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Shipping boxes to and from Israel

Israel taxes personal boxes by value, and the same limits apply to gifts and used belongings. A shipment worth up to USD 75 is tax-free. Up to USD 500 it pays 18% VAT, plus purchase tax on some goods, but no customs duty. New immigrants and returning residents can bring household goods tax-free in a set number of shipments, and a courier box counts as one, so plan before you send.

Typical transit
2-5 business days from Europe; 3-6 from North America; 4-7 from Asia
Currency
ILS
Duty-free up to
Shipments worth up to USD 75 (about ILS 228) are tax-free, whether they hold purchases, gifts, or used goods
Receiver ID
Teudat zehut (Israeli ID number), or passport number for foreign residents

Price a shipment to Israel

Box size

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

What it costs to ship boxes from the US to Israel

  • 1 medium box (16 × 16 × 16 in, 20 lb)$236.36delivered in 4 to 7 business days
  • 5 medium boxes (30 lb each)$1,181.81 totalabout $236.36 a box

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

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Sending to Israel

Duties and taxes123567

Duty-free threshold
Shipments worth up to USD 75 (about ILS 228) are tax-free, whether they hold purchases, gifts, or used goods. Shipping and insurance billed separately don't count toward the USD 75. Alcohol, tobacco, and e-cigarettes get no exemption. From USD 75 to USD 500 (about ILS 1,520), you pay VAT and any purchase tax but no customs duty. Above USD 500 all taxes apply, and above USD 1,000 (about ILS 3,040) the box is taxed like a commercial import. Boxes sent by the same sender to the same receiver within 72 hours count as one shipment.
Import tax
VAT at 18%, charged on the value of the goods plus shipping and insurance. Purchase tax applies to some goods, such as entertainment electronics and car parts. Customs duty applies above USD 500 at the rates in the customs tariff.
How value is worked out
The USD 75, 500, and 1,000 limits are measured on the value of the goods alone when shipping and insurance are billed separately. The taxes are then charged on the value plus shipping and insurance. Customs converts foreign currency at its own rate on the day the goods arrive in Israel, not the day you bought them: the Bank of Israel representative rate plus 0.5% (ILS 3.04314 per USD for September 22-28, 2026). Gifts and used items are taxed on their declared or invoiced value, and customs can reject it and set its own. Form 130 asks for each item's value and years of use. Personal discounts, vouchers, and loyalty points aren't deducted.
Who pays
Shipments are sent DAP. The receiver pays any duties and taxes before or on delivery. The courier may add a clearance or disbursement fee.
Moving there?
New immigrants (olim), returning minors, immigrant citizens, and permanent residents can import personal belongings, household goods, and work tools free of VAT, duty, and purchase tax in up to 3 shipments within 3 years of getting their status. Mail and air shipments count, so a courier box of household goods uses one. A parcel of only clothing and footwear that arrives from 30 days before to 3 months after you get status does not. Israelis returning after 2 or more years abroad, and qualifying returning students, get 2 tax-free household shipments that must arrive within 9 months of their return. Goods must be imported in your name, in reasonable quantities, and kept for your own use in Israel for at least 6 years.

Worked example

Illustrative: a box of used clothes and books that the sender values at USD 400 (about ILS 1,217), with USD 60 of shipping and insurance, for a total of USD 460 (about ILS 1,400). Assumes no purchase tax applies to these items and uses the customs rate of ILS 3.04314 per USD for September 22-28, 2026.

The goods are worth more than USD 75 but not more than USD 500, so there is no customs duty. VAT: 18% x USD 460 = USD 82.80 (18% x ILS 1,400 = ILS 252).

About USD 83 (about ILS 252), plus the courier's clearance fee. The same box valued at USD 75 or less would owe nothing, with shipping billed separately.

How customs clearance works in Israel1911

Courier boxes are cleared by the courier's own customs agent, who files the declaration and pays any taxes. The courier then collects the taxes from the receiver on delivery, plus its own service fee. If you dispute the amount, you can appeal to customs online after paying the courier.

