International shipping is easier to manage when three things are settled before the parcel changes hands: the item is allowed, the declaration is accurate, and everyone understands who may collect import charges or answer customs questions.

For a U.S. sender, the destination country controls whether the package can enter and what it may cost. For a U.S. buyer ordering from abroad, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and other U.S. agencies apply when the goods arrive. Rules can change with the product, destination, value, and delivery service.

What controls an international shipment

Customs authorities decide whether goods may enter, which tariff classification applies, and whether duties, taxes, permits, or inspections are required. A store's shipping calculator, a carrier's estimate, or an automatically generated label doesn't replace that decision.

For goods entering the United States, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection guidance on customs duties says that applicable agency requirements must be met. Depending on the product, those requirements may include rules from the Food and Drug Administration, Consumer Product Safety Commission, or Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

For goods entering another country, check that country's customs authority and the carrier handling the delivery. U.S. rules don't automatically govern a package merely because it was mailed from the United States.

Before you ship or place an order

Check that the item is allowed

Look at both the destination's restricted-item rules and the carrier's prohibited-item list. An item that is legal to buy or send in the United States may need a permit, special packaging, labeling, or prior approval in another country.

Take extra care with:

Ask the carrier whether the shipment needs a safety data sheet, dangerous-goods declaration, or special packaging. A carrier may refuse an item even if customs would otherwise permit its import.

For a shipment entering the United States, identify any federal agency that regulates the product. Customs clearance doesn't replace product-safety, health, or agricultural approval.

Use a precise customs description

Each item on the customs form should be described clearly enough for an officer to identify it. The USPS customs-form guidance calls for detailed descriptions that explain what the item is, what it's made of, and what it's used for.

Better descriptions include:

Don't use these as the only description:

Add the material, purpose, quantity, and value wherever the form requests them. Calling something a gift doesn't remove the need for a complete declaration.

Verify the tariff classification

An HS or HTS code helps customs determine the duty rate. The correct code can depend on composition, design, technical features, and intended use, so a code copied from a similar-looking product may be wrong.

The CBP guidance on determining duty rates cautions that a requested rate is only as reliable as the information supplied. For a U.S. import, CBP makes the final determination.

If the shipment is high-value, unusual, or part of a repeat commercial transaction, the importer can consider requesting a CBP binding ruling before shipping. A carrier's online calculator can help estimate the cost, but it isn't an official classification decision.

Declare value and manufacture country honestly

Use the value requested by the customs form or commercial invoice. If the form asks for country of origin, state where the goods were made. The place where a package is mailed and the place where its contents were manufactured may be different.

Don't reduce the declared value, call merchandise a gift, or divide one order into several packages simply to try to avoid charges. An inaccurate declaration can lead to a hold, a request for evidence, or other shipment problems.

Save the order confirmation, receipt, invoice, payment record, and completed customs form. Those records can show how the declared value was calculated if customs or the carrier asks for proof.

Assemble the documents the shipment needs

Not every parcel needs every document. Requirements depend on the product, destination, value, and shipping method.

Document When it may be needed What to check
Customs declaration Most international postal shipments containing merchandise Description, quantity, value, and country of origin for each item
Commercial invoice Commercial goods and many courier shipments Buyer, seller, currency, product details, value, and shipping terms
Packing list Multiple cartons or many different products Contents match the invoice and the physical package
Permit or certificate Regulated products, plants, food, medicines, or controlled goods It was issued by the correct authority before dispatch
Safety data sheet or dangerous-goods paperwork Certain chemicals, batteries, and hazardous materials The carrier accepts the item and the packaging meets its rules
Proof of purchase or value High-value goods, returns, or customs questions Receipt, order record, or payment evidence

Before collection, compare the label, invoice, declaration, and contents. A missing invoice or a mismatch in the recipient, quantity, or value can create a delay that careful packaging won't fix.

Work out the delivered cost

Postage is only one part of the cost. Depending on the shipment, the recipient or sender may also face:

Before placing an order, ask:

  1. Are duties and taxes included in the displayed price?
  2. If they aren't included, who will collect them?
  3. Will the carrier add a brokerage or processing fee?
  4. Who must respond if customs requests information?
  5. What happens if the recipient doesn't pay the requested charges?
  6. Is the shipment insured, and what evidence is needed for a claim?

