# Importing into Panama

> Panama's ITBMS on goods: 7% standard, 10% on the import and sale of alcohol, 15% on tobacco, the exempt goods, and where duty and customs rules are published.

Source: https://border.bot/docs/guides/countries/panama
Last updated: 2026-10-30

> Documentation index: https://border.bot/llms.txt. Every page is Markdown at its URL + `.md`.


Panama's transfer tax on goods and services, the ITBMS (Impuesto de Transferencia de Bienes Muebles y Servicios), has a standard rate of 7%. The tax administration lists higher rates of 10% for the import and sale of alcoholic drinks and 15% for tobacco products, and exempts food, medicines and some other essentials.

Rules as of 30 October 2026.

## What ITBMS rates apply to goods?

Panama's Dirección General de Ingresos (DGI) sets out ITBMS as a 7% tax on the sale, payment in kind, contribution to a company or any other transfer of goods in Panama, with special rates for a few kinds of goods. The higher rates the DGI lists are tied to importing and selling alcohol and tobacco.

| Goods | ITBMS rate |
| --- | --- |
| Standard rate | 7% |
| Alcoholic drinks, imported or sold wholesale or retail | 10% |
| Tobacco products, imported or sold wholesale or retail | 15% |
| Medicines, food, farm products, basic school supplies, uniforms and textbooks | Exempt |

At the standard rate, a taxable value of US$200 carries US$14 of ITBMS; at the alcohol rate, the same value carries US$20. The DGI also lists hotel and lodging services at 10%. Businesses in Panama charge ITBMS once their annual sales pass B/.36,000, but that threshold is about domestic sales, not the tax customs charges on imports.

## Who handles customs in Panama?

Panama's customs authority is the Autoridad Nacional de Aduanas (ANA). It publishes the official tariff (Arancel Oficial), the exchange rate used for customs, the customs regimes, and its resolutions and decrees on its website. Every good that enters or leaves Panama has to be placed under a customs regime by its declarant.

Duty rates differ by product, so a quote for Panama starts with the tariff line. The [HS code classifier](https://border.bot/tools/hs-code-classifier) finds the line, and the [landed cost calculator](https://border.bot/tools/landed-cost-calculator) adds the duty and ITBMS for an order. Panama is a party to trade agreements that can lower duty for goods that qualify; the [trade agreements guide](https://border.bot/docs/guides/trade-agreements) explains how preferences are claimed.

- [ ] Classify each product to Panama's official tariff
- [ ] Check whether the product is exempt from ITBMS or at a special rate
- [ ] Show price, freight and insurance separately on the invoice
- [ ] Agree with the buyer who acts as importer and pays at customs

## Common questions

### What is the ITBMS rate in Panama?

The standard ITBMS rate is 7%. Alcoholic drinks are taxed at 10% and tobacco products at 15% when imported or sold, and food and medicines are exempt.

### Is food taxed on import into Panama?

The DGI lists food, medicines, farm products, basic school supplies, uniforms and textbooks among the goods that don't pay ITBMS.

## Sources

- [ITBMS](https://dgi.mef.gob.pa/itbms/Itbms.php), Dirección General de Ingresos, Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas, undated, checked 2026-10-30
- [Autoridad Nacional de Aduanas](https://www.ana.gob.pa/), Autoridad Nacional de Aduanas de Panamá, checked 2026-10-30
- [Regímenes aduaneros](https://www.ana.gob.pa/index.php/regimenes-aduaneros/), Autoridad Nacional de Aduanas de Panamá, checked 2026-10-30