El salvador Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in el salvador, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Import Requirements and Documentation
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To import products into El Salvador, the Customs General Directorate (DGA) requires a commercial invoice, bill of lading, and import license (when applicable). Customs offers an online tool, the Tariff Online Query, where companies can learn the import tariff, whether import permits are required, if there are import restrictions for a product, and which specific government agency is responsible for permit issuance. 

The Government of El Salvador (GOES) requires importers to register with the Superintendency for Sanitary Regulations (SRS), that, as of August 2024, replaced MINSAL’s role in food and beverage registration. Importers must also register each product and present the size of the imported product to ensure it is fit for human consumption. Registration of a product, once granted, is valid for five years.

SRS’s SISAM (https://sisam.srs.gob.sv/admin/login#) online import permit system is the only authorized method to request product registration for food and beverages. This online import permit procedure minimizes the processing time for import permits to under three minutes. Generally, most products are subject to laboratory tests performed by SRS during routine controls and upon registration. However, in April 2025, SRS changed the product registration norm for low-risk products (B and C) and now accepts an export sanitary certificate from the official sanitary institution of the country of origin, and does not require a quality control lab analysis for registration or modifications made to registered products. Additionally, to streamline product registration, in May 2025, SRS authorized the use of third-party accredited labs to conduct quality control laboratory analysis for category A products, as previously, only the Ministry of Health’s (MINSAL) lab could be used.

All imports of fresh food, agricultural commodities, and live animals must be accompanied by a sanitary certificate issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Superintendency of Sanitary Regulation (SRS). Basic grains and dairy products must have import licenses from the Ministry of Agriculture. Pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, medical devices, natural and nutritional supplements, dental products, cosmetics, and hygiene products must be registered with the SRS. Food products require a Certificate of Free Sale, which demonstrates approval by health authorities for public sale. In March 2022, the Ministry of Health approved a regulation allowing U.S. exporters to submit a federal Export Certificate (issued by the FDA, USDA, or NOAA) as part of the registration requirement for the product in El Salvador. Additionally, the USDA negotiated an exemption from the Certificate of Free Sale for U.S. meat and meat products. Instead, local sanitary authorities from SRS and the Ministry of Agriculture have accepted the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) 9060-5 Export Certificate. Additional information can be found on the USDA’s website under El Salvador’s Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards, as well as Export Certificate Attaché reports. 

In March 2022, El Salvador passed a transitory regulation for one year to diminish the impact of inflation on a list of food products that compose the local basic consumption basket. Under this regulation, products included in the list had their import tariffs temporarily removed, allowing for an expedited product registration process that accepts foreign export certificates without requiring plant-by-plant inspection. In June 2022, El Salvador added beef to the list due to the steep increase in local prices and removed the tariff for countries without a free trade agreement with El Salvador. This transitory regulation was extended until March 31, 2026, and eggs, poultry, and pork meat were added to the list of products covered. Currently, El Salvador imports approximately 92% of its beef consumption from Nicaragua and the other 8% from the U.S. and South America.

In January 2019, the Import and Export Transaction Center (CIEX), located at the Central Reserve Bank (BCR), launched the single importation window for food and beverage products; the addition of other products has been gradual. The single importation window has been connected to the SRS, as well as the Customs Service, and[EH5.1][KD5.2] the Ministries of Agriculture, Finance, Environment, and Defense.

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Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

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