Formal entry
Above USD 1,000 (about ILS 3,040), or for any alcohol or tobacco, the box is taxed like a commercial import. To clear personal goods over USD 1,000 through a customs agent, you sign a power of attorney (Customs Form 165) online. People with exemption rights, such as olim and returning residents, fill in a paper form instead.
How long it takes
Often 1-3 business days after arrival when the ID number and values are in order. Ministry approvals add time. Under the Personal Import Order, most permits are due within 2 working days, Communications approvals within 5, plant protection within 10, and Veterinary Services within 14.
Inspections
Customs may open and inspect any parcel, even without the receiver there, in front of a postal clerk, customs agent, or courier representative. Parcels suspected of holding perishable, prohibited, or dangerous goods can be opened without them. If the contents don't match the declaration, customs seizes them. A false declaration can also bring a fine equal to the taxes.
If duties go unpaid
The courier holds the box until the taxes and its fee are paid. Israel's personal-import guides don't set a storage limit for courier boxes. Ask the courier how long it will hold an unpaid box, what storage it charges, and when it returns boxes to the sender.

Moving to Israel: claiming duty relief234511

  1. 01

    Check which rights you have

    Olim, returning minors, immigrant citizens, and permanent residents: up to 3 tax-free shipments within 3 years of getting status. Returning residents (2 or more years abroad) and qualifying returning students: 2 shipments that must arrive within 9 months of return.

  2. 02

    Open your customs eligibility file

    For olim, the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration sends your details to customs and the file opens automatically. If it doesn't, send customs your Ministry certificate and your passport with the aliyah visa, or your Israeli passport. Returning residents apply online with their ID number and email address.

  3. 03

    Plan every shipment

    Each box of household goods, including a courier box, uses one of your shipments. A parcel of only clothing and footwear that arrives from 30 days before to 3 months after your status or return date is tax-free and doesn't count. Neither does baggage that flies with you.

  4. 04

    Ship in your name and tell the courier first

    Import documents must be in your name. Before the box leaves, tell the courier you'll clear it with your exemption. Its customs agent will need your signed authorization, Customs Form 130 listing each item with its value and years of use, and your Teudat Oleh or passport, ID card, and proof of address in Israel.

  5. 05

    Stay within the limits

    Each family can bring up to 3 TVs and 3 computers, plus one of each other appliance or major furniture item. Goods must stay in your own use in Israel for at least 6 years. Selling, lending, or giving them away earlier breaks the exemption.

  6. 06

    Extend your window if you qualify

    Olim who spend more than 6 months in a row abroad, serve in the IDF, or start full-time studies within 18 months of arrival can have the 3-year window extended. Apply online for time abroad. The returning residents' 9-month window can't be extended.

Documents to have ready12358

  • Receiver's Israeli ID number (teudat zehut), or passport number for foreign residents
  • Itemized packing list with a fair value for each item, marked as used personal effects or gift
  • Customs Form 130 for used belongings or gifts without a purchase invoice: quantity, description, value, and years of use for each item, with furniture and appliances listed separately
  • Invoices or receipts for anything new or valuable
  • For olim and returning residents: Teudat Oleh or passport, ID card, and proof of address in Israel (a rental or purchase contract), plus your spouse's details
  • A signed Ministry of Health Form 1 for any medicines, and possibly a doctor's letter giving the daily dose
  • Ministry approval for regulated items such as wireless devices, drones, e-bikes, helmets, or child car seats

Teudat zehut (Israeli ID number), or passport number for foreign residents: Customs Form 130 asks for the goods owner's ID number or passport number, and lists the ID card among the documents for clearing a personal import. Give the receiver's number when you book so the courier's customs agent can file the declaration in their name. We ask for it during booking.