"Free shipping" usually describes transportation pricing. It isn't a promise that the destination will waive import charges.

A low-value shipment or a gift isn't automatically exempt, either. Thresholds, exceptions, and product rules vary by country and may not apply to every item. Confirm the current rule with the destination customs authority or the carrier.

UPS's international customs guidance notes that a recipient may receive a notice for additional charges. If the seller says duties are prepaid or included, save that statement in the order confirmation. If the carrier later requests payment, ask the seller and carrier to reconcile the written terms with the charge.

Choose the shipping service carefully

Postal services can suit smaller, less urgent packages. Express couriers may provide faster transit, more detailed tracking, and brokerage services, but their fees, paperwork, and payment procedures can differ.

Compare the following before buying postage:

For USPS shipments, review the current international customs-form instructions before taking the package to a post office. A private carrier may require its own invoice or electronic customs documents; don't assume that a postal form is sufficient.

Photograph the product, packaging, labels, and sealed parcel before handing it over. Keep the tracking number and shipping receipt until delivery is confirmed.

If tracking says the package is held in customs

"Held in customs" is a status, not an explanation. The cause could be missing paperwork, an unpaid charge, an inspection, a permit issue, or a restricted item.

Start with the carrier or postal operator through its official website or phone number. Then:

  1. Record the status and date. Save screenshots, emails, reference numbers, and any stated deadline.
  2. Ask what is missing. Contact the carrier or seller and ask whether customs needs a document, payment, product detail, or permit.
  3. Compare the records. Check the invoice, declaration, tracking number, recipient name, quantity, and value for inconsistencies.
  4. Send genuine evidence only. Use the receipt, order confirmation, product specifications, or permit requested.
  5. Pay through a verified channel. Open the carrier's official website yourself instead of using an unexpected payment link in a text or email.
  6. Confirm the outcome. Ask whether the parcel will be released, inspected, returned, or held for another reason, and note the response deadline.

Don't ask a seller or carrier to create a false description or change the value after dispatch. If the issue is tariff classification, ask the carrier's broker or the relevant customs authority what review process is available.

Separate government charges from carrier fees

A bill may combine different amounts. Import duty and destination tax are government charges; brokerage, handling, storage, and disbursement fees come from the carrier or another service provider. The payment recipient and dispute process may therefore be different.

Request an itemized explanation if the bill is unclear. If it conflicts with the seller's written promise that duties were included, send the seller:

Ask both parties to identify which amount is a government charge and which is a carrier fee. Keep the replies. If you're considering refusing delivery, first ask what will happen to the assessed charges, the parcel, and any return shipment.

If the parcel is returned, lost, or damaged

Contact the seller and carrier promptly, but don't assume that a return automatically produces a refund or that insurance covers every loss. The result may depend on the sales terms, reason for the return, carrier contract, declared value, and claim deadline.

Collect:

If the purchase was made through a marketplace, use its order-support process as well as contacting the seller. Describe the problem accurately. A customs hold, unpaid import charge, delivery failure, damage, and loss may be handled under different procedures.

Pre-shipment checklist

Before paying or handing over the parcel, confirm that:

Common questions

Does free international shipping include customs fees?

Not necessarily. Free shipping usually refers to transportation. Check the seller's written terms for duties, taxes, brokerage, and other destination charges.

What should I write on an international customs form?

Describe each item specifically. State what it is, what it's made of, what it's used for, its quantity, and its value when requested. "Gift," "sample," or "merchandise" shouldn't be the only description.

Who pays import duties on an international order?

The sales and shipping terms should explain who handles import costs, but the carrier may still contact the recipient for payment. Confirm the arrangement before ordering and keep the written terms.

What should I do when tracking says my package is in customs?

Contact the carrier or seller, ask for the exact reason and deadline, and then provide matching documents or pay verified charges through an official channel. Don't use a false declaration to speed up release.