 40ft above that, or air freight into BZE for urgent cargo.
4. Prepare the documents: commercial invoice with clear values and the Incoterm, packing list, bill of lading or air waybill, certificate of origin and any permits.
5. File the US export data: the exporter or forwarder files the Electronic Export Information (EEI) in AES when the shipment requires it, and the cargo is delivered to the Miami consolidation warehouse.
6. Transit and arrival: LCL from Miami reaches Belize City in about six days and is unloaded at the Port of Belize.
7. Customs declaration in ASYCUDA World: the importer or its broker files the entry, Customs checks the CIF value, and Import Duty, RRD, Environmental Tax and GST are paid through selected banks.
8. Release and final delivery: after any examination, the cargo is released from the port and trucked to the site, store or warehouse.

For most importers, that process starts with a booking out of Miami.

Shipping From the USA to Belize

Most US freight to Belize moves as consolidated LCL from Miami to the Port of Belize, with FCL for project loads and air freight into BZE for urgent cargo. Miami is the natural gateway for Belize. US suppliers deliver to a Miami warehouse, cargo from several vendors is consolidated, and a regular groupage flow carries it to the Port of Belize in Belize City. On IWF's Miami to Belize City LCL lane, a 5 CBM / 1,500 kg shipment is about $1,020 (IWF published LCL rate, September 2026; excludes destination duties, taxes and local charges) with a transit of about six days.

For most Belizean importers, LCL consolidation is the default: you pay for the cubic meters you use instead of a whole box, and you can order from several US suppliers at once without waiting to fill a container. Once volume approaches 15 CBM, or the cargo is heavy and dense (tile, cement products, rebar, steel), compare it against container shipping to Belize as a full 20ft or 40ft. For construction and hotel projects, staging cargo at a Miami warehouse until a full container is ready costs less than several partial loads whenever the build schedule allows the wait.

Air freight goes into Philip S. W. Goldson International (BZE) near Belize City in one to three days, which suits spare parts for generators, boats and HVAC systems, as well as perishables and medical supplies.

Shipping from China, Asia and Europe to Belize

Asian and European cargo reaches Belize by transshipment or by consolidation through Miami, since there is no regular direct service from Asia or Europe. Cargo transships at a regional hub (in the Caribbean, Panama or the US) and continues on a feeder, so plan on 35 to 50 days from China and 25 to 40 days from Europe, with LCL at the long end. Our guide to Caribbean transshipment hubs explains how those connections work. Many Belizean buyers instead route Asian or European goods to Miami first, consolidate them with US purchases, and send one combined shipment south. It adds a leg but simplifies the documents and gives you one arrival to manage in Belize City, at one of the gateways below.

Which Ports and Airports Handle Cargo in Belize?

The Port of Belize in Belize City handles most containers, Big Creek serves the south, and Philip S. W. Goldson International (BZE) is the air cargo gateway.

• Port of Belize, Belize City (BZBZE): the main commercial port for containers and general cargo, and the destination for most consolidated freight from Miami.
• Big Creek, Independence (Stann Creek District): port in the south of the country and a designated customs office; it serves the southern districts and agricultural export cargo.
• Punta Gorda: small southern port of entry.
• Philip S. W. Goldson International (BZE): the country's international air cargo gateway.
• Land borders: Benque Viejo (Western Border Station, with Guatemala) and Santa Elena, Corozal (Northern Border Station, with Mexico) are designated customs posts.

Cargo that crosses those borders by land is a separate lane with its own customs rules: see our guides to shipping to Mexico and shipping to Guatemala.

How Does Customs Clearance Work in Belize?

Imports clear through the Belize Customs and Excise Department in ASYCUDA World, and a customs broker is optional. The legal basis is the Customs and Excise Duties Act. ASYCUDA World became fully operational across the customs territory in 2012, when the Western and Northern border stations joined Belize City, Big Creek, Punta Gorda and the airport, according to Belize Customs and Excise. The system is linked to the tax department and the Treasury, and duties can be paid through selected banks.

