Skip to main content

Customs information

Due to stringent EU Customs rules governing non-EU goods, which came into effect on July 1 2021, VAT and customs charges now apply when you buy goods outside of the EU. At An Post, we’re here to help and want to continue to make online shopping easy for you.

Expecting a delivery from a smaller retailer or friends and family in the UK? 

Some parcels from Royal Mail are delayed following their recent cyber attack which impacted all their IT systems. This means some parcels are arriving into Ireland with no electronic data. EU customs rules mean that every parcel coming from outside the EU must be sent with electronic data before it can be delivered by An Post.

An Post is working extremely hard with Royal Mail to resolve these issues and deliver your parcel.
 

  • There is no impact to parcels from large eCommerce retailers

  • Most of Royal Mail Deliveries are now being processed and delivered

 
If you are ordering anything new from a smaller retailer in the UK or friends and family are sending you a parcel, remind them to use Royal Mails Click & Drop service before they send it.

Popular customs queries

Customs resources

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. They can be paid online or at your local post office.

Pay customs charges

Shop online, worldwide.

While there are changes, you can still shop with ease online. Online shopping is safe and convenient, more shoppers are buying online and delivery times for most ecommerce parcels are faster than ever. Online shopping locally in Ireland, with EU suppliers and with larger international retailers such as Amazon, Boots, Marks & Spencer and River Island is running smoothly, and this accounts for the majority of parcels coming into Ireland. 

However, some delays are being caused due to issues such as retailers not providing the sufficient electronic documentation needed for Customs regulations. We would advise customers receiving parcels from outside the EU to check with the sender that they are completing the appropriate documentation with any parcels they send. You can browse our FAQ's for futher advice.
 

Read our guide to shopping online

You can also download our guide to shopping online here.


The An Post Guide is intended for information purposes only. Buying goods online from outside of the EU (including the UK) is subject to EU Customs and VAT legislation. For further information visit the Revenue website.

Key changes

If you buy goods online from outside the European Union (EU) you may have to pay customs charges (VAT, Customs Duty, Excise Duty).  These charges arise on the importation of your goods in accordance with the relevant EU legislation, please see revenue.ie for more information. 

Most of your online shopping will not change as VAT and customs charges will be applied at checkout by major retailers that An Post deliver for, so no further action is required by you for delivery. 

If VAT and customs charges have not been applied in your shopping basket, Irish Revenue may apply a charge when your goods enter Ireland. 

When buying from smaller non-EU retailers

Due to the impact of Brexit, some customers in Ireland buying from smaller or specialist non-EU retailers are experiencing significant delays or not receiving their goods at all. Gift parcels being sent by family and friends in Great Britain to Irish addresses are also being impacted. 

This is due to both an EU customs requirement for additional electronic documentation and more goods being either restricted or prohibited from coming into Ireland from non-EU markets. 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.

For more information on ordering online from International retailers, visit our page on customs rules that apply around the world. The EU also have a guide to buying from UK websites for further advice.

 

An Post's online retailers 

Retailer*

Country

River Island UK
Amazon UK
Holland and Barrett UK
ASOS UK

Marks & Spencers

UK

Sweaty Betty

UK

L'Occitane

UK

*This list contains some of An Post's online retailers. Please check back for further updates.

Family and friends gifts

Gifts below the value of €45 (including postage) from non-EU countries require valid electronic customs data but do not require any customs or VAT to be paid. Make sure to tell friends and family that an item must be accompanied by valid electronic customs data when sending. Gifts over €45 are charged a customs fee, paid by the receiver.

Other customs queries

Contact us

You can get in touch with our customs support team on 01 705 7600, selecting option 1, or send us an email.

You've exceeded the maximum login attempts
Your account has been locked for 30 minutes to prevent fraudulent activity
Your session has timed out
Would you like to log in again to continue?
Your An Post account is ready

We would like to let you know about products, services and special offers from the An Post Group of Companies that we think may be of value to you. If you would like to receive these communications please tick the boxes below:

We have updated our terms of service