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Shipping boxes to and from Germany

Boxes sent to Germany from another EU country move freely, with no customs and nothing to pay. From outside the EU, including the UK, there is no tax-free limit anymore: import VAT applies from the first euro, and since July 1, 2026 customs duty can apply however small the box. Gifts between private people worth up to €45 stay free, and people moving to Germany can bring their used household goods in free of duty and import VAT with form 0350.

Typical transit
1-3 business days within the EU; 2-5 from the UK or North America; 3-7 from Asia
Currency
EUR
Duty-free up to
From another EU country, there is no customs clearance and nothing to pay on arrival
Receiver ID
Not usually needed

Price a shipment to Germany

Box size

Choose where it's from and where it's going.

What it costs to ship boxes from the US to Germany

  • 1 medium box (16 × 16 × 16 in, 20 lb)$137.75delivered in 3 to 5 business days
  • 5 medium boxes (30 lb each)$688.75 totalabout $137.75 a box

Includes pickup at your door, express delivery, fuel and prepared customs paperwork. Import duties and taxes, if any, are set by Germany and paid by the receiver. Prices updated November 2, 2026.

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Sending to Germany

Duties and taxes1234512

Duty-free threshold
From another EU country, there is no customs clearance and nothing to pay on arrival. From outside the EU (including the UK), there is no tax-free threshold. Import VAT has applied from the first euro since the old €22 exemption ended on July 1, 2021, and the €150 customs duty exemption ended on July 1, 2026. Gifts sent by one private person to another, worth up to €45 (about $53) per box, remain free of duty and import VAT.
Import tax
Import VAT (Einfuhrumsatzsteuer) of 19%, or 7% for some goods such as food and books, charged on the customs value plus duty and any excise. Duty follows the EU tariff. From July 1, 2026 to July 1, 2028, postal parcels and online-shop parcels under the EU's IOSS VAT scheme worth up to €150 pay a flat €3 per item type instead, while other boxes, such as your own things sent by express courier, pay the normal tariff rate. Non-commercial boxes from one private person to another worth €45-€700 (about $53-$820) can instead be charged a flat 17.5% that covers duty, import VAT, and any excise.
How value is worked out
Roughly CIF. Duty is charged on the customs value: the price of the goods plus transport to the EU border. Postage charged on the invoice counts in full, because it can't be split between the legs inside and outside the EU. Import VAT is then charged on the customs value plus duty, any excise, and transport costs inside the EU. The €45 gift limit uses the goods' own value, leaving out shipping when it's shown separately. Foreign currency is converted at the exchange rate valid on the day customs accepts the declaration. For gifts, the value is what the goods would cost if a seller outside the EU sold them to a customer in the EU; shipping and insurance stay in if they're included and can't be separated. Zoll's pages set no separate method for used goods, so declare a fair second-hand value. The €45 limit is set in euros, not dollars.
Who pays
Shipments are sent DAP. If duty or VAT is due, the receiver pays it before or on delivery. The courier may add a clearance or disbursement fee for handling the payment.
Moving there?
If you move your normal residence to Germany after living outside the EU for at least 12 consecutive months, your household effects can enter free of duty and import VAT (excise still applies). The goods must be yours and, apart from consumables, used by you for at least 6 months before the move. Declare them in writing on Zoll form 0350 and clear them within 12 months of moving, in one or several shipments. For 12 months they can't be lent, pledged, hired out, sold, or given away. Alcohol, tobacco, commercial vehicles, and trade equipment (other than portable instruments) don't qualify. Students coming to study have a separate relief for clothing, study equipment, and student-room furniture.

Worked example

Illustrative: a box of your own used clothes worth €120 (about $140), shipped to yourself in Germany by express courier from outside the EU, with €40 of freight to the EU border. It isn't a gift and doesn't qualify for moving relief. Assumes the 12% duty rate Zoll quotes for blouses applies to every item and that the box is charged at normal tariff rates.

Customs value: €120 + €40 = €160. Duty: 12% x €160 = €19.20. Import VAT: 19% x (€160 + €19.20) = €34.05. Total €53.25.

About €53 (about $62), plus the courier's service fee. Before July 1, 2026, the €150 duty exemption would have left only the €30.40 of import VAT. A non-commercial box sent by one private person to another can instead be charged Zoll's flat 17.5% rate.

