Customs, import duties and taxes

Every order ships from our warehouse in Germany. Whether customs apply depends on where it goes.

Within the EU: no customs

A parcel sent from Germany to another EU country stays inside the EU customs union: it is not declared to customs, and there are no import duties or import taxes to pay on delivery.

Outside the EU: duties and taxes may apply

Our prices are in US dollars and do not include import duties or local taxes such as VAT, GST or sales tax. When a parcel enters the UK, Switzerland, Norway, the US, Canada or any other country outside the EU, its customs authority may charge them, and the carrier collects them from you:

• DHL Express (express to the UK, Switzerland and Norway, and every delivery outside Europe) clears customs itself and usually asks you to pay duties and taxes before delivery, online or on the doorstep, together with its own clearance fee.
• DHL Parcel International (standard delivery to the UK, Switzerland and Norway) hands the parcel to the local delivery service of your country, which collects any charges, often with a handling fee.
• United Kingdom: orders start at $200, so that import VAT is always handled this usual way, at the border. Below £135, UK rules would require the seller to charge UK VAT at checkout instead.

Who pays, and when

• You pay any import duties and local taxes charged by your country outside the EU, as the importer of the goods.
• The carrier collects them, usually on delivery. Carriers may also charge their own customs clearance or handling fee.
• Your country sets the amount, not HodlChip, so we cannot tell you the exact figure in advance.

What the amount depends on

• The type of product and its customs classification, known as the HS code
• The value of the goods, and in some countries the shipping cost as well
• Where the goods were made, which can matter under trade agreements
• Your country's VAT, GST or sales tax rate, and any low-value thresholds

How to estimate the cost before you order

1. Visit your national customs authority's website and look up the rules for importing electronics, including duty rates and tax thresholds.
2. Use your order total, converted from US dollars into your local currency, as the value of the goods.
3. Allow for a possible clearance or handling fee from the carrier.

Duty rates vary by product and by country, and local taxes such as VAT or GST often apply even when no duty is due. Check before you order, particularly for high-value items.

Customs declarations

Every parcel leaving the EU travels with a customs declaration that states its contents and their value, as the law requires. We cannot mark a sale as a gift or declare a lower value: false declarations are illegal and can lead to delays, fines or seizure of the parcel.

When the carrier asks you to pay

• The carrier may contact you by email, text message or phone. A phone number at checkout helps it reach you.
• Pay only through the carrier's official website or app, reached by typing its address yourself, or directly to the driver where the carrier offers that.
• HodlChip never asks you to pay customs charges, and never asks for any payment by email, text message or chat. Fake customs-fee messages are a common scam.
• If you are unsure about a charge, contact us before refusing the parcel. A refused parcel may be returned to the sender or held by customs.