Shipping Household Goods to Ecuador
We interviewed Paul Wilches, founder of Relocation Services of Ecuador, to learn about shipping household goods to Ecuador. He discussed the logistics, process, import regulations, timeframes and costs with us.
Relocation Services of Ecuador Container Options
The container size you’ll need varies by the number and size of household items you’re planning to bring to Ecuador. For entire houses, you may need a 20 or 40 foot express container.
20 Foot Shipping Container
40 Foot Shipping Container
You can also ship a pallet or a lift van for smaller loads. A pallet is a wood base stacked with boxes and shrink wrapped. It’s the least secure option. A lift van is a wood box that can be sealed shut.
Wood Pallet
Lift Van
Ecuador Shipping Company Process
It takes 3 to 4 weeks from the date of order for a container to be delivered to your house or storage unit for loading. If you live in a congested area, such as downtown in a big city, you may need to move your household items to a storage unit outside the city because there may not be enough room to park a large container on the street near your house or apartment.
You will need to pack your household items and keep a VERY detailed inventory of what is in each box. It needs to be VERY specific. For example, it needs to list the number of mens shirts, womens shoes, neckties, underwear, number of DVDs, number of kitchen utensils, etc. Simply stating that it contains clothes is not specific enough. EVERYTHING needs to be on the inventory list.
It currently takes 32 to 35 days from the time the container, pallet or lift van is picked up in the United States to deliver it to your new home in Ecuador. If you are unable to be in Ecuador when the container is set to be delivered, it will need to be stored in the United States and shipped once you’re able to come to Ecuador and sign the customs paperwork to accept your shipment.
You have 180 days from the date of your last immigration stamp in your passport to bring your container into Ecuador duty free. If you have been in Ecuador longer than 180 days when your container is scheduled to arrive, you will need to leave Ecuador and return to Ecuador to get a fresh stamp in your passport or be subject to the import taxes on your entire container.
Express Containers
Paul’s Ecuador shipping company offers a home-to-door service for express containers. This means the container will be delivered to your house or storage unit in the origin city, and you’ll be responsible for loading it or hiring a loading crew. You’ll have about 4 hours to load it so you may want to hire a few guys or invite your friends over to help.
Once the container is loaded, it’ll be driven to the nearest port city and shipped to Ecuador. Once it clears customs in Ecuador, it will be driven to your house and unloaded into your house. You’ll be able to tell the crew where to put things, but they won’t unpack boxes or setup furniture.
Pallets and Lift Vans
For pallets and lift vans, Relocation Services of Ecuador offers a door-to-door service. This means a crew will deliver the pallet or lift van to your house, load it, secure it and take it away.
When it arrives at your new home in Ecuador, the Relocation Services of Ecuador crew will unload it into your house, but they won’t unpack boxes or setup furniture.
Items You CAN Bring to Ecuador (and Legal Limits)
You can bring most household items to Ecuador, but there are a few legal limits on the number of items you can bring. A household item is anything used to fill or maintain a house or apartment. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Major Appliances: Stove, Oven, Refrigerator, Dishwasher, Washer, Dryer (Limit 1 Each, New or Used)
- Small Appliances: Blender, Microwave, Mixer, Coffee Maker, Toaster Oven, Toaster, Cooktop, etc. (Limit 2 to 3 Each)
- TV, DVD Player, Stereo, Air Conditioners, etc. (Limit 1 Each per Person + 1 for the Family)
- Computers (Limit 2 per Person)
- Dishes, Silverware, Glasses, etc.
- Tools: Hand Tools, Tablesaw, Electric Generator, etc.
- Furniture: Beds, Sofas, Tables, Chairs, Patio Sets, etc.
- Holiday Decorations, Paintings, Rocks, etc.
- Lawn Mower (thoroughly cleaned of all grass and dirt)
- Gas Grill (without the propane tank)
- Clothing and Shoes (Limit 200 Kilos/440 Pounds per Person)
- Empty Safe (without Money or other valuables)
- Alcohol/Liquor (Limit 23 Liters per Family)
- Commercially Packaged Food in Sealed Containers
Items You CANNOT Bring to Ecuador
You CANNOT bring the following items to Ecuador. It’s EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that you don’t pack anything that might trigger an inspection. In the United States, port inspections cost $3,000 to $4,000.
- NO Guns, Weapons or Ammunition
- NO Flammable Items: Propane Tanks, Hair Spray, Gasoline, WD-40, Turpentine, Aerosol Cans, etc.
- NO Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles, Golf Carts, etc. Nothing with a motor that’s used for transportation (unless you’re a returning Ecuadorian citizen, but then you need to apply for a special program and meet specific requirements)
- NO Cash, Gold, Silver, Jewels, etc. (carry them on the plane and declare them at airport customs if the value exceeds $10,000)
- NO Incandescent Light Bulbs (only CFL or LED light bulbs are allowed in Ecuador)
- NO Agriculture Products: Seeds, Plants, Trees, Fruit, Herbs, etc.
Ecuador Shipping Company Cost
The cost varies by type and size of container; however, as a rough estimate, Relocation Services of Ecuador can ship a 20 foot container from the United States to Ecuador for $7,200 and $8,500.
Relocation Services of Ecuador charges include:
- The Container, Pallet or Lift Van
- Delivery of the Container, Pallet or Lift Van to the House or Storage Unit
- Pickup and Loading of Boxes (for Pallets and Lift Vans)
- Transportation to the US Port
- Ocean Freight from US to Guayaquil, Ecuador
- US and Guayaquil Port Fees
- Guayaquil Inspection Fees
- Legal Expenses to Legalize the Shipping Inventory
- Inland Transportation from Guayaquil to Anywhere in Ecuador
- Unloading Into your House or Apartment
Watch Our Video About Shipping a Container to Ecuador
DISCLOSURE: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING WE GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH OUR LINKS. THERE IS NO COST TO YOU AND SOMETIMES YOU'LL EVEN GET A DISCOUNT BY USING OUR LINK. PLEASE READ OUR DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO.
Hola todos! Welcome to my author bio page! Let's see. Where to begin... I grew up in the country on a lake outside a small Kansas farm town. As soon as I could, I got the hell outta there! Since then, I've lived and/or worked in Kansas City, Washington D.C., Denver, San Francisco, and Ecuador. I started and sold a dotcom, wrote a book about it, started a YouTube channel, and now I write a lot. Amelia and I have embraced the Unconventional Life and we want to help you do it, too!
I read above, no motorcycle. I have done some research and saw that I am allowed to bring a classic, over 25 years, motorcycle.
Unless they changed the law recently, that is not correct. Nothing motorized is allowed except for electric bikes.
I’d like to by an electric trike (catrike) and bring it with me when I move to Ecuador. This trike is not available for purchase there. Are bikes and e-bikes okay?
Also, I’d like a referral. I’d like to meet with him when I visit in July.
Yes. You can bring e-bikes to Ecuador. You can reach out to Paul directly through his website: http://relocationservicesofecuador.net/
Will like a copy of all the things i can bring to.ecuador planning on bringing a car like to know especifics of the vehicke i can bring thanks
You’ll need to contact Paul Wilches directly for the latest version of that list.