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ONVOYO

Shipping boxes to and from Spain

Spain follows EU customs rules, so boxes between mainland Spain or the Balearic Islands and other EU countries clear no customs at all. From outside the EU, including the UK, IVA (VAT) is due from the first euro unless a relief fits, such as the €45 gift rule or relief for people moving to Spain. Since July 2026, customs duty can apply too. The Canary Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla sit outside the EU VAT area and have their own taxes.

Typical transit
2-4 business days from Europe; 3-5 from North America; 4-7 from Asia
Currency
EUR
Duty-free up to
Boxes between mainland Spain or the Balearics and other EU countries clear no customs and owe nothing on arrival
Receiver ID
NIF: the DNI number for Spanish citizens, or the NIE for foreign nationals

Price a shipment to Spain

Box size

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

What it costs to ship boxes from the US to Spain

  • 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 Spain and paid by the receiver. Prices updated November 2, 2026.

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Sending to Spain

Duties and taxes1234589

Duty-free threshold
Boxes between mainland Spain or the Balearics and other EU countries clear no customs and owe nothing on arrival. From outside the EU (including the UK), IVA is due from the first euro unless a relief applies. Occasional, unpaid gifts from one private person to another worth up to €45 (about $53) are free of duty and IVA. The EU's €150 (about $175) customs-duty relief ended on June 30, 2026: low-value online purchases now pay a flat €3 duty per item, and other boxes that no relief covers can owe duty at the normal tariff rate for each item.
Import tax
IVA (Impuesto sobre el Valor Añadido) at 21%, or 10% for most food, and 4% for books, newspapers, basic foods such as bread, milk, cheese, eggs, fruit, and vegetables, and medicines for human use. IVA is charged on the customs value plus any duty and the shipping and insurance costs to the first destination in the EU. Customs duty, when due, depends on each item's tariff rate. The Canary Islands charge IGIC instead of IVA, and Ceuta and Melilla charge IPSI, set by each city at between 0.5% and 10%.
How value is worked out
CIF. IVA is charged on the customs value plus any duty and the transport, insurance, and packing costs up to the first destination in the EU, so the full shipping cost normally counts. Duty, when due, is charged on the customs value. The €45 gift limit and the €150 thresholds look at the value of the goods themselves, without shipping. Declare a fair second-hand value. For non-commercial goods, customs uses the price the goods would fetch if sold for export to the EU. Give values in the currency you paid or use; the declaration records the currency and customs converts it to euros. For moving relief, list each item's estimated value and approximate purchase date.
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?
People moving their normal residence to Spain from outside the EU can bring their personal and household belongings free of duty and IVA if they lived outside the EU for at least 12 consecutive months, owned and used the goods there for at least 6 months, and will use them the same way in Spain. Declare the goods within 12 months of settling; you can ship in several lots within that window, or up to 6 months before you move if you give a guarantee. For IVA relief, the goods must also have been bought with the normal taxes of the country you left. Alcohol, tobacco, commercial vehicles, and professional equipment other than portable tools are excluded. There is no advance application: the relief is claimed on the import declaration, and the goods can't be lent, pledged, rented, or sold for 12 months without telling customs. Similar reliefs cover students' belongings, household goods brought when moving to Spain to marry, and inherited belongings.

Worked example

Illustrative: a friend in the United States sends a used laptop to Madrid as a gift, valued at €300 (about $350), with €60 (about $70) shipping. Assumes the laptop carries a 0% customs duty rate and that the full shipping cost counts toward the IVA base.

The gift is worth more than €45, so the gift relief doesn't apply. Duty: 0% x €300 = €0. IVA base: €300 + €60 shipping = €360. IVA: 21% x €360 = €75.60.

About €75.60 (about $88) in IVA, plus any courier fee for handling the payment. The same gift worth €45 or less would owe nothing, and from another EU country nothing is due.

How customs clearance works in Spain26

The courier holds arriving boxes in its customs warehouse and files a temporary storage declaration. When a box owes duty or tax, it tells the receiver how to clear it: authorize the courier to file the import declaration and pay on the receiver's behalf, hire a customs representative, or file AEAT's simplified web form for individuals. Any duty and IVA the courier pays is then billed to the receiver with its fee.

