When shipments travel within the European Union, delivery is usually simpler: the parcel is collected from the sender, passes through selected courier logistics hubs and is delivered to the recipient. When a shipment leaves the EU, or when goods are imported from third countries, an additional step appears - customs clearance.

Customs checks and clearance procedures may sound complicated, but if the shipment is packed properly and the required documents are completed accurately, customs procedures can be handled much more smoothly.

Customs charges depend on the country to which you are shipping

Before sending a shipment to a non-EU country, always check whether any customs charges may be applied, what they depend on and how to help the shipment reach its destination as quickly as possible.

Customs charges and their application are governed by the law of the country of destination. Within the European Union, shipments normally do not have customs charges. If you are shipping outside the EU, customs charges may be applied depending on the shipment value, contents, weight and the laws of the destination country. Customs staff will contact the recipient directly. Sendparcel is not involved in this process.

Customs duties within the European Union

Since the creation of the EU Customs Union, trade between EU countries has become simpler. Customs authorities of EU member states operate as part of one customs area. This means that customs duties are not applied to trade between EU member states, while a common external tariff is applied to goods imported from outside the EU.

Customs charges from third countries

Goods purchased from online stores in third countries, such as the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Australia, Ukraine and others, may be subject to:

• customs duty;
• import value added tax (VAT);
• excise duty, in cases where the shipped goods are subject to excise duties.

Import customs duty
Import customs duty is generally applied to shipments whose value exceeds 150 EUR. Duty rates are calculated as a percentage of the real value of the goods and, where applicable, other costs included in the customs value. The exact duty rate depends on the type and classification of the goods. If the shipment value does not exceed 150 EUR, goods from a third country may usually be imported into the EU without import customs duty.

If a shipment is sent by one private individual to another private individual, is non-commercial and its value does not exceed 45 EUR, it may be exempt from import charges.

Import VAT
Remember, from the 1st of July 2021, VAT exemptions for low value consignments from non-EU countries are no longer available. All goods purchased outside the European Union are subject to import VAT charges and require electronic customs declarations.

EU de minimis changes

From 1 July 2026, the European Union is expected to introduce changes for low-value imports. The current import duty relief for goods valued up to 150 EUR is expected to be removed, which means that even low-value shipments from non-EU countries may become subject to import customs duty and additional data requirements.

INCOTERMS Terms: DAP and DDP

Sendparcel offers two main modes of international shipping of goods according to Incoterms terms: DAP (Delivered At Place) and DDP (Delivered Duty Paid). These terms define different responsibilities between the sender and the recipient for the delivery of goods and import taxes.

DAP (Delivered at Place) Terms

All Sendparcel services, unless otherwise specified, are provided under DAP terms. Under DAP terms, the sender is responsible for delivering the goods to the agreed place, but the recipient assumes responsibility for paying customs duties, taxes and other import costs. This means that the recipient must pay customs clearance or other import taxes.

DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) Terms

Under DDP terms, the sender assumes full responsibility for delivering the goods to the destination and for paying all import taxes and duties. This means that the sender undertakes to pay all costs related to the import of goods.

To order DDP terms, you can do this by contacting Sendparcel customer service by phone +37070035000, e-mail [email protected] or Live Help. If you are a business customer, please contact your business manager by e-mail [email protected] to activate DDP services.

How can I ensure that the shipment reaches the recipient as quickly as possible?

Customs invoice

When you have filled in the details of your parcel delivery to a non-EU country in Sendparcel’s calculator, you will instantly see the estimated delivery time of the shipment, not including the time the shipment is held at customs. To ensure your parcel reaches its recipient as soon as possible, you will be required to fill out a Customs Invoice while placing an order.

You must provide an informative and accurate description in your Customs Invoice, including the contents of the consignment and the reason for export. If customs authorities determine that the items you are sending differ from what you have stated, or if the export reason is incorrect, additional customs charges may be applied, or the consignment may be returned to the sender.

Similar documents should also be prepared when a shipment is imported into the EU from third countries. The sender should complete the documents carefully so that import procedures are smoother and the shipment is held at customs for as little time as possible.

Export declaration is not required if you are sending only documents.

Customs codes - what is important to know?

HS codes and country of origin

HS code - what is it?

Goods traveling outside the European Union are classified and each item is assigned a unique HS commodity code. With their help, customs can identify your goods and determine the appropriate duty or tax rates for your goods. Customs also takes into account the country of origin of the goods being shipped, but it is very important to provide all necessary documents that confirm the country of origin of your goods.

When shipping outside the EU and filling in order details, it is necessary to enter at least a 6-digit HS code, but it is recommended to use a 10-digit code. The HS code must be entered without spaces. HS codes for goods are available on the website of the Lithuanian Customs or here.

You can find out if the shipment has already been cleared by customs by entering your tracking number in the parcel tracker provided by Sendparcel.

EORI number

The EORI (Economic Operator Registration and Identification) number is used in the European Union to identify individuals and companies when customs procedures are carried out. If you already have an EORI number in one EU country, it is valid throughout the European Union.

Important when shipping with FedEx: only a company that carries out its main economic activity in Lithuania, is registered in Lithuania and has a valid EORI code can export with a FedEx carrier from Lithuania.

When sending with FedEx, an individual does not need an EORI code only if they send a shipment to another private person free of charge and on an irregular basis and the value and/or weight of the contents of such a shipment does not exceed 1000 EUR / 1000 kg. In all other cases, the shipment is considered an economic activity, therefore the EORI code is required, including low-value export shipments up to 1000 EUR.

How to obtain an EORI number?

To obtain an EORI number, which is granted for an unlimited time, contact your local customs office.

How can I check my EORI number?

You can check if you have a valid Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number here.

After placing an order: the customer should send us the sender's EORI number to [email protected].

Customs representative delegation agreement

From 1 October 2025, Lithuanian Customs will start checking whether natural and legal persons have officially delegated customs representatives, such as DHL or FedEx. This change is intended to ensure transparent representation, clear responsibility during declaration, better data quality and more efficient processes.

If representation rights are not granted through the BAP portal, shipments may be stopped at customs and further processing may not continue.

How to create a delegation agreement?

Log in to the Lithuanian Customs BAP portal and complete the following steps:

1. In the top menu, select Delegation agreements.
2. In the opened window, click +Create new.
3. Enter the selected representative's company register code, JAR code or EORI code, and continue filling in the form.
4. Choose a sufficiently long delegation period, because the agreement will be valid only until the selected date.
5. Select which customs services the representative may perform. We recommend selecting at least: iMDAS_AES - export, iMDAS_AIS - import, iMDAS_LVC - low-value shipments.
6. Save the agreement.

The delegation can only be created by the company representative with administrator rights in the BAP portal.

Our partners' codes for delegation:

• DHL Lithuania (JAR) - 111529785
• Lithuanian Post and LP Express (EORI) - LT121215587
• FedEx (JAR) - 111680890
• DSV (JAR) - 110535550
• Nova Post (JAR) - 306183981

If you use the services of these couriers, you must create a separate agreement for each of them and authorize them to act as your customs representatives.

Does my parcel require a customs invoice when shipping to/from the United Kingdom?

The Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union has been confirmed, meaning all parcels destined to this country from the 1st of January 2021 require customs formalities. From now on, parcels travelling to / from the United Kingdom are required to fill out the “Customs invoice” section when placing an order.

Detailed information about parcel shipping to/from the United Kingdom can be found here.

Does the export declaration cost extra when shipping outside the European Union?

• The shipments of DHL Express valued at 1000 EUR or more require an export declaration, costing 10 EUR. This amount will be included in the shipping cost at the end of the order.
• The shipments of DHL Economy sent outside the European Union require an export declaration, costing an additional 10 EUR + 3 EUR for every product group. This amount will be included in the shipping cost at the end of the order.
• IMPORTANT: For parcels traveling to Turkey with FedEx Economy services, the value of the parcel cannot be less than 75 EUR.
• When using FedEx Economy services for shipments outside the European Union, an additional customs agreement may be required. If needed, the completed agreement should be sent to Sendparcel customer service.

Regarding customs enquiries, the intermediaries communicate directly with the consignee.

Custom charges are not applicable for consignments within the European Union.

Lithuanian Customs strengthens the control of sanctioned goods exports to third countries

Lithuanian Customs applies stricter control measures for goods subject to export prohibitions and restrictions. These measures are related to sanctions against Russia and Belarus, as well as dual-use goods and military equipment lists, especially when goods are shipped to countries often mentioned as possible transit points.

• Armenia;
• Azerbaijan;
• Georgia;
• China;
• Hong Kong;
• Kazakhstan;
• Kyrgyzstan;
• Tajikistan;
• Turkey;
• United Arab Emirates;
• Uzbekistan;
• Serbia.

The list of countries is not final. The most accurate and up-to-date information can only be provided by Lithuanian Customs.

Customs may request additional evidence and documents from the exporter, such as proof that the goods will not be sold or transferred after export from the EU, detailed product descriptions, information about the final user and information about the final use of the goods in third countries.

If the required evidence and documents are not provided, the shipment may not be released from the European Union, and longer checks may cause delays.

Temporary import / export

If you are shipping repair or warranty items to / from non-EU countries, you can order a temporary import / export service. Please note that when placing an order, temporary import / export will not be applied automatically when the export reason repair / warranty is selected. If you would like to order this type of service, which costs 40 EUR + VAT for DHL, please contact Sendparcel’s customer service by email [email protected] or Live chat.

Shipping to Amazon warehouses in non-EU countries

When shipping goods to Amazon Fulfillment warehouses in non-EU countries, it is important to assess not only the delivery price, but also customs formalities, import charges and responsibilities under Incoterms terms.

For shipments to Amazon warehouses, DDP terms are usually recommended. This means that the sender assumes responsibility for paying customs charges so the shipment can be delivered to the Amazon warehouse without additional actions from the recipient side.