How customs clearance works in Germany123

Every box from outside the EU needs a customs declaration. The courier files it electronically from the data sent ahead, pays the duty and import VAT to Zoll for the receiver, and collects them at delivery along with its service fee. If details are missing, the courier contacts the receiver; courier parcels aren't sent on to the local customs office. Postal parcels with missing or unclear data go to the receiver's local customs office (Zollamt) instead, where they can be collected and cleared in person, declared online, or cleared from home.

Formal entry
There's no value below which a box skips customs. Moving relief always needs a written declaration on form 0350, and student relief needs an electronic declaration. A full electronic declaration (ATLAS, or Zoll's online IZA) is required for commercial consignments over €150 and for goods under restrictions. Receivers can self-declare parcels worth up to €150 online with IPK.
How long it takes
Zoll says it processes declarations without delay, but questions or missing documents slow things down. With complete data, courier clearance usually adds about 1-2 business days.
Inspections
Zoll may have any post or courier parcel opened, despite postal privacy, to check duties, banned or restricted goods, and paperwork. Parcels marked as gifts are spot-checked, and unclear or incomplete data make an opening more likely. Parcels moving within the EU can be checked too.
If duties go unpaid
With express couriers, the courier's terms decide storage and return if the receiver doesn't pay. Postal parcels held at a customs office are kept 9 days (letters 7) and then returned to the sender, unless you pay for longer storage (€5 from day 10, plus €0.50 a day); refusing a parcel also sends it back. An online (IPK) declaration that isn't paid on time is canceled, and the parcel can be handed back for return abroad. Overpaid duties can be reclaimed within 3 years with form 0223.

Moving to Germany: claiming duty relief56

  1. 01

    Check you qualify

    You're moving your normal residence to Germany after at least 12 consecutive months outside the EU. If you came back sooner than planned, proof that you meant to stay 12 months or more, such as a job contract, may be accepted.

  2. 02

    Check your goods

    Household effects, household provisions in normal family amounts, and portable instruments for your trade or profession qualify if you owned and used them for at least 6 months before moving. Alcohol, tobacco, commercial vehicles, and other trade equipment don't.

  3. 03

    Gather proof

    Keep invoices or sales contracts showing ownership and use, plus proof of your former home abroad and your new residence in Germany, such as your address registration (Anmeldung).

  4. 04

    Complete form 0350

    Declare the goods in writing on Zoll form 0350. Zoll publishes an English translation aid to help you fill it in.

  5. 05

    Ship within 12 months

    Clearance must happen within 12 months of your move, in one or several shipments. The declaration is due at import, so tell the courier you're claiming relief and send the signed form with the boxes. Shipping before you move is possible if you commit to moving within 6 months and provide a security.

  6. 06

    Keep the goods for 12 months

    Don't lend, pledge, hire out, sell, or give away relieved goods for 12 months after customs accepts your declaration. Otherwise the relief is canceled and the duties become due.

Documents to have ready12356

  • Itemized contents list in German or English, with a plain description and a fair value for each item. Customs works from the electronic data sent ahead, not just the paper on the box.
  • For a gift: 'gift' stated clearly in the shipping data, with a private sender and a different private receiver
  • For moving relief: signed Zoll form 0350, an inventory, invoices or sales contracts showing you owned and used the goods for 6 months, and proof of your move to Germany
  • For student relief: proof that you're enrolled at a school or university in Germany
  • Proof of export if you're sending back things that left the EU and want them treated as returned goods (Rückwaren)
  • Receiver's phone number and email, so the courier can arrange payment and delivery

Onvoyo prepares the commercial invoice from your contents list. You print three copies, sign them, and send them with your boxes.

