Goods Across Borders · Customs rule card
Tobacco Cigarettes → Ecuador
Purpose: Traveling · Verified: 2026-07-25
Tobacco Cigarettes is restricted for travelers entering Ecuador; declare above the personal allowance.
Details
Tobacco Cigarettes requires declaration at customs (and in some cases an import permit) when carried by travelers into Ecuador. Servicio Nacional de Aduana del Ecuador (SENAE) applies a personal-allowance threshold per item category; quantities above attract duty + the destination's VAT/GST rate (12%) plus, for select categories, an additional excise tax. Pacific Alliance / Mercosur / CAFTA-DR / USMCA / Andean Community preferential treatment for member-state goods. Travelers should consult Servicio Nacional de Aduana del Ecuador (SENAE) for the current quantity threshold + documentation requirement before departure.
Leaving with this item
Cigarettes for personal use may be exported from Ecuador freely; destination duty-free allowances (typically 200 cigarettes) govern the arrival side.
Practical advice
Carry Tobacco Cigarettes in carry-on where applicable (medication / lithium battery / valuables). On arrival, walk the Red Channel and declare on the customs form. Servicio Nacional de Aduana del Ecuador (SENAE) computes duty + VAT at the published rate. Have the purchase receipt + (for medication) the original prescription available.
Customs authority
Servicio Nacional de Aduana del Ecuador (SENAE) · https://www.aduana.gob.ec/