Formal entry
Any box that owes duty or tax needs an import declaration, usually filed by the courier. Individuals can file AEAT's simplified form themselves for non-commercial boxes over €150 or gifts over €45. Goods under health, plant, excise, or other controls, such as medicines, food, plants, alcohol, tobacco, protected species, and electronics and batteries, need a full import declaration whatever their value.
How long it takes
Often 1-3 business days once the receiver's ID and values are in order. Longer if the declaration is picked for a document check or physical exam, or if health or plant inspectors must check the box.
Inspections
Each declaration is routed to a green, orange, or red channel. Orange or red means a document check or a physical exam at the courier's customs warehouse. Health and plant inspectors check parcels for food, plants, and animal products and seize items that don't comply. Restricted goods declared on the simplified form can be returned, destroyed, or lead to smuggling or counterfeit proceedings.
If duties go unpaid
Once a declaration is accepted, or a revised assessment is notified, duty and IVA must be paid within 10 calendar days. Unpaid amounts go to enforced collection, though the receiver can ask for the declaration to be canceled and the box returned to origin. The courier also sets its own deadline to clear, with consequences such as return to the sender, and its storage and handling charges are separate from the taxes.

Moving to Spain: claiming duty relief134

  1. 01

    Check you qualify

    You need at least 12 consecutive months living outside the EU, and goods you owned and used there for at least 6 months that you'll use the same way in Spain.

  2. 02

    Plan the timing

    Declare the goods within 12 months of settling in Spain, in one shipment or several. You can also ship up to 6 months before you move if you commit to settling and give a guarantee.

  3. 03

    Register your residence

    Deregister from your old address. Spaniards deregister from the consular register, EU and EEA citizens apply to the Central Register of Foreigners, and other nationals get a TIE or apply for one.

  4. 04

    Build the inventory

    List every item with its estimated value and approximate purchase date. Leave out alcohol, tobacco, and work equipment other than portable tools.

  5. 05

    Collect proof of your old residence

    Examples include a deed or lease, a tax-residence certificate, utility or phone bills, home insurance, and work or school records.

  6. 06

    Claim relief on the import declaration

    There is no advance form. The courier or a customs representative claims the relief on the declaration (DUA) with codes C01 for duty, 101 for IVA, or 303 for IGIC in the Canary Islands.

  7. 07

    Keep the goods for 12 months

    Don't lend, pledge, rent, sell, or give away relieved goods for 12 months without telling customs, or duty becomes due.

Documents to have ready126

  • Itemized packing list with a fair second-hand value for each item, marked as used personal effects or as a gift
  • Receiver's DNI or NIE number (the Spanish tax ID, NIF), or a passport number if the receiver has neither
  • For moving relief: a detailed inventory giving each item's estimated value and approximate purchase date
  • For moving relief: proof you lived abroad for 12 months, such as a lease or deed, utility bills, a tax-residence certificate, or work or school records
  • For moving relief: proof you now live in Spain, such as deregistration from your old address, consular deregistration for Spaniards, Central Register of Foreigners registration for EU and EEA citizens, or a TIE (or its application) for other nationals
  • Phytosanitary certificate for plants and plant products that require one

NIF: the DNI number for Spanish citizens, or the NIE for foreign nationals: The import declaration identifies the receiver by tax number, and AEAT's online forms for individuals work only with the receiver's own electronic signature. Give the DNI or NIE when you book. If the receiver has no Spanish number yet, ask the courier before shipping whether a passport number will do. 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 forms12810

