Customs rules and regulations are set by national governments and bodies like the European Union and the World Customs Organisation; they are independent of all carriers across the world. We are bound by these rules, as are all carriers.
What are customs regulations for?
Customs processes monitor trade levels between countries, help maintain national security and also serve fiscal purposes. Depending on the type of goods, country of origin, and your country of destination, goods may or may not be subject to prohibitions, restrictions, and the application of duties/taxes. To look up commodity codes, duty and VAT rates for goods you're importing to the UK click here.
VAT
Each item valued over £100 must carry a VAT Label 444 on the outside of the package. You can obtain these and VAT notices from your local Customs VAT office or the HMRC National Advice Service. For proof of export for re-claiming VAT, the recognised evidence is the customer receipt part of the despatch pack, or for customers using Worldwide Distribution Manager® Online, a printed manifest.
Importing into the UK
Importing into the UK is usually straightforward, but there may be times when it becomes more complicated given the contents of the packages, or the reasons for import. We suggest that you contact HM Revenue & Customs for detailed information on import customs procedures and charges.
If we receive a parcel from overseas, we will pay any customs duties and taxes on your behalf to HM Revenue & Customs. However, we will require payment for this, together with our customs clearance fee, before the parcel can be delivered to you.
Import value thresholds
For goods imported from either the EU or non-EU countries, customs charges do apply and these may include import duty, excise duty and import VAT.
Consignments of goods with a value of £135 or less that are outside the UK and sold directly to customers in Great Britain, (England, Scotland and Wales), will have UK ‘supply VAT’ charged at the point of sale, rather than be liable to import VAT. Please refer to the latest government guidance.
Goods valued over £135, or excise goods of any value, attract VAT & duties. These are charged at the border and would also attract customs clearance charges and a handling fee.
Gifts sent by private individuals valued below £39 do not attract VAT.
Queries about specific import parcel duties/taxes
If you have a specific query about the duties/taxes applied by HRMC, either why Duties and Taxes may be applicable or if you wish to query a charge specifically please visit the Gov.UK website and search for BOR286.
Queries about the Parcelforce Worldwide clearance fee
Parcelforce Worldwide charges a customs clearance fee, which helps cover the costs of additional handling, administration, collection of monies and provision of facilities for customs clearance of packages. We have two levels of clearance fee for import parcels: the higher fee is for express parcels imported through the Express Mail Services (EMS) or General Logistics Systems (GLS) networks and for all parcels valued at over £900; the lower fee is for all other imported parcels. For current charges, please see our website. Please note that all charges and thresholds are liable to change.
Storage awaiting customs clearance
We would recommend that you respond promptly to any customs queries to avoid storage charges. We will not levy a fee for the first 10 days, but after that period, storage fees will be charged. For details, please see the Customer Service Guide. All parcels valued at over £900 are placed in secure storage until completion of customs formalities.
Importing goods documentation
When importing goods, the sender needs to complete a CN23 document, which can be found at all Post Offices worldwide.
