Quick Answer: Under Article 73 of the Regulations to Book V of the COPCI, the customs declaration transmitted in ECUAPASS is backed by the transport document (B/L or air waybill), commercial invoice, certificate of origin when applicable, and any other documents ECUAPASS requires. The packing list is mandatory only if SENAE requests it. The importer needs an RUC and electronic signature. The declaration is filed from 15 calendar days before arrival through 30 calendar days after.
- Every commercial import to Ecuador is declared in ECUAPASS with commercial invoice, B/L or air waybill, certificate of origin (if claiming tariff preference), and any other documents SENAE requires; packing list only if SENAE requests it (Regulations to Book V of COPCI, Article 73).
- The importer in Ecuador must have an RUC, electronic signature certificate, and ECUAPASS registration; customs clearance is handled by the importer or a customs broker accredited by SENAE (list at aduana.gob.ec).
- Prohibited imports exist: used clothing and footwear, used vehicles and motorcycles, used vehicle parts and used tires (COMEX Resolution 009-2022), and equipment with CFC refrigerants R-12 or R-502. No document authorizes these.
- Critical deadline: the declaration is filed from 15 calendar days before arrival through 30 calendar days after; past that point cargo falls into tacit abandonment (COPCI Article 142 a).
A 20-foot container of general cargo ships from $1,080 port-to-port to Guayaquil from Miami or New Jersey, per our September 2026 quote. The pricing table below the initial answer updates automatically, so use it as a live reference, not a fixed figure.
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Go to calculator →Reference prices: container shipping from the USA to Ecuador
| Port | 20 ft | 40 HC | Transit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | $1,080 | $1,296 | 17 days |
| Houston | $1,422 | $1,711 | 24 days |
| New JerseyPhiladelphia | $1,080 | $1,296 | 15 days |
| Los Angelesleaves from Houston | $1,577 | $1,814 | 18 days |
Port to port to Guayaquil, in USD, quoted with our system on September 28, 2026. Includes freight and US export charges; excludes import taxes and destination charges. General cargo. The calculator on this page gives your exact price, with pickup and delivery.
Shipping from another state? Which port to read
Each port in the table is the one that cargo from these states usually leaves through. Miami: Florida. Houston: Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. New Jersey: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia and West Virginia. California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Hawaii ship through Los Angeles / Long Beach; Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama ship through Savannah; Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota ship through Chicago (rail); Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Alaska ship through Seattle / Tacoma: those ports are not in the table yet. We pick up in every state, and the calculator finds the best port from your city.
What documents do I need to ship to Ecuador from the USA?
Quick Answer: A commercial import to Ecuador requires a commercial invoice, transport document (ocean B/L or air waybill), certificate of origin when claiming tariff preference, any other documents SENAE requests (including packing list if requested), and the import customs declaration filed in ECUAPASS. The importer must have an RUC, electronic signature certificate, and ECUAPASS registration.
The list of documents for shipping to Ecuador follows a logical order. Each paper is generated at a different point in the chain. If one arrives late, everything else stops.
- Commercial invoice: issued by the exporter in the USA. It is the basis for customs valuation.
- Packing list: also from the exporter. Details packages, weights, and dimensions. Mandatory only if SENAE requests it.
- B/L or air waybill: issued by the shipping line, NVOCC, or airline after shipment.
- Certificate of origin: only if the importer claims a tariff preference.
- Prior permits or control documents: depend on the commodity's tariff classification.
- Import customs declaration: filed by the importer or agent in ECUAPASS.
Who issues what matters more than it seems. The exporter controls commercial invoice and packing list. The carrier controls the transport document. The importer controls the declaration.
According to SENAE (
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