International parcels get held at customs for one reason far more often than any other: the paperwork was vague. "Gift", "clothes", or a value of "£10" on a box of goods worth £200 is enough to stop a parcel and start a chain of emails.
Get the declaration right and international shipping is not much harder than domestic. Here is what that involves.
Customs rules, thresholds and duty rates change, and each destination country sets its own. Treat this as a practical orientation rather than a legal reference, and confirm current UK requirements on GOV.UK. For anything unusual or high value, talk to us first.
Every parcel leaving the UK needs a declaration
Since the UK left the EU customs union, this includes EU destinations. There is no low-value exemption and no gift exemption from the declaration itself — a £5 birthday present to Ireland needs the same paperwork as a commercial shipment.
The only journeys that do not need a customs declaration are within the UK, including Great Britain to Northern Ireland for most goods. Note that the Channel Islands are outside the UK VAT area, so Jersey and Guernsey do need declarations despite feeling domestic.
CN22 or CN23?
| CN22 | CN23 | |
|---|---|---|
| Used for | Lower-value items (typically up to about £270) | Higher-value items, and most commercial shipments |
| Detail required | Short description, quantity, value, weight, category | Full itemised detail plus sender and recipient data |
| Commodity codes | Recommended | Expected |
| Attached | To the parcel | In a documents wallet on the outside |
When you book an international delivery with us, the declaration is generated from what you enter at booking, so the accuracy of your description matters more than which form you end up on.
How to describe goods so they clear
This is the single highest-leverage thing in this guide. Customs officers need to know what an item is, what it is made of, and what it is for.
| Too vague — expect a hold | Clear — expect it to clear |
|---|---|
| Clothes | 2 × men's cotton T-shirts, new |
| Gift | 1 × ceramic coffee mug, new, gift |
| Parts | 1 × stainless steel bicycle brake lever, new |
| Samples | 3 × fabric swatches, polyester, no commercial value |
| Electronics | 1 × wireless keyboard, plastic and aluminium, new |
| Documents | Printed contract documents, no commercial value |
Include the country of origin (where the goods were made, not where you are posting from) and the correct commodity code — the tariff classification that determines the duty rate. You can look codes up in the UK Trade Tariff on GOV.UK, and using the right one is what stops a customs officer having to guess and charging the higher rate.
Declaring value honestly
Declare what the goods are actually worth: the price paid for a sale, or a realistic replacement value for a gift or sample. Then be aware that the assessed value usually includes shipping and insurance, so it can be higher than the item price alone.
Understating value is not a shortcut, it is a customs offence. The realistic consequences are a parcel seized, penalties applied to you as the sender, and an insurance claim voided because the declared value was false. It also backfires practically: if a parcel is lost, you can only claim the value you declared.
Who pays the duty: DDU vs DDP
This decision causes more refused deliveries than any other, because recipients receive an unexpected bill.
- DDU / DAP — Delivered Duty Unpaid. The recipient pays import VAT, duty and the carrier's handling fee before release. Cheaper for you, and a surprise for them.
- DDP — Delivered Duty Paid. Charges are billed to you, the sender. More expensive up front, far better experience, and materially fewer refusals.
If you sell to customers abroad, say plainly at checkout which one applies. A buyer who is told they may pay charges on arrival is annoyed by the charge; a buyer who was not told feels misled and leaves a review about it.
The EU low-value picture
The EU removed its low-value VAT exemption in July 2021, so import VAT is due on commercial goods from the first euro. Duty generally applies above €150, while VAT applies below it. IOSS (Import One-Stop Shop) lets a business collect EU VAT at checkout and remit it centrally, which avoids the recipient being billed and is worth registering for if you sell into the EU with any regularity.
Do you need an EORI number?
An EORI number identifies a business to customs. If you are exporting commercially from the UK you need a GB EORI number — it is free from GOV.UK and usually issued quickly. Individuals sending occasional personal parcels generally do not need one. Some destinations also want a recipient tax identifier for commercial imports; check before you ship rather than after.
What is restricted abroad
Two rulebooks apply: UK export rules and the destination's import rules. The second is usually stricter and less intuitive. Commonly refused:
- Meat, dairy and many food products into the EU
- Seeds, plants and soil into most countries, on biosecurity grounds
- Alcohol and tobacco, which carry licensing and duty conditions
- Cosmetics and supplements, which often need certification
- Anything resembling a weapon, including replicas and knives
- Branded goods without authorisation, which invite counterfeit checks
Our guide to prohibited and restricted items covers what cannot leave the UK in the first place. Beyond that, check the destination country's customs website.
Practical steps to avoid a hold
- Describe goods specifically — material, quantity, purpose, condition.
- Use the correct commodity code for each distinct item.
- Declare accurate value, remembering shipping may be included in the assessment.
- Choose DDU or DDP deliberately and communicate it.
- Attach a commercial invoice for commercial shipments — three copies is standard practice.
- Put the paperwork in a documents wallet on the outside, not sealed inside the box.
- Give a recipient phone number and email so customs or the carrier can reach them.
- Keep copies of everything for your records and for any claim.
How long does customs clearance take?
With clean paperwork, clearance is often same-day and effectively invisible in your tracking. With a query raised, add anything from two days to a fortnight depending on the country and what is being asked. Duty payable by the recipient adds however long they take to pay it — which is why DDP tends to be faster in practice as well as smoother.
You can follow progress on the tracking page throughout. Customs stages appear as scans like any other movement.
Frequently asked questions
The international questions we field most are below, with more on our FAQ page.
Sending something abroad?
Fleet Express international delivery starts from £12.99 plus VAT with full tracking and customs support, and we will check your declaration before it ships. Get a price from the quote tool, or talk to us if the shipment is high value, commercial, or headed somewhere unusual.
