International shipping gets expensive or delayed for reasons that aren't visible in the postage price. Before you send or accept a package, answer four questions: Is the item allowed on this route? What exactly was declared, and at what value? Who will clear the shipment and pay the import charges? What happens if customs stops or returns it?

The destination country decides whether goods may enter and which duties or taxes apply. The carrier transports the parcel and may collect charges, but its shipping label or quote doesn't guarantee customs clearance or cover every import cost. This checklist is for U.S. consumers and small senders. The destination customs authority and the carrier's current instructions control the shipment.

Set the cost and responsibility before shipping

Before paying for postage or placing an international order, get these points in writing:

Save the order confirmation, shipping terms, receipt, and any message promising that taxes or duties are included. "All-inclusive shipping" can mean different things. Ask whether the price includes destination duties, taxes, brokerage, and other clearance charges.

A low-value parcel isn't automatically free of import requirements. For U.S.-bound e-commerce shipments, U.S. Customs and Border Protection's e-commerce FAQ describes entry rules and exceptions for merchandise valued at $800 or less. Check the rule that applies on the shipment date, including the transport method and any exception, rather than relying on an old de minimis assumption.

Check the item and the route

An item that's legal to buy in the United States may still be prohibited or restricted in the destination country. Check both the destination's import rules and the carrier's acceptance list. Pay particular attention to:

• Food, plants, seeds, animal products, and other goods that may need sanitary or agricultural approval
• Medicines, medical devices, cosmetics, alcohol, and supplements
• Weapons, ammunition, chemicals, and controlled substances
• Lithium batteries, aerosols, perfumes, paints, and compressed gases
• Biological samples or other materials that need special packaging

A U.S.-bound shipment must also meet the requirements of any relevant U.S. agency. Depending on the product, that may include the Food and Drug Administration, Consumer Product Safety Commission, and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Don't assume a warning on the outside of the box makes a regulated product acceptable. Dangerous goods may require an approved package, specific labels, declarations, and trained handling. For air cargo, review the carrier's instructions and the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. IATA lists changes to its 67th Edition as taking effect on January 1, 2026. If you're unsure whether an item is regulated, ask the carrier before packing it.

Describe the contents accurately

The customs description should tell an officer what the item is, what it's made of when that matters, and what it does. "Gift," "sample," "parts," and "electronics" are often too vague. USPS uses "power drill" as an example of a description that identifies a specific product; if accurate, "cordless power drill for household use" gives still more useful context.

For each item, prepare the following information:

Never describe a sale as a gift or lower the value to avoid charges. Keep the invoice, receipt, product listing, and payment record. Customs or the carrier may ask for proof, and changing the description later can create a second inconsistency.

Complete the right form

For a USPS shipment, start with the USPS customs-forms page and its international preparation guidance. USPS says customs forms can be completed electronically. If you haven't completed the form online, a Post Office can use Form PS 2976-R to create the label.

USPS identifies a narrow exception for nonnegotiable documents sent by First-Class Mail International when they weigh less than 15.994 ounces. Other international packages generally need a customs form, but the exact requirement depends on the USPS service. Check that service's current instructions.

A private courier may ask for a waybill, commercial invoice, packing information, permits, or a dangerous-goods declaration. Use that carrier's instructions instead of copying paperwork from another shipment. The contents, invoice, customs form, and electronic declaration should agree.

Before the parcel leaves, check the following:

• Sender and recipient names, addresses, and phone numbers are complete.
• Descriptions match the contents.
• Quantities, weights, values, currency, and country of origin are consistent.
• The reason for shipment is accurate.
• Required licenses, permits, safety documents, or dangerous-goods declarations are attached.
• The recipient knows who may contact them and who is expected to pay import charges.

Use an HS code, but don't rely on it alone

HS codes classify goods for customs. The internationally harmonized portion starts at six digits; national tariff schedules may add more. USPS says HS tariff codes can contain six to ten digits and that the United States uses a ten-digit code for tariff classifications.

A code copied from a marketplace listing isn't automatically correct. Classification may depend on the product's material, function, condition, components, and intended use. Use the relevant tariff database, or ask the carrier or a licensed customs professional if the code affects a permit, duty rate, or restriction. A code also doesn't replace a clear description: a technically correct code alongside "parts" may still leave customs unable to identify the shipment.