Official forms2359

What you can pack, category by category12567811

What you can pack, by category
CategoryStatusWhat to know
Clothing and shoesMore on clothesAllowedUsed clothing is fine. From outside the EU, duty and import VAT apply unless moving relief, student relief, or the €45 gift rule covers the box.
Books and papersMore on booksAllowedBooks are welcome. When import VAT applies, books get the reduced 7% rate.
ElectronicsMore on electronicsConditionsUsed personal devices are fine with batteries installed. Students' laptops and printers can come in under student relief.
MedicationMore on medicineConditionsNot from outside the EU: private people can't receive medicines from abroad by post or courier, and some supplements and herbal remedies count as medicines. From another EU country, a private person may send you medicines legally bought there, in personal-use amounts.
FoodMore on foodConditionsFood for your own use is allowed in principle, but meat and dairy from outside the EU must meet commercial veterinary rules. Fish up to 20 kg and honey up to 2 kg are exempt. Couriers refuse perishables, and coffee pays excise.
Cosmetics and toiletriesMore on cosmeticsConditionsToiletries are fine. No aerosols or nail polish. A gift can include 50 g of perfume or 0.25 liters of eau de toilette within the €45 limit.
Alcohol and tobaccoMore on alcohol or tobaccoNot allowedDon't pack them. Couriers generally refuse them, excise is due whatever the value, tobacco needs a German tax stamp, and neither qualifies for moving relief.
Sports and outdoor gearMore on sports and outdoor gearConditionsGear is fine. No gas canisters, flares, or fuel. Weapons and ammunition need approval or are banned.
Children's items and toysMore on toys and baby gearAllowedUsed toys are fine. Remove loose batteries.
Documents and photosMore on documents and photosAllowedPersonal papers and photos are fine.
OtherConditionsPlants, seeds, and fresh fruit need plant health certificates from outside the EU. Items from protected species need approval or are banned. Antiques leaving the EU may need an export license.

Quantity limits13578

Quantity limits for Germany
ItemLimit
Gifts from private peopleUp to €45 (about $53) per box, free of duty and import VAT, if sent occasionally and free of charge by one private person to another for personal use. The limit is per box, even if the gifts are for several people.
Tobacco in a giftWithin the €45: 50 cigarettes, or 25 cigarillos, or 10 cigars, or 50 g of smoking tobacco (including heated and water-pipe tobacco), or a mix of these.
Alcohol in a giftWithin the €45: 1 liter of spirits over 22%, or 1 liter of drinks up to 22% such as sparkling or fortified wine, plus 2 liters of still wine.
Perfume and coffee in a giftWithin the €45: 50 g of perfume or 0.25 liters of eau de toilette, and 500 g of coffee (or 200 g of coffee extract).
MedicinesNone for shipments: private people can't receive medicines from abroad by post or courier. Travelers only: up to 3 months' supply per medicine in their luggage.
Animal productsPer small parcel to a private person: fish products up to 20 kg (or one fish, if heavier) and other exempt animal products such as honey up to 2 kg. Meat and dairy from outside the EU must meet commercial veterinary rules, which private parcels rarely can.
Household goods when movingNo set quantity or value limit, but the type and amount must not look commercial.

What you can't send to Germany1235781011

Not allowed

  • Aerosols, spray cans, and compressed gas cylinders
  • Flammable liquids and solids: fuel, lighter fluid, paint, nail polish, matches
  • Loose or spare lithium batteries and power banks not installed in a device
  • Cash, gift cards, checks, and other negotiable items
  • Firearms, ammunition, replicas, and weapon parts
  • Perishable food, and meat, dairy, or fresh produce
  • Cannabis, CBD, and THC products, even where they are legal at origin
  • Medicines sent to private people from outside the EU, including supplements and herbal remedies that count as medicines in Germany
  • Meat, milk, and products made from them, such as sausage or cheese, from outside the EU, unless they pass a veterinary border check with health certificates (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, San Marino, and Northern Ireland are exempt)
  • Syrian cultural property, which EU sanctions bar from import, export, and transfer

Allowed with conditions

Medicines
Private people generally can't receive medicines from abroad by post or courier. If you need a medicine that isn't sold in Germany, a German pharmacy can order it for you with a doctor's prescription. Travelers may carry up to 3 months' supply per medicine in their luggage.
Alcohol, tobacco, and coffee
Excise duty is due whatever the box's value. Tobacco and e-cigarette liquids must also carry a valid German tax stamp. A gift worth €45 or less may include small amounts free (see allowances). None of them qualify for moving relief.
Fish, honey, and other animal products
Up to 20 kg of fish products (or one fish, if heavier) and up to 2 kg of other exempt animal products such as honey may go to private people in small parcels. Meat and dairy must meet commercial veterinary rules. Parcels that don't comply are refused and may be destroyed on the spot.
Plants, cut flowers, fresh fruit, and seeds
From outside the EU they need a plant health (phytosanitary) certificate, even in small amounts. Only pineapples, coconuts, durians, bananas, and dates are exempt.
Weapons, ammunition, and protected species
Weapons and ammunition, and protected animal species or items made from them (such as ivory or tortoiseshell), need approval or are banned. This applies to moving boxes too.
Counterfeit branded goods
Fakes are subject to customs bans and restrictions. Customs can hold them, and the box then won't be delivered normally.
Household goods claimed under moving relief
Must be declared in writing on form 0350 at import and kept for 12 months. Selling, lending, or giving them away sooner cancels the relief, and the duties become due.