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

Official forms123581112

What you can pack, category by category128910

What you can pack, by category
CategoryStatusWhat to know
Clothing and shoesMore on clothesAllowedTaxed on value like anything else: nothing to pay up to USD 75, then 18% VAT up to USD 500. Olim and returning residents can send clothing-only parcels near their arrival without using a shipment.
Books and papersMore on booksAllowedPersonal books are fine. They count toward the value limits.
ElectronicsMore on electronicsConditionsWireless devices, remote controls, and drones need Ministry of Communications approval. Entertainment electronics may carry purchase tax. Keep batteries installed in the device.
MedicationMore on medicineConditionsUp to a 90-day supply for one person with a signed Ministry of Health Form 1. No narcotic or psychotropic drugs.
FoodMore on foodConditionsFactory-packed and labeled, up to 5 kg of one food and 15 kg per shipment, in up to six food shipments a year. No meat (except canned), fresh dairy, soft cheese, or baby formula. Fresh produce, fruit, and nuts need plant protection approval.
Cosmetics and toiletriesMore on cosmeticsConditionsPersonal quantities only, within the reasonable-quantity limits. Couriers refuse aerosols and nail polish.
Alcohol and tobaccoMore on alcohol or tobaccoConditionsNo tax-free limit: taxed at any value, as if imported commercially. Tobacco must be packaged and marked to Israeli law. Traveler allowances don't apply to shipments.
Sports and outdoor gearMore on sports and outdoor gearConditionsClean used gear is fine, but scrub off all soil: it's banned. E-bikes, e-scooters, and helmets need Ministry of Transportation approval. Knives must be for legitimate use, and no fuel canisters or flares.
Children's items and toysMore on toys and baby gearConditionsUsed toys are fine. Child car seats need Ministry of Transportation approval. Remove loose batteries.
Documents and photosMore on documents and photosAllowedPersonal papers and photos are fine.
OtherConditionsPlants, seeds, and live animals need Ministry of Agriculture approval, and soil and live insects are banned. Laser pointers need Ministry of Economy approval. Some knives are banned.

Quantity limits13489

Quantity limits for Israel
ItemLimit
Personal shipmentsUp to USD 75 (about ILS 228) per shipment: no duty, VAT, or purchase tax. Doesn't apply to alcohol, tobacco, or e-cigarettes.
Food in shipmentsUp to 5 kg of one food and 15 kg per shipment, in up to six food shipments a calendar year. Spices: 500 g each and 5 kg in total. Saffron: 20 g. Supplements: 5 of one kind and 15 in total.
MedicinesUp to a 90-day supply for one person, with a signed Ministry of Health Form 1. No narcotic or psychotropic drugs.
Alcohol (travelers only)1 liter of spirits and 2 liters of wine per traveler aged 18 or over. Does not apply to shipments, where alcohol is taxed at any value.
Tobacco (travelers only)250 g of tobacco or 200 cigarettes per traveler aged 18 or over. Does not apply to shipments.
Gifts and other goods (travelers only)Up to USD 200 (about ILS 610) per traveler aged 2 or over, including up to 3 kg of food (1 kg per type). Does not apply to shipments.
Cash (travelers)Declare cash over ILS 50,000 (about USD 16,400) when entering or leaving Israel. A lower ILS 12,000 (about USD 3,900) limit applies at some land crossings.

What you can't send to Israel1238910

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
  • Knives, other than pocket knives and knives for a profession, craft, business, household, or other legitimate use
  • Radar and laser detectors or jammers
  • Imitation or disguised firearms, gas-operated guns, and tear-gas canisters shaped like firearms
  • Tobacco and smoking products not packaged and marked to Israeli law
  • Used beekeeping equipment, and used sacks or wrapping that held plant material
  • Soil, and live insects or other biotic material, without a special PPIS research permit
  • Tools for making or using dangerous drugs
  • Indecent or obscene material, and forbidden games
  • Counterfeit or imitation coins and documents, including fake invoices and certificates of origin
  • Lottery or gambling tickets and ads without a permit
  • Goods that incite violence, terrorism, or racism, or show support for a terrorist organization

Allowed with conditions

Wireless and communication devices, remote controls, and drones
Need Ministry of Communications approval before release. Multirotor drones also need Ministry of Transport approval. Wireless devices count as a personal import only up to 5 units of the same type per shipment.
Helmets, child car seats, car parts, e-bikes, and e-scooters
Need Ministry of Transportation approval before release.
Laser pointers and laser distance measurers
Need Ministry of Economy approval.
Plants, seeds, grains, fresh vegetables, and fruit and nuts (including dried)
Need approval from the Ministry of Agriculture's Plant Protection and Inspection Services (PPIS). Approvals are due within 10 working days of a complete request. Anything that needs a full import license must be applied for 14 working days before import, with a fee per product.
Meat, eggs, animal products such as bones, feathers, or hair, and live animals
Need Veterinary Services approval, due within 14 working days. Pets need an import license arranged before they travel.
Food
Up to 5 kg of any one food and 15 kg per shipment, factory-packed and labeled, in no more than six food shipments a calendar year. Food with meat (except canned), fresh dairy, soft cheese, and infant or toddler formula fall outside the personal-import rules. Hard cheese, preserved dairy, milk powder, and sweets or drinks containing milk are allowed.
Medicines
Up to a 90-day supply for one person, registered and sold in the origin country, bought from a licensed pharmacy, with a signed Ministry of Health Form 1. Narcotic and psychotropic drugs, such as diazepam, zolpidem, methylphenidate, or oxycodone, can't be imported for personal use.
Alcohol, tobacco, and e-cigarettes
No tax-free limit for any of them. Alcohol and tobacco are taxed at any value, as if imported commercially. Tobacco and smoking products must be packaged and marked to Israeli law.
Items that need an import license
An import permit can be shown after the box arrives, though it stays in customs until you do. An import license must be in hand before the goods arrive. Getting one late is an offense that can bring a fine.
Many items of the same kind
Personal imports must be reasonable quantities: up to 30 units of the same type in a shipment worth up to USD 1,000, or 5 units above that.

