We are experiencing a high volume of calls and webforms to our customer care team. For customs queries, including why items have been returned to sender, please visit our customs help section.As we are trying to assist customers with the most urgent enquiries, we ask that you only contact us by phone or webform if you cannot find an answer on our website.You can check our online tracking for the latest information on your post. Tracking is updated throughout the day as we scan your post or parcel. You may also find the answer to your question in our Covid-19 Information hub.
An Post collect the customs charges on your behalf that are charged by Revenue on items delivered to Ireland from non-EU countries. In order for your parcel to be processed and delivered, these charges must be paid. If VAT or customs charges are due on the item, where possible, we will contact you by post, text or email. You can then pay the charges through our website or at your local Post Office. We will deliver your item as soon as possible after payment has been received. If there are no VAT or customs charges due on the item, then the item will be delivered as normal.
Compliant electronic customs data must be supplied for all incoming non-EU items by the sender. Many smaller, more specialist British retailers are simply not aware of these requirements and/or have not put in place the necessary online shopping systems for selling to Ireland, leading to Customs delays or returns when these parcels arrive in Ireland. Please hold tight, while we work to address this and ongoing queries.
If your item has been returned to sender or you are awaiting an update on your item, it is likely that the electronic customs declaration made by the retailer/sender for your item may have been insufficient or invalid according to Customs regulations. An Post cannot amend customs declaration so items with incomplete data must be returned. The goods within your parcel may be in a category of goods treated as prohibited or restricted by Irish Revenue. For non restricted/prohibited items, you will need to refer to the sender and request that they submit a customs declaration with full details when resending your item. Our TARIC code finder helps retailers understand the required information needed. Your item will be returned to the sender if the charges are not paid by the “pay by date".
Your customs charge can be paid either: Online, using your credit/debit card and the Customs reference number detailed on the Postcard/SMS/Email; or at any post office, using your credit/debit card or cash. Please bring the email or the card you received in the post with you to the Post Office. Once your payment is complete, we will arrange for your item to be delivered as soon as possible.
If you buy goods from outside the EU you may have to pay customs charges (Customs Duty, Excise Duty, VAT) to Irish Revenue. An Post collect these customs charges from you and pay them to Irish Revenue on your behalf. It is mandatory for An Post to collect customs charges, An Post cannot deliver your items until these charges have been paid. A team of Irish Revenue’s Customs officials are based at An Post’s Mail Centre and oversee the customs clearance of imported goods.
An Post will never send a message containing any links when contacting you about the payment of customs charges. Also, within a few days of receiving an An Post customs SMS or email you will receive an official An Post postcard detailing your customs charges (a customs charge notification card to which specific Terms & Conditions apply). You can pay these charges online through our payment channel. You will need your track & trace number and reference number provided in the SMS/email/postcard. Alternatively you can also pay the charges by bringing your reference details to any post office. If you are ever in doubt about scam messages we have further information on our security page to help you identify legitimate and scam messages.
Customs charges arise on the importation of most items in accordance with relevant laws. An Post collects these charges and pays them to Irish Revenue for you. A customs admin fee of €3.50 is charged by An Post for customs handling of items imported from countries outside the EU. This fee is in addition to any duty or VAT payable to Irish Revenue. The fee is unrelated to the amount of duty and VAT payable and is in place to cover the administrative costs of collecting and processing the payment from the addressee.