When do I pay customs clearance costs?
You pay customs clearance charges when you receive a parcel from a country outside the European Union (EU). The amount you pay depends on the value of your parcel and the type of goods inside.
EU exception areas
Sometimes you receive a parcel from within the EU, but still have to pay customs clearance charges. These parcels come from so‑called EU exception areas, such as Åland, Mount Athos, Campione d’Italia, the Canary Islands, the DOM (Départements d’Outre‑Mer) and Lake Lugano.
Does your parcel come from one of these areas? Then the standard clearance fee of € 16 applies.
How much do I pay?
| Parcel value | VAT | Handling fee (per parcel) | Import duties |
| Up to €150 | Yes | €10* | No |
| €150 or more | Yes | €16 | Yes |
* Some goods require an extended customs declaration. In that case, the handling fee is € 16, even if the value is below €150. This applies to, for example, alcoholic products, perfume, tobacco, goods that require a permit or certificate, excise goods or other restricted items.
Want to know how much VAT and import duties you have to pay?
That depends on what you ordered. On the customs authority’s website, you’ll find an overview of products that are often bought from foreign webshops. For each product, you can see which VAT and import duty rates apply.
Is your parcel a gift?
You only pay customs clearance charges if the value of the gift is more than € 45. We can submit the customs declaration once the parcel arrives in the Netherlands. That’s why the clearance charges are always charged to the recipient.
Objecting to customs clearance charges
Do you disagree with the customs clearance charges? You can submit an objection. First, you need to pay the charges and accept the parcel.
Keep the packaging carefully. If there’s a customs form attached to the parcel, keep it as well or take a photo of it.