• Declaration: filed electronically in ASYCUDA World. Belize does not require the use of customs brokers, because ASYCUDA World allows direct trader input, as Belize notified to the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement database. Most commercial importers still use a licensed broker to classify, value and file.
• Valuation: duties are charged on the CIF value. Customs uses the original commercial invoice and product catalogs to check values, and for vehicles its Valuation Unit applies the US N.A.D.A. guide, as the U.S. Commercial Service reports.
• Classification: goods are classified under Belize's tariff, which follows the Harmonized System and the CARICOM Common External Tariff.
• Permits: any import licence or BAHA permit must be attached before release.
• Payment and release: duties and taxes are paid, the shipment is examined if selected, and the cargo is released from the port.

Invoice values are the most common friction point. A low or vague invoice invites a valuation review that adds days and storage charges at the port. With complete documents and any permits in hand, clearance at Belize City takes days, not weeks; missing permits or valuation queries are what stretch it. Once the value is accepted, the duty stack below applies to it.

What Are the Customs Duty Rates in Belize?

Belize charges Import Duty under the CARICOM Common External Tariff, Revenue Replacement Duty, a 3% Environmental Tax and 12.5% GST, all built on the CIF value, according to the U.S. Commercial Service's Belize tariff guide.

• Import Duty: based on the CARICOM Common External Tariff. Rates range from zero to 120%, with an average applied rate of about 20%. Imports of CARICOM origin are exempt from import duty, although RRD still applies to some of them; US, Chinese and European goods pay the tariff rate. This CARICOM framework separates Belize from its CAFTA-DR neighbors, covered in our guide to shipping to Honduras.
• Revenue Replacement Duty (RRD): the second main duty on imports, applied at 10% to 50% on many goods, most of them around 40%.
• Environmental Tax: 3% on imports, with exclusions for some medicines and food items; automobiles pay 2% to 5% depending on the type of vehicle.
• General Sales Tax (GST): 12.5%, calculated on the customs value plus duties, and administered domestically by the Belize Tax Service.
• Excise duties: on specific products such as alcohol and tobacco.

Because GST is applied on top of duty-inclusive value, a classification error compounds through every layer. Confirm the duty for the exact HS code before quoting a landed price. For a regional comparison, see our overview of Caribbean import duties and taxes.

What Documents Are Required to Ship to Belize?

A Belize import needs a commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or air waybill, and any certificate of origin, import licence or BAHA permit the goods require.

• Commercial invoice showing a clear description, unit and total values and the Incoterm
• Packing list with weights and dimensions
• Bill of lading (ocean) or air waybill (air)
• Certificate of origin, especially where CARICOM origin is claimed
• Import licence for restricted goods
• BAHA import permit and sanitary or phytosanitary certificate for food, plants and animal products
• Broker authorization where a broker files the ASYCUDA entry

What Can't You Ship to Belize? Restricted Goods and Import Permits

Belize prohibits few goods but licenses many food, beverage, chemical and wood products, so check the list before you order.

• Licensed goods: according to the U.S. Commercial Service, Belize restricts imports of items including peanut butter, jams and jellies, pasta, wheat flour, rice, peppers and pepper sauces, beer, spirits, carbonated beverages, cigarettes, wood products, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, telecommunications equipment, certain environmentally harmful gases and chemicals, and fuel. Beans and rice imports are blocked when local supply is in surplus. Licensing questions go to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprises.
• Prohibited: products containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine.
• Agricultural and food products: the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) issues import permits for certain foodstuffs, live animals, plants and plant materials, and veterinary vaccines. Applications are filed about a week before import, and BAHA requires a risk analysis for some products and origins.
• Vehicles: valued by Customs against the N.A.D.A. guide and taxed at an Environmental Tax rate of 2% to 5% depending on the vehicle type.
• Wood packaging: pallets and crates must meet the ISPM 15 standard.

