States approve 17% tax for online purchases

State governments confirmed this Thursday (22) that they will start charging a 17% tax on online purchases made abroad, which could directly affect sales from retailers such as Shein, Shopee, among others. Taxation had already been announced at the beginning of the month and depended only on the signing of an agreement between the National Committee of Finance Secretaries (Comsefaz) and the National Council for Finance Policy (Confaz).

According to the agreement, the rate is the lowest of the Tax on Circulation of Goods and Services (ICMS), and the charge must be implemented by the Federal Revenue Service within one month. The tax will only be charged on international orders submitted to the Simplified Taxation Regime (RTS), which is currently 60%.

Adherence to this regime is spontaneous by companies, whose goods are sent to a green import channel without customs checks. That is, the products are now taxed at the time of purchase, and no longer upon receipt with a possible charge by the consumer.