Sending from Israel

Shipping boxes out of Israel13512

Sending your own used belongings out of Israel is usually simple. The courier handles the export declaration, and Customs Form 130 lets personal exporters declare the contents when there is no invoice. The big exception is antiquities, which need an export permit from the Israel Antiquities Authority.

Documents

  • Itemized packing list with values, or Customs Form 130, marked as used personal effects
  • Sender's ID number or passport copy
  • Israel Antiquities Authority export permit for any antiquity, attached inside and outside the box
  • An export declaration for items worth over USD 250 (about ILS 760) that you plan to bring back tax-free or return for a tax refund

Can't leave the country

  • Antiquities can't leave Israel without an Israel Antiquities Authority permit. Exporting one without it is a criminal offense, punishable by up to six months in prison.
  • Permits are given only for antiquities whose legal status is proven, and never for antiquities of national value or special scientific value
  • Cash can't go in courier boxes. Travelers must declare cash over ILS 50,000 (about USD 16,400) when leaving, or ILS 12,000 (about USD 3,900) at some land crossings.

Before pickup

  • Sending an imported item abroad for repair? Ask for an export declaration. If it paid full import taxes, it can come back tax-free, with tax due only on any repair you paid for.
  • Returning a faulty purchase to the seller? Send it within 6 months of import and keep the paperwork to claim back the import taxes.
  • Apply for an antiquities permit online before you pack, and keep proof of how you acquired the piece.
  • Check the destination's food rules before sending dates, spices, or sweets.
  • Avoid booking pickups for Friday afternoon or Saturday.

Addresses, delivery and timing1

Writing the address

Write the street name and house number, then the apartment number, the city, and the 7-digit postal code. English or Hebrew both work. Add the receiver's Israeli mobile number so the courier can arrange payment and delivery.

Dana Example12 Example Street, Apt 7Tel Aviv-Yafo 6100000Israel+972 50 000 0000

Example only; not a real address.

Delivery coverage

Fastest to: Tel Aviv-Yafo, Jerusalem, Haifa, Rishon LeZion, Petah Tikva, Netanya, Ashdod, Be'er Sheva.

Remote areas: Eilat, the Arava, the Golan Heights, and some outlying communities can take longer. Some areas may not be served by every service.

Most couriers deliver Sunday to Thursday, with limited Friday service and none on Saturday. Boxes for use in the Eilat free trade area may qualify for a VAT refund under the Tax Authority's Eilat rules. Security events can disrupt flights and deliveries at short notice.

When things slow down

The autumn holidays (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot, usually September to October) and Passover (March or April) close offices and slow couriers for days at a time. Customs service lines run Sunday to Thursday, and little moves from Friday afternoon to Saturday night.

Advice for your situation

Students

Foreign students on an A/2 visa fall under customs' rules for tourists, and the household-effects arrangement there covers B/1 and A/3 visas, not A/2. So plan on the normal limits: nothing to pay up to USD 75 per shipment, then 18% VAT up to USD 500. Israelis coming home after at least 18 months of study abroad may qualify as returning students.

Returning home

Israelis back after 2 or more years abroad (visits of up to 4 months a year are allowed) can bring household goods tax-free in 2 shipments that arrive within 9 months of return. Open your customs eligibility file online with your ID number. A clothing-only parcel arriving from 30 days before to 3 months after your return doesn't use a shipment.

Expats and relocations

Foreign residents on a B/1 (work) or A/3 (clergy) visa can import household effects tax-free if a bank guarantee covering the taxes is deposited, by the inviting employer or by you. It is returned once the goods leave Israel or the taxes are paid. Other foreign residents pay the normal personal-import taxes. Give the courier your passport number if you don't have an Israeli ID number.

