When do i pay customs

We would advise customers receiving parcels from outside the EU to check with the sender that they are completing the appropriate documentation with any parcels they send. You can browse our FAQ's for futher advice. Over the coming weeks, a guide to shopping online will be delivered to homes. You can also download the guide. The An Post Guide is intended for information purposes only. For further information visit the Revenue website. Most of your online shopping will not change as VAT and customs charges will be applied at checkout by major retailers that An Post deliver for, so no further action is required by you for delivery.

If VAT and customs charges have not been applied in your shopping basket, Irish Revenue may apply a charge when your goods enter Ireland. Due to the impact of Brexit, some customers in Ireland buying from smaller or specialist non-EU retailers are experiencing significant delays or not receiving their goods at all.

Gift parcels being sent by family and friends in Great Britain to Irish addresses are also being impacted. This is due to both an EU customs requirement for additional electronic documentation and more goods being either restricted or prohibited from coming into Ireland from non-EU markets. For more information on ordering online from International retailers, visit our page on customs rules that apply around the world. The EU also have a guide to buying from UK websites for further advice.

Please check back for further updates. Make sure to tell friends and family that an item must be accompanied by valid electronic customs data when sending. When sending an item to Ireland you will need to supply complete electronic customs data according to Irish Customs regulations.

The minimum mandatory electronic data that is required is:. You can do so by reviewing the list on our prohibited items page. Once you have paid your customs charges and your item has been cleared through customs, it will be delivered in the normal way. The item will be returned to the sender if unpaid. As of 1 January it is mandatory for an electronic customs declaration to be filed for all goods imported by post from non-EU countries.

Where goods are imported by you through the postal system, where possible, An Post will lodge an electronic customs declaration on your behalf acting as your direct representative for customs purposes. The Customs Act applies to cross border mail.

Section 13 4 of such act authorises Revenue to carry out all necessary checks and examinations of cross border mail, while Section 13 7 provides for the collection of duties and taxes by An Post. We would like to let you know about products, services and special offers from the An Post Group of Companies that we think may be of value to you.

If you would like to receive these communications please tick the boxes below:. Close Important customs message.

Further details here. Go to your profile. Popular customs queries Why do I need to pay customs charges before An Post delivers my item? An Post collect the customs charges on your behalf that are charged by Revenue on items delivered to Ireland from non-EU countries. In order for your parcel to be processed and delivered, these charges must be paid. If VAT or customs charges are due on the item, where possible, we will contact you by post, text or email.

You can then pay the charges through our website or at your local Post Office. We will deliver your item as soon as possible after payment has been received.

This is because prepaid customs charges are harder and take longer for the retailers to recoup. In this scenario you can still return the item and make a claim using the forms above but it is worth talking to the retailer you bought from to see if they can try and reclaim the charge for you.

You then have a further 14 days to return the goods to the retailer before getting a refund. You get a 30 day right to reject the faulty product and get a full refund where the retailer should cover the cost of the return. After the first day period you have to give the retailer the opportunity to repair or replace any faulty goods.

If you received a faulty item you must fill out and submit the relevant customs form, in this case C , which can help you reclaim customs charges and import VAT on faulty products. If you bought a faulty item online and paid with a credit card, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act still applies for purchases made from overseas websites. This means you can claim money back from your credit card provider if an EU based retailer you bought from is in breach of contract, for example by providing faulty goods.

The rules also apply to sending or receiving gifts from the EU. In some instances the rules mean you could end up paying more in delivery charges and customs fees then you might have if you ordered the item yourself online.

If you are sending gifts or any other items to Europe or elsewhere, you will have to attach customs declaration forms to anything you have sent. This is the same as returning an unwanted product. Letters, postcards and documents are exempt. The customs forms you have to use when sending items abroad differ depending on the value of what you are sending. Shopping between Northern Ireland and the EU remains more or less unchanged. Rules for import VAT and customs duties are much the same as they were before Brexit.

However, with the new rules and regulations, some retailers based in the UK have stopped sales to Northern Ireland due to the paperwork delays at ports. This also applies for sending goods from Northern Ireland to the EU. Find out how Brexit will affect your consumer rights by reading our guide. Ordering items online from EU based retailers may leave you responsible for unexpected fees. Here we explain what they are, how much they might be and your rights if you choose not to pay.

LJ Luke Jeffery. In this article What extra delivery fees do I have to pay post-Brexit when buying online? Getting a refund on a faulty or unwanted item Rules for sending gifts to or from the UK Rules for Northern Ireland based shoppers.

What extra delivery fees do I have to pay post-Brexit when buying online? You will have to pay VAT to the delivery company either before the goods are delivered or when you collect them. If you receive large amounts of alcohol or tobacco for your business, use the Trade Tariff to check duty rates. Check what you need to do. To help us improve GOV. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in.

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