EU customs charges for online orders outside the EU

What are the charges for online shopping outside of the EU?

Since 1 July 2026, EU customs charges have been applied to packages coming into the EU. This is likely to impact on Irish consumers who shop online. Previously, no customs duty was charged on packages valued at €150 or less.

Under the EU customs rules, consumers may be charged €3 per unique type of product on an order that is delivered to Ireland from outside the EU.

How can you tell if a message or email you receive about paying customs charges is real or a scam?

If you receive a message saying you must pay customs charges, you should stop and check if it is legitimate before clicking any links in the message.

The actions below can help you protect yourself from scammers:

• Think back – have you already paid these customs charges at checkout?
• Check the courier’s website for info on how they’ll ask you to pay. An Post, for instance, will never send a link in a text message. Any customs text claiming to be from An Post that includes a clickable payment link is a scam.
• Revenue will never contact you looking for customs charges.
• Two heads are better than one – show the text to a family member, friend or colleague and ask what they think. They may spot a red flag you missed.

You can find more information on our protecting yourself from scams page.

Example of a scam text

An Post will never send a link to ask you to pay customs charges.

What countries does the EU customs charge affect?

The new charges will apply to all products sent to consumers from outside the EU, including

• Britain
• the US
• Australia
• China

What online shops are affected?

The new charges will apply to all packages sent to consumers from outside the EU, regardless of where the company is based.

All online shops that ship from outside of the EU are affected. This means charges can apply when you shop from companies based in Ireland or the EU that ship products from the UK or other non-EU countries. For example, some online shops may be EU based but ship their products directly from China. These orders will be affected by the new customs charges.

When ordering online, check the website carefully for information regarding shipping and delivery.

How much are the EU customs charges?

The charges are complicated and may be hard for consumers to calculate in advance. There will be a €3 charge applied to each type of product in your package.

How can you tell if the EU customs charges apply to your online shopping?

Under consumer protection rules, businesses must tell you the total price of your goods, including any taxes or charges that may apply.

However, these charges are new so exercise caution - search the website, including the terms and conditions, carefully for information on import charges and taxes.

If import charges apply to your product and the business does not pay these in advance, then you could face a bill at delivery.

How do you pay for the EU customs duty?

You will pay the €3 customs duty per item in one of three ways, depending on the terms and conditions of the business you are buying from: at the checkout, on delivery, or the cost may be already factored into the price of the goods.

Is the EU customs charge displayed on the website or at the checkout?

Some websites will collect the duty at the point of sale. In this case, the €3 duty will be shown to you and you will be informed that the total price you pay at checkout will be the final price, with no extra charges on delivery.

What if you can’t see if the EU customs charge has been applied to your order?

Some businesses are making changes and will now ship to EU customers from warehouses within the EU so that the charges will not apply. In other cases, retailers may raise their prices to incorporate the price of import duty and other charges and consumers will not see an extra charge. The retailer’s terms and conditions should make clear if the business or consumer will pay import charges.

Do you have to pay customs charges to the delivery company?

Online retailers do not have to collect and pay customs duty. If you do not pay the company, then you will have to pay on delivery. The delivery company (for example, your postal service or courier) will require you to pay the €3 duty per item before your goods can be delivered. They will also add an administration charge making your final bill even higher.

What about refunds and the EU customs charges?

Returns and refunds become more complicated when import charges are involved. For example, if you paid the import charges yourself to the delivery company then you will not get a refund of the administrative fee, even if you return the goods later. Revenue does have a process where you can apply for a refund of customs duty when faulty goods are returned. You can find more information on the Revenue website.

If you are buying from outside the EU, always read returns policies closely before purchase. This is particularly important if you are buying items such clothing where you may wish to return the items if you change your mind after they arrive. Check to see what location returns must be shipped to and what refund you will be entitled to.

Remember, online retailers are required to accept change of mind returns but they are not obliged to cover the return postage costs.

Are gifts sent from outside the EU affected by customs charges?

Gifts are not affected by the new customs charge. If a friend or family member sends you a gift from outside the EU, they must declare it as a gift when they post it. You do not have to pay customs charges or VAT on gifts worth €45 or less. There are exceptions and charges do apply to certain types of gifts such as alcohol, tobacco and perfume. You can find more information on sending and receiving gifts from outside the EU on Revenue.ie.

Are second-hand clothes or other used/vintage items bought outside the EU affected by EU customs charges?

Yes, customs charges will apply to all packages from outside the EU, including packages containing used, vintage or second-hand items.

If you purchase directly from another consumer outside the EU, then you are eligible to pay customs duty. The rate of customs duty may vary depending on if the package is posted from another consumer or from a business.

Where can you find out more information?

More information on the customs charges can be found on Revenue.ie.

This page will be updated with further information on the impact of these changes for consumers as it becomes available.