Sending from Germany

Shipping boxes out of Germany91012

Sending boxes from Germany to another EU country involves no customs at all. To countries outside the EU, including the UK, parcels of non-commercial goods such as your used belongings can generally leave without customs formalities, as long as nothing inside needs a permit. The destination country's rules then decide what the receiver pays.

Documents

  • Contents list with a plain description and value for each item, for the destination's customs
  • Sender's ID and contact details, if the courier asks for them
  • Electronic export declaration (through ATLAS or Zoll's online IAA Plus service), only if the box holds commercial goods worth over €1,000 or goods that need a permit
  • Export license from the state (Land) cultural property authority for cultural goods that need one

Can't leave the country

  • Cultural goods in certain categories above set value limits need an export license to leave the EU (Regulation (EC) No 116/2009). The cultural property authority of the state where the item is located issues it.
  • National cultural property, such as items in a state register of nationally valuable cultural property or in public collections, needs a permit to leave Germany. Permits for permanent export come from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media.
  • EU sanctions restrict the export of cultural goods from Iraq, Syria, and Ukraine.
  • Goods that need an export license also need an electronic export declaration at the customs office for your home address.
  • Couriers will not carry cash, weapons, or dangerous goods.

Before pickup

  • Mark boxes as used personal belongings or a gift, not merchandise.
  • Antiques or art? Check with your state's cultural property authority before you book, since any license must be in place first.
  • Check the destination's customs and moving-relief rules before you pack. Many countries need their own forms.
  • Keep a copy of the contents list and the courier receipt.

Addresses, delivery and timing12

Writing the address

Write the street name before the house number, and put the 5-digit postal code (PLZ) before the city. The receiver's name must match the mailbox or doorbell, so add 'c/o' and the resident's name if the receiver is staying with someone.

Anna ExampleLindenweg 2710115 BerlinGermany

Example only; not a real address.

Delivery coverage

Fastest to: Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, Leipzig, Dresden.

Remote areas: North Sea and Baltic islands such as Sylt, Föhr, or Rügen can add a day or more. Heligoland and Büsingen am Hochrhein are outside the EU customs territory, so boxes sent there go through customs even from elsewhere in Germany or the EU.

Delivery is fast nationwide once a box has cleared. If no one is home, the courier may leave it with a neighbor or at a pickup point, so put the receiver's name on the mailbox and doorbell.

When things slow down

Expect slower handling around public holidays: January 1, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May 1, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, October 3, December 25, and December 26. Some states add their own holidays. Late November to December is peak season for couriers.

Advice for your situation

Students

Coming from outside the EU to study? If you're enrolled for regular attendance at a school or university in Germany, your clothing and linen, study equipment such as a laptop or printer, and furniture for a normal student room can come in free of duty and import VAT. The goods must be yours, in non-commercial amounts, and tied to your arrival; new things ordered online abroad don't qualify. This relief needs an electronic customs declaration.

Returning home

Germans coming home after at least 12 months outside the EU can use the same form 0350 relief as anyone moving to Germany. After a shorter stay, things you took out of the EU may count as returned goods (Rückwaren): keep proof they left, and ask Zoll whether relief applies.

Expats and relocations

Leaving Germany? Boxes to other EU countries need no customs. Outside the EU, parcels of used personal belongings usually leave without an export declaration. Check your new country's rules, since many have their own moving relief and forms.