Tips for a smooth delivery

  • Get the receiver's ID number (or passport number) before you book. It goes on the customs declaration.
  • Boxes from the same sender to the same receiver within 72 hours count as one shipment, so the USD 75 and USD 500 limits apply to their combined value.
  • Declare used belongings on Customs Form 130 with an honest value and the years of use for each item. Customs can reject a low value and set its own.
  • Moving to Israel as an oleh or returning resident? Ship in your own name and tell the courier you'll use your exemption before the box leaves. Every box of household goods uses one of your shipments.
  • Keep food factory-sealed and within the limits, and leave out meat, fresh dairy, fresh produce, and plants.
  • Check approvals first. Wireless devices, drones, e-bikes, helmets, and child car seats are held until the right ministry approves them.

Shipping to and from Israel: questions

How much can I send to Israel tax-free in 2026?

Up to USD 75 (about ILS 228) per shipment, not counting shipping billed separately. From USD 75 to USD 500 you pay 18% VAT and any purchase tax, but no customs duty. Above USD 500 all taxes apply. Alcohol, tobacco, and e-cigarettes are taxed at any value.

Did Israel raise the tax-free limit to USD 150?

Not as of this review. The Israel Tax Authority's personal-import guide, updated July 30, 2026, sets the tax-free limit at USD 75 per shipment.

Are gifts and used belongings taxed in Israel?

Yes. Gifts and used items are taxed on their declared or invoiced value, with the same USD 75 and USD 500 limits. Customs can reject a value it finds too low and set its own.

Can olim use their tax-free rights for courier boxes?

Yes. A courier box of household goods counts as one of your 3 tax-free shipments within 3 years of getting status. Ship it in your name and tell the courier beforehand, so its customs agent clears it under your eligibility. A clothing-only parcel arriving close to your aliyah date may not count.

What can returning residents bring tax-free?

Israelis back after 2 or more years abroad can import household goods tax-free in 2 shipments that arrive within 9 months of their return. The 9 months can't be extended. Open your customs eligibility file online with your ID number.

Can I send medicine to Israel?

Yes, up to a 90-day supply for one person, if it's registered in the origin country and bought from a licensed pharmacy. The receiver signs Ministry of Health Form 1. Narcotic and psychotropic drugs can't be sent.

How long does shipping boxes to Israel take?

Express door-to-door usually takes 2-5 business days from Europe, 3-6 from North America, and 4-7 from Asia, plus customs time and any ministry approval.

How do I ship boxes from Israel to another country?

Book an express pickup, pack an itemized list with fair values, and give your ID number. Antiquities need an Israel Antiquities Authority export permit, and taking one out without it is a crime. The receiver pays any import charges at the other end.

Official help in Israel

Official sources

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

  1. 1.

    Israel Tax Authority (Customs)

    Guide to Personal Importation via Parcel Post or Courier Services (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  2. 2.

    Israel Tax Authority (Customs)

    Import Tax Guide for New Immigrants (Olim) (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  3. 3.

    Israel Tax Authority (Customs)

    Customs guide for returning residents (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  4. 4.

    Israel Tax Authority (Customs)

    Customs Guide for Tourists and Foreign Residents (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  5. 5.

    Israel Tax Authority (Customs)

    Declare personal Import/Export of goods – form 130 (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  6. 6.

    Israel Tax Authority

    הוראת פרשנות מס' 01/2025 - העלאת שיעור המע"מ מ-17% ל-18% (opens in a new tab)

    Tax authority · checked September 26, 2026

  7. 7.

    Israel Tax Authority (Customs)

    שאילתת שערי מטבע - רשות המיסים בישראל (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  8. 8.

    Ministry of Health, Pharmaceutics Division

    Personal Importation of Medicines (opens in a new tab)

    Health regulator · checked September 26, 2026

  9. 9.

    Ministry of Economy and Industry

    צו יבוא אישי – מהדורה דיגיטלית (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 26, 2026

  10. 10.

    Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Plant Protection and Inspection Services

    רישיונות יבוא לצמחים ומוצרי צמחים (opens in a new tab)

    Biosecurity · checked September 26, 2026

  11. 11.

    Israel Tax Authority (Customs)

    Power of Attorney for customs agents (personal import) (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  12. 12.

    Israel Antiquities Authority

    ייצוא עתיקות (opens in a new tab)

    Government · checked September 26, 2026

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