Customs clearance fees
Why do I have to pay fees for parcels arriving from abroad?
- Every goods shipment from abroad must be registered and customs duties and VAT must be paid,
- with the exception of postcards and letters with text messages (no goods value).
- As the recipient, you pay VAT on the value of the goods (incl. shipping costs and services) and customs duties on the gross weight. Customs duties on the gross weight and, depending on the goods (such as tobacco), additional fees or preferential conditions may apply.
- Gifts from private individuals abroad are duty-free up to CHF 100 (except alcohol and tobacco).
- If consignments are incorrectly or insufficiently declared, customs clearance will not be able to be completed and the consignment will undergo a clarification process. As the recipient, you will be notified of this.
The video shows how Swiss Post import consignments are received. For consignments that Swiss Post receives from the GLS network, there may be deviations.
How much does a customs, VAT and goods value supplement cost?
Prices for letters and parcels
Swiss Post customs clearance includes the import clearance of letters, parcels and EMS consignments arriving in Switzerland by mail or via the GLS or Hermes Europe networks. We take care of the customs formalities for you and offer appropriate value-added services.
Country of origin
Germany, France, Italy and Austria
Basic customs clearance fee
CