The Bolivian authorities impose a couple of specific import standards. The National Certification and Standardization Organization (IBNORCA) is charged with developing Bolivian product standards.
Import license, ministerial resolution and the registration with the Ministry of Defense is necessary for importation of munitions, firearms, chemical precursors and other chemical items.
Prohibited Items: firearms and other weapons (except approved by the Ministry of Defense); pharmaceuticals and drugs (except registered in Bolivia); spoiled food items and beverages; products with harmful essences; a number of liquors (pisco and similar items); diseased animals; seeds, plants, fruits and vegetables that infected with parasites and (or) germs, plants declared infected by the Vice Ministry of Agriculture; lottery bills from other countries; roulette devices and gambling machines; imitations of money or bank certificates, stamps, and other stock; pornographic materials; goods of a registered trademark, which has strong resemblance to one used in Bolivia, used garments without necessary sanitary certificate from the country of origin; products, made of vicuna parts; certain chemical products (without proper permission).
Import Documentation: document description form (Form 135), invoice (unless a commercial sample under USD 25 in value), proof of insurance, bill of lading (if applicable), port expenditures (if applicable), certificate of pre-shipment inspection (if applicable), transportation invoice, packing list, certificate of origin (if applicable), other certificates (if requested).
In order to get tariff preferences, importers from the Andean Community (Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador) must have Certificates of origin.
Import Tariffs
Bolivia has a three-tier tariff scheme. Capital goods that are essential for industrial growth can enter duty-free; non-essential capital goods are subject to 5% tariffs; and the rest of products are subject to 10% tariffs.
Luxury goods (tobacco and tobacco products) are subject to a specific consumption tax (ICE) and to an extra import tax (50 % ad valorem).
Samples and advertising materials, as usual, subject to regular duty rates, except when specifically prepared as samples (shoes cut in half, small patches of fabric, and pharmaceutical products, liquors in bottles clearly marked "free sample").
Books and publications, gold (but not jewelry), personal belongings (under USD 300), items belonging to the diplomatic and consular corps, and imports under government contracts or regional agreements providing for duty exemptions can enter duty-free.
Supreme Decree 26110 (dated March 23, 2001) also allows turnkey imports of equipment and machinery from countries outside the Andean region to come duty-free.
Labeling and Marking
Supreme Decree 26510 (2003) established food goods labeling requirements. Products normally retain their original labels, but they must have complementary labeling showing the importer or distributor’s taxpayer identification number (RUC), sanitary registration number, and component translations. | 