For a rough delivered-cost estimate, use:

Item price
+ shipping
+ insurance, if purchased
+ destination duty
+ destination tax
+ brokerage, handling, or other carrier charges
= estimated delivered cost

This is a budgeting worksheet, not a universal customs-valuation formula. The importing country may use its own classification, valuation method, origin rules, exemptions, or agency requirements, so the final amount can differ from an online estimate.

Pack for the entire journey

A parcel may travel by truck, aircraft, conveyor, and manual handling before delivery. Choose packaging that fits the contents and can withstand that movement.

• Cushion fragile goods and stop them from shifting inside the box.
• Use a strong outer carton and seal it securely.
• Put paperwork where the carrier directs you without covering or hiding the required outside label.
• Check limits for weight, size, batteries, liquids, and unusual shapes.
• For dangerous goods, apply only the labels and marks required by the carrier's instructions.
• Photograph the contents, packaging, completed forms, and final label before closing the parcel.
• Keep the acceptance receipt and tracking number.

Ask whether the service includes insurance, what it covers, and which exclusions apply. Carrier liability, declared value, and separate cargo insurance aren't necessarily the same protection.

If you're receiving the package

Before ordering, read the seller's delivery terms for duties, taxes, customs clearance, and failed delivery attempts. A low shipping price may not be the total delivered cost.

If the carrier asks for information:

1. Open the tracking record through the carrier's official website or app.
2. Read the exact request and its deadline.
3. Gather the invoice, order confirmation, payment record, and product details.
4. Compare those records with what the seller declared.
5. Ask for an itemized explanation of any duty, tax, brokerage, or handling charge.
6. Don't pay through an unexpected text-message link or an unverified payment page.

UPS's customs guidance notes that recipients may receive notices about additional charges. If the seller promised that import charges were included, compare the notice with the saved order terms and ask the seller and carrier to explain any difference in writing.

For U.S.-bound e-commerce shipments, CBP says entry may be made by the owner or purchaser, or by a properly designated licensed customs broker. Before authorizing a broker or sending personal information, confirm which company is handling the entry and what it plans to declare.

If customs holds or returns the parcel

A tracking message such as "customs delay" doesn't identify the problem. Contact the carrier through its official website or contact details and ask:

• Is the issue a missing document, unpaid charge, agency review, restricted item, or address problem?
• Which exact document or correction is needed?
• Who must provide it: the sender, recipient, seller, or broker?
• What is the response deadline?
• Will storage, return, or other charges accrue while the issue remains unresolved?

Send a complete and consistent correction. Don't invent a new description or value just to make the parcel clear. If customs or another government agency has restricted the item, follow that agency's instructions; the carrier can't override the import rule.

If the package is returned, request the reason and a cost breakdown. Ask the seller about a refund or replacement under the purchase terms, but don't assume postage, duties, or carrier fees will automatically be refunded.

For a U.S. ocean-shipping dispute, the Federal Maritime Commission's complaints and assistance page says a person may submit a complaint about charges assessed by a common carrier that may violate the Shipping Act. The FMC also says a small claim alleging a Shipping Act violation may be filed for an amount of $50,000 or less. This is a maritime complaint route, not a general appeal of a foreign customs assessment or a standard courier delay.

Assumptions to leave out of the paperwork

These shortcuts don't change the underlying customs requirements:

• Calling an item a "gift" doesn't make an inaccurate declaration acceptable.
• Writing "under $800" or another threshold on the label doesn't create an exemption by itself.
• A shipping quote doesn't prove that duties and taxes are prepaid.
• A carrier's estimated delivery date doesn't guarantee customs release.
• A vague description doesn't become sufficient because the recipient can explain the product later.
• A passenger's baggage allowance or dangerous-goods rule may not apply to cargo.
• A seller's promise about import charges should appear in the written order terms.

Keep the invoice, order terms, declaration, photos, receipt, and tracking record together. If the shipment is stopped or the final bill differs from the quote, use those records to compare what was sold, what was declared, and what the carrier or customs authority is asking for. Start with the carrier's official tracking or contact page before paying a new charge or changing the declaration.