Tips for a smooth delivery

  • Sending from another EU country? There's no customs and nothing to pay. A contents list still helps if the box is checked.
  • Write the contents list in German or English, with an honest value for each item. Customs works from the electronic data, and other languages lead to questions or even returns.
  • Sending a gift? Make sure 'gift' appears in the shipping data, not just on the box, and keep it to €45 or less per box to pay nothing.
  • Moving to Germany? Fill in form 0350, keep receipts that show 6 months' use, and ship within 12 months of your move.
  • Leave medicines out of boxes from outside the EU. Carry what you need in your luggage instead: up to 3 months' supply per medicine.
  • Keep the tax notice (Abgabenbescheid) the courier hands over. If you were overcharged, you can claim a refund within 3 years.

Shipping to and from Germany: questions

Is there a duty-free limit for packages to Germany in 2026?

Not for boxes from outside the EU. Import VAT applies from the first euro, and the €150 customs duty exemption ended on July 1, 2026. The main exception is a gift from one private person to another worth up to €45 per box, which pays nothing. Boxes from other EU countries pay nothing at all.

How much will the receiver pay on used belongings from outside the EU?

Usually customs duty at the EU tariff rate plus 19% import VAT (7% for some goods such as books), on the value plus shipping to the EU border, plus the courier's service fee. Non-commercial boxes between private people worth €45-€700 can be charged a flat 17.5% instead.

Can I bring my household goods to Germany tax-free when I move?

Yes, if you lived outside the EU for at least 12 months, owned and used the goods for at least 6 months, and clear them within 12 months of moving. Declare them on Zoll form 0350 and keep them for 12 months. Alcohol and tobacco don't qualify.

Can I mail medicine to Germany?

Generally not. Private people can't receive medicines from abroad by post or courier, and some supplements and herbal remedies count as medicines. Travelers may carry up to 3 months' supply per medicine, and a German pharmacy can order a medicine that isn't sold in Germany with a prescription.

Do I need an EORI number to receive a package in Germany?

No. Private individuals don't need an EORI number unless they make customs declarations regularly (10 or more a year). No other tax ID is needed for a private shipment.

My package is held at the customs office (Zollamt). What now?

This mostly happens to postal parcels with missing or unclear data. You can collect and clear it in person, declare it online in the Zoll portal (up to €150), or ask for clearance from home. Parcels are kept 9 days before going back to the sender. With express couriers, the courier sorts out questions with you directly.

How do I ship boxes from Germany to another country?

Within the EU, just pack and send: there's no customs. Outside the EU, parcels of non-commercial goods such as your used belongings can generally leave without an export declaration, unless something inside needs a permit. The destination's rules decide what the receiver pays.

What can't I send out of Germany?

Cultural goods in certain categories above set value limits need an export license to leave the EU, and national cultural property needs a permit to leave Germany. Couriers also refuse aerosols, flammables, loose batteries, weapons, and cash.

Official help in Germany

Official sources

Every section above is checked against these official pages. Rules change, and customs in Germany makes the final decision on every shipment. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

  1. 1.

    Generalzolldirektion (Zoll)

    Geschenksendungen (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  2. 2.

    Generalzolldirektion (Zoll)

    Internetbestellungen (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  3. 3.

    Generalzolldirektion (Zoll)

    Fragen und Antworten zu Sendungen aus einem Nicht-EU-Staat (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  4. 4.

    Official Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex)

    Council Regulation (EU) 2026/382 of 11 February 2026 amending Regulation (EC) No 1186/2009 as regards the elimination of the threshold-based customs duty relief (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 26, 2026

  5. 5.

    Generalzolldirektion (Zoll)

    Transferring residence (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  6. 6.

    Generalzolldirektion (Zoll)

    Schulmaterial, Ausstattung und Haushaltsgegenstände von Schülern und Studenten (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  7. 7.

    Generalzolldirektion (Zoll)

    Arzneimittel (Sendungen aus einem Nicht-EU-Staat) (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  8. 8.

    Generalzolldirektion (Zoll)

    Einfuhr von tierischen Erzeugnissen in Kleinsendungen (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  9. 9.

    Generalzolldirektion (Zoll)

    Verfahren (Sendungen in einen Nicht-EU-Staat) (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  10. 10.

    Generalzolldirektion (Zoll)

    Kulturgüter (Reisen in einen Nicht-EU-Staat) (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  11. 11.

    Generalzolldirektion (Zoll)

    Private Einfuhr von Lebens- und Futtermitteln (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  12. 12.

    Generalzolldirektion (Zoll)

    Zollgebiet (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

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