What you can pack, category by category2346710

What you can pack, by category
CategoryStatusWhat to know
Clothing and shoesMore on clothesAllowedUsed clothing is fine. Moving relief and student relief cover it if you qualify. Otherwise IVA at 21%, and possibly duty, applies unless it's a gift worth €45 or less.
Books and papersMore on booksAllowedBooks are welcome and carry IVA at the reduced 4% rate. Books over 100 years old need a Ministry of Culture permit to leave Spain.
ElectronicsMore on electronicsConditionsPersonal devices are fine with batteries installed. Electrical and electronic goods and batteries clear on a full import declaration, not the simplified form.
MedicationMore on medicineConditionsHeld for health control and needs a full import declaration. Ask AEMPS before shipping. Travelers may carry up to three months' supply.
FoodMore on foodConditionsNo meat or dairy. Fish up to 20 kg, honey and similar products up to 2 kg, and other shelf-stable food up to €150 in value.
Cosmetics and toiletriesMore on cosmeticsConditionsPersonal toiletries in normal amounts. Perfume in a gift is limited to 50 g, or 0.25 liters of toilet water. Couriers refuse aerosols and nail polish.
Alcohol and tobaccoMore on alcohol or tobaccoNot allowedMost express carriers refuse alcohol and tobacco in personal boxes. Tobacco is accepted only between private individuals up to €150, and travelers' allowances don't apply to shipments.
Sports and outdoor gearMore on sports and outdoor gearConditionsClean off soil and plant matter. No fuel canisters or gas cartridges.
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 need a phytosanitary certificate, items made from protected species need CITES documents, and antiques over 100 years old need a permit to leave Spain.

Quantity limits3467

Quantity limits for Spain
ItemLimit
Gifts between private individualsUp to €45 (about $53) per box: no duty and no IVA, if occasional, unpaid, and for personal use. Within that: 50 cigarettes, 25 cigarillos, 10 cigars, or 50 g of tobacco; 1 liter of spirits or of drinks up to 22%; 2 liters of still wine; 50 g of perfume or 0.25 liters of toilet water. For IVA, also 500 g of coffee and 100 g of tea.
Food in parcelsFishery products up to 20 kg, other permitted animal products up to 2 kg, and food with no special health rules up to €150 in value. No meat or dairy.
Tobacco and vaping products in parcelsOnly between private individuals and up to €150 in value; otherwise seized.
Medicines (travelers only)Up to three months of treatment, with a prescription or medical report. Narcotic and psychotropic medicines need an AEMPS permit. Does not apply to shipments.
Alcohol and tobacco (travelers only)200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 50 cigars, or 250 g of tobacco; 1 liter of spirits or 2 liters of drinks up to 22%; 4 liters of still wine; 16 liters of beer, for travelers 17 and over. Does not apply to shipments.
Other goods (travelers only)€430 (about $500) per traveler arriving by air or sea, €300 (about $350) by land, and €150 for children under 15. Does not apply to shipments.

What you can't send to Spain2346789

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
  • Meat, milk, and dairy products, and foods made with them, including shelf-stable ones, unless sent from one of a few nearby non-EU European countries
  • Counterfeit goods

Allowed with conditions

Medicines
Held for health control and can't go on the simplified declarations for individuals, so a full import declaration is needed. Travelers may carry up to three months' supply with a prescription or medical report, and narcotic or psychotropic medicines need an AEMPS permit. Ask AEMPS before shipping any medicine.
Food of animal origin
Fishery products up to 20 kg (or one fish), and other permitted animal products such as honey up to 2 kg. Meat and dairy are banned unless sent from Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino, or Switzerland (Faroe Islands and Greenland: up to 10 kg). Composite foods such as milk chocolate must be labeled, shelf-stable, securely packed, and on the EU's approved list.
Other food
Food with no special health rules is accepted up to €150 (about $175) in customs value; above that it is treated as a commercial import. Foods under special EU health checks are limited by weight, generally 2 kg, or 5-10 kg if fresh.
Plants, seeds, and fresh fruit or vegetables
Most need a phytosanitary certificate. Plants for planting must also be declared through MAPA's CEXVEG system, inspected at a border control post, and free of soil. Pineapples, coconuts, durians, dates, and bananas need no certificate. The Canary Islands have their own plant rules, even for boxes from mainland Spain.
Tobacco, vaping devices, and refills
Accepted only between private individuals and up to €150 in value; otherwise inspectors seize them. They are free of duty and IVA only within the gift limits, for example 50 cigarettes.
Alcohol
Subject to excise duty, so it can't go on the simplified declaration for individuals. A gift is free of duty and IVA only within 1 liter of spirits or 2 liters of still wine and the €45 limit.
Electrical and electronic goods and batteries
Goods covered by EU hazardous-substance and e-waste rules can't go on AEAT's simplified form for individuals, so they clear on a full import declaration. Keep batteries installed in their devices.
Protected plant and animal species (CITES)
Items made from protected species need CITES documents and a full import declaration.
Boxes to the Canary Islands
Outside the EU VAT area, so even boxes from mainland Spain need a customs declaration. IGIC applies when the goods are worth over €150, and AIEM, a Canary tax on some goods, can apply at any value.
Boxes to Ceuta and Melilla
Outside the EU customs union and VAT area. Boxes from mainland Spain leave the EU and pay IPSI on arrival, and boxes from Ceuta or Melilla to the mainland are imports into the EU.

