Brazil's tax reform: how IBS and CBS change import costs from 2026
2026 is the test year for IBS and CBS. Here is what changes in the import tax base, the gradual end of PIS/Cofins on imports, and how to prepare without cash flow surprises.
Brazil's consumption tax reform has left the drawing board. The test phase starts in 2026, with symbolic rates of CBS (0.9%) and IBS (0.1%) running alongside the current taxes. It sounds small, and it is. But what is at stake is not the 2026 figure: it is how your company will structure purchasing, inventory and tax credits for a transition that runs to 2033.
What changes on imports
Today an import carries import duty, IPI, PIS and Cofins on imports and state VAT (ICMS), each with a different tax base and credits that depend on the company's regime. Under the new model, CBS replaces PIS and Cofins, and IBS replaces ICMS and the service tax, both with full non-cumulativity and collection at destination.
- A cleaner tax base: the "tax on tax" calculation that inflated the ICMS base disappears under IBS and CBS.
- Broad financial credit: everything the company buys for its activity generates credit, logistics services included, which lowers the cost of international freight and customs clearance along the chain.
- End of the tax war: state ICMS benefits on imports, the well-known port incentive regimes, gradually lose their force, and that changes the maths of where to import through.
Our view: the days of the "cheap port" are numbered
Many companies choose their port of entry for the tax benefit rather than the logistics. As those incentives are progressively reduced, the decision becomes technical again: distance to the distribution centre, sailing frequency, storage cost and clearance time. Redesigning the network now, with data, avoids a forced and expensive migration in 2029.
Watch the cash flow. During the transition there will be years when both systems coexist. Simulate the outflow month by month, not only the final rate: the timing of the credit can squeeze working capital for anyone importing in volume.
Checklist for 2026
- Adjust the ERP and the tariff code register for the new ancillary obligations.
- Review contracts with suppliers and carriers to ensure taxes are stated correctly and credits can be claimed.
- Reassess special regimes (drawback, RECOF, bonded warehousing) in light of the transition rules.
- Recalculate landed cost per product and per port of entry.
The reform is an opportunity for those who treat tax as a planning variable rather than a surprise at clearance. TMLOG follows the rules issued by the IBS management committee and translates each change into the client's operation.
International trade and logistics specialist with experience in import, export, customs clearance and international business development at TMLOG Global Trade & Logistics.
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