LCL, FCL or Air Freight to Belize: Which to Choose?

For Belize, use air under 2 CBM or when time matters, LCL from Miami for 2 to 15 CBM, and FCL above 15 CBM.

• Under 2 CBM, or urgent: air freight into BZE.
• 2 to 15 CBM: LCL from Miami. This is where most Belize shipments sit, and the IWF benchmark of about $1,020 for 5 CBM / 1,500 kg gives a planning figure.
• 15 CBM and above: compare a 20ft FCL. Building materials hit the weight limit early, so check kilos as well as volume.
• Projects with many suppliers: consolidate in Miami and ship full containers on a schedule that matches the construction phases.

Key Industries Shipping Freight to Belize

Tourism and construction generate most of Belize's import freight. Resorts, hotels and vacation rental developments on Ambergris Caye, Placencia and the cayes need construction materials, furniture, fixtures and equipment, kitchen equipment, linens, and a steady flow of food and beverages. Construction more broadly (residential, commercial and public works) pulls in cement products, steel, lumber, roofing, plumbing and electrical supplies, much of it from the US Gulf and Florida.

On the export side, Belize ships sugar, bananas, citrus products and marine products, with Big Creek serving the southern producing districts. Distributors of consumer goods, auto parts and household supplies round out the import base, almost entirely through Belize City. The heaviest and most schedule-sensitive of these flows, construction materials and resort FF&E, is the topic of our follow-up guide.

Choosing a Freight Forwarder for Belize

The right forwarder for Belize runs a regular consolidation service out of Miami, classifies correctly under the CARICOM tariff, and prepares documents that hold up to a CIF valuation check in ASYCUDA World. Interworld Freight was founded in Miami in 1992 and runs ocean LCL and FCL, air freight and Miami warehousing for staging and consolidating cargo, with customs coordination through licensed Belizean brokers and coverage on every major trade lane from Asia and Europe. Send your cargo details and you will receive a quote within one business day.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does shipping from Miami to Belize take?

On IWF's Miami to Belize City LCL service, transit is about six days. Air freight to BZE takes one to three days, and cargo from China takes 35 to 50 days because it transships before reaching Belize.

How much does it cost to ship to Belize?

IWF's published LCL rate for 5 CBM / 1,500 kg from Miami to Belize City is about $1,020 (September 2026), excluding destination duties, taxes and local charges. Full containers and air freight are quoted per shipment.

What are the customs duty rates in Belize?

Import Duty under the CARICOM Common External Tariff ranges from zero to 120%, averaging about 20%, and Revenue Replacement Duty adds 10% to 50% on many goods. On top come a 3% Environmental Tax (2% to 5% on vehicles) and 12.5% GST on the duty-inclusive value, all calculated from the CIF value.

What can't you import into Belize?

Goods containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine are prohibited. Many other products, including flour, rice, pasta, beer, spirits, carbonated drinks, cigarettes, wood products, medicines, pesticides, telecom equipment and fuel, need an import licence before they ship.

How long does it take to clear customs in Belize?

With a complete invoice, packing list, bill of lading and any required licence or BAHA permit, commercial cargo clears within a few working days of arrival. Valuation queries, missing permits and examinations are what add time and port storage.

Do I need a customs broker in Belize?

Not by law. ASYCUDA World allows importers to file their own declarations, but most commercial importers use a licensed broker to handle classification, valuation and permits.

Do food imports need a permit in Belize?

Many do. BAHA issues import permits for certain foodstuffs, plants, animals and veterinary products, and some food items also require an import licence. Apply before the goods ship.

Is Belize part of CAFTA-DR?

No. Belize is a CARICOM member and applies the CARICOM Common External Tariff, unlike Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, which are CAFTA-DR members.

Photo: Cargo operations at the Port of Belize, Belize City. MSgt Kelly Ogden, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.