Chapter 5 of Annex II to Resolution No. 175/2022 and Section 2 of Resolution No. 272/2015 stipulate that, when imported by legal entities, the following categories of communications equipment require prior authorisation from the Cuban Ministry of Communications (MINCOM): wireless fax machines; wireless microphones and their accessories; data‑network devices such as routers, switches, and similar equipment; radio transmitters and transceivers of any type and service, including fixed, mobile, and personal stations (for example, walkie‑talkies and satellite telephones), together with their components and power amplifiers; wireless telephones operating in frequency bands not authorised by MINCOM; telephone switchboards of all types; wireless access points such as RLAN devices and comparable equipment, except for Wi‑Fi equipment, which is governed by its own specific regulatory framework; professional radio receivers distinct from domestic radio and television sets; satellite earth stations and transmitting and receiving satellite‑communications terminals, including satellite‑television receiving stations, parabolic antennas, their accessories, and portable or other satellite telephones; and equipment intended for the mass transmission of data, text, or voice by wireless means.

Cuba has not adopted national legislation based on or influenced by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Commerce.

It is reported that recipients and users of international parcel and courier services in Cuba have faced recurring delays, disorganisation and limited traceability in the processing and delivery of imported shipments. Earlier reports recorded complaints concerning customs procedures, alleged mistreatment and errors or non-compliance by customs inspectors. Subsequent reporting identified delays of several months, human errors and procedural violations during the processing of international shipments by Correos de Cuba and the Customs Authority. As all international parcels are subject to customs processing, shipments cannot enter the domestic tracking and distribution system until they are released by Customs. Although processing times subsequently improved, significant delays were again reported in 2025, with international shipments taking more than 60 days on average to be delivered. These horizontal procedural and logistics problems are particularly relevant to cross-border e-commerce and courier shipments.

Cuba has not adopted national legislation based on or influenced by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Signatures.

Under Arts. 1.1, 2, 6 and 8–10 and the Annex to Resolution No. 166/2024, non-state economic operators must export goods and services through designated authorised exporting entities. The operator submits the export request to an authorised intermediary, which approves the foreign customer, prepares the offer, concludes the transaction, and agrees the export price.
For merchandise exports, Arts. 1–3, 9–17 and 25–29 of Resolution No. 38/2023 provide that exporting entities must be registered in the National Registry of Exporters and Importers and hold the relevant foreign-trade powers and an approved export nomenclature. Under Resolution No. 38/2023, those powers are granted by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment (MINCEX) to state enterprises and wholly Cuban-owned commercial companies. Goods falling outside an entity’s approved nomenclature may be exported only under a prior occasional export permit. Non-state operators, therefore, cannot export directly and must rely on a designated intermediary that also holds the necessary registration, foreign-trade powers and product coverage.

According to the Ministry of Communications, a process is implemented that requires a homologation certificate issued after control in testing laboratories in Cuba for ICT goods. Although there is no legal framework establishing the procedures for testing, control and certification of these goods, the Ministry requires companies to pass certain tests to obtain a homologation certificate for each product or service of telecommunication and computer equipment. There are two accredited laboratories in Cuba. The first one performs tropicalisation tests. The second one handles the testing of equipment connected to telecommunications networks that use the spectrum. Through this certification process, the Ministry of Communications regulates and controls the technical and operating specifications of the systems, equipment, and devices to be used in telecommunications and computer networks in order to guarantee the interconnection between public networks, as well as the interoperability of services.

Art. 19 (e) of Resolution No. 179/08 requires that Internet access service providers must ensure that software with cryptographic systems or encrypted file transfer is not used.

Art. 21.8 of Resolution No. 99/2019 stipulates that applicants for an operating licence for private data networks must provide information concerning the cryptographic protocols and algorithms used to protect communications, which must have been authorised by the competent authority. Art. 27.l further requires holders to obtain approval for the use of any supported application or service that employs cryptographic methods for protecting transmitted information, with holder referring to the person authorised by the Ministry of Communications to provide private data transmission services through a private telecommunications network. Art. 2 defines a private data network as a telecommunications network whose infrastructure is installed within a single locality or across multiple geographically distinct localities interconnected by telecommunications links for the purpose of meeting the data service needs of its holder.

Although Law 118 on foreign investment does not restrict investments in the online commerce sector, the state company CIMEX, with its company Tuenvio.cu, is the only platform that offers online purchases in Cuba.

Art. 12 of Decree-Law No. 22/2020 establishes a quantitative limitation on non-commercial imports by providing that the total value of the goods contained in each consignment may not exceed USD 200.

In June 2020, Cimex Corporation notified all users of the "tuenvio.cu" e-commerce platform via email about new regulations for online purchases. According to these updated regulations, users of the Tuenvio.cu platform, which facilitates e-commerce in Cuba, is limited to one purchase per day for food and toiletries combos. These restrictions were outlined in Cimex's online shopping guide, which is available on the Tuenvio.cu platform, ensuring customers were aware of the daily purchase limits.

There are no formal licensing requirements in Cuba in the electronic commerce sector. However, Cuba has only one online trading platform called Tuenvio.cu, which is managed by the state-owned company CIMEX. This, indirectly, represents a restriction that excludes foreign companies that want to seek licenses to manage an electronic commerce platform.

It is reported that the terms of services of Tuenvio.cu state that payments can be made only through Tranfermóvil and Enzona, two phone applications that can be associated with cards issued by the Central Bank of Cuba, Banco Metropolitano, Banco de Crédito and Commerce and the Popular Savings Bank.

It is reported that PayPal, as well as debit or credit cards issued by banks in the United States or their subsidiaries, are not accepted in Cuba.

Ministry of Finance and Prices Resolution No. 204/2022 exempts non-commercial air, maritime, postal, and courier consignments received by natural persons in Cuba from customs duties on the first USD 30 of their value, or the equivalent weight of up to 3 kg under the customs value-to-weight method. Goods exceeding this threshold are subject to a 30% customs-duty rate.