Sending from Spain

Shipping boxes out of Spain2310

From mainland Spain or the Balearics to another EU country, boxes travel with no customs paperwork. To anywhere outside the EU, including the UK, the goods leave the EU customs territory, so the courier handles the export formalities from your packing list. The Canary Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla are outside the EU VAT area, so boxes to or from them need customs paperwork even within Spain.

Documents

  • Itemized packing list with a fair value for each item, marked as used personal effects or as a gift
  • Sender's DNI, NIE, or passport
  • The receiver's tax or ID number if the destination country requires one
  • Ministry of Culture export permit for cultural goods over 100 years old or listed in the national heritage inventory
  • For art or collectibles leaving the EU that need no permit because of their age or value: a sworn statement or other proof of age to show customs

Can't leave the country

  • Cultural goods more than 100 years old, or listed in the Inventario General of movable heritage, need a Ministry of Culture export permit to leave Spain, including to other EU countries
  • Leaving the EU, items 50-100 years old need a permit above set values: €15,000 for drawings, prints, and photographs; €30,000 for watercolors and pastels; €50,000 for sculptures; €150,000 for paintings
  • Goods declared of cultural interest (Bienes de Interés Cultural), goods declared unexportable, and publicly owned goods can only leave temporarily
  • Couriers will not carry cash, negotiable items, weapons, or dangerous goods

Before pickup

  • Moving abroad? Check the destination's relocation relief before you pack.
  • Sending art or antiques? Apply for the export permit before you book. The Ministry of Culture takes applications online or on paper.
  • Sending from the Canary Islands, Ceuta, or Melilla to the mainland? Expect a customs declaration.
  • Describe contents clearly. Vague lists slow checks at the destination.

Addresses, delivery and timing

Writing the address

Write the name, then the street type and name, the building number, and the floor and door (for example 3º B). Then write the five-digit postal code and city, and the province if it differs. Add a mobile number so the courier can arrange delivery and any payment.

María EjemploCalle del Olivo 12, 3º B28001 MadridMadridSpain

Example only; not a real address.

Delivery coverage

Fastest to: Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Málaga, Bilbao, Zaragoza, Alicante, Palma.

Remote areas: The Balearic Islands usually add a day. The Canary Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla take longer and need their own customs steps, even from mainland Spain. Small rural villages can add a day.

Big cities are usually delivered the day after clearance. Many apartment buildings have a porter (portero) who can sign for boxes. Give the receiver's phone number and email so the courier can reach them about duties.

When things slow down

Service slows during Semana Santa (Easter week), through much of August, around the national holidays on December 6 and 8, and from Christmas to Epiphany (January 6). Each region and town also has its own holidays, when local offices close.

Advice for your situation

Students

Full-time students coming to study at a school in Spain can import their clothes, study materials, and the used furniture of a normal student room free of duty and IVA, for use during their studies. Spain's IVA law grants it once per school year. Keep proof of enrollment with the packing list.

Returning home

Spaniards coming home after at least 12 consecutive months outside the EU can use moving relief. Deregister from the consular register (baja consular), keep proof of your address abroad, and ship within 12 months of your return.

Expats and relocations

EU and EEA citizens moving to Spain prove residence through the Central Register of Foreigners; other nationals use a TIE or its application. Leaving Spain for another EU country? There is no customs from the mainland. Going further, check the destination's relocation relief before you pack.

Tips for a smooth delivery

  • Get the receiver's DNI or NIE number before you book. The import declaration needs it.
  • Moving to Spain? Ship within 12 months of settling, in as many lots as you need, with a valued, dated inventory and proof of both residences.
  • Keep gifts occasional, unpaid, and honestly valued. At €45 or less a gift owes nothing, and shipping doesn't count toward the limit.
  • Leave out meat, dairy, and plants without a certificate. Inspectors seize them.
  • Check whether the address is in the Canary Islands, Ceuta, or Melilla. They have their own taxes and need customs paperwork even from mainland Spain.
  • Answer the courier quickly when it asks about clearance. Once duties are assessed, they must be paid within 10 calendar days.

Shipping to and from Spain: questions

Do I pay customs on a box sent to Spain from the US or the UK?

Usually IVA at 21%, charged on the goods plus shipping, unless a relief fits: a gift up to €45, moving relief, or student relief. Since July 2026, customs duty can also apply at the normal rate for each item. From another EU country to mainland Spain, nothing is due.

Is there still a €150 duty-free limit for Spain?

No. The EU's €150 customs-duty relief ended on June 30, 2026. Low-value online purchases now pay a flat €3 duty per item, and other boxes that no relief covers can owe normal duty. IVA applies from the first euro, except for gifts up to €45.

Can I bring my belongings to Spain tax-free when I move?

Yes, if you lived outside the EU for at least 12 consecutive months, owned and used the goods for 6 months, and declare them within 12 months of settling. Claim the relief on the import declaration with a valued inventory and proof of both residences.

Do I need an NIE to receive a package in Spain?

The courier needs an ID number for the receiver to file the import declaration: a DNI or NIE for residents. Without one, ask the courier before shipping whether a passport number will do. Moving relief also needs proof of Spanish residence, such as a TIE or registration.

Is shipping to the Canary Islands different?

Yes. The Canaries are outside the EU VAT area, so boxes need a customs declaration even from mainland Spain. IGIC applies when the goods are worth over €150, AIEM can apply to some goods, and plant rules are stricter.

Can I send food or medicine to Spain?

Meat and dairy are banned. Fish up to 20 kg and honey up to 2 kg are allowed, and other shelf-stable food up to €150 in value. Medicines are held for health checks and need a full import declaration, so ask AEMPS first.

How do I ship boxes from Spain to another country?

From mainland Spain or the Balearics to another EU country, there is no customs. For other countries, list every item with a fair value and the courier handles the export. The receiver pays any import charges at the destination.

Can I ship antiques or art out of Spain?

Items over 100 years old, or listed in the national heritage inventory, need a Ministry of Culture permit, even to EU countries. Leaving the EU, art 50-100 years old also needs one above set values, such as €150,000 for paintings.

Official help in Spain

Official sources

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

  1. 1.

    Agencia Tributaria (AEAT)

    Traslado de residencia. Franquicias y exención de impuestos (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  2. 2.

    Agencia Tributaria (AEAT), Departamento de Aduanas e Impuestos Especiales

    Instrucciones de utilización de la declaración de envíos para particulares (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  3. 3.

    Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE)

    Ley 37/1992, de 28 de diciembre, del Impuesto sobre el Valor Añadido (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 26, 2026

  4. 4.

    Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE), Official Journal of the EU text

    Reglamento (CE) nº 1186/2009 del Consejo, de 16 de noviembre de 2009, relativo al establecimiento de un régimen comunitario de franquicias aduaneras (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 26, 2026

  5. 5.

    Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE), Official Journal of the EU text

    Reglamento (UE) 2026/382 del Consejo, de 11 de febrero de 2026, por el que se modifica el Reglamento (CE) nº 1186/2009 en lo que respecta a la supresión de la franquicia aduanera basada en umbrales (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 26, 2026

  6. 6.

    Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación, with the Subdirección General de Sanidad Exterior

    Nota a operadores sobre pequeñas partidas de mercancías expedidas para personas físicas no destinadas a comercializarse (opens in a new tab)

    Biosecurity · checked September 26, 2026

  7. 7.

    Agencia Española de Medicamentos y Productos Sanitarios (AEMPS)

    Medicamentos destinados al tratamiento de los viajeros (opens in a new tab)

    Health regulator · checked September 26, 2026

  8. 8.

    Agencia Tributaria Canaria

    Formulario simplificado de importación para personas físicas (opens in a new tab)

    Tax authority · checked September 26, 2026

  9. 9.

    Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE)

    Ley 8/1991, de 25 de marzo, por la que se aprueba el arbitrio sobre la producción y la importación en las ciudades de Ceuta y Melilla (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 26, 2026

  10. 10.

    Ministerio de Cultura

    Exportación de bienes culturales a otros países (opens in a new tab)

    Government · checked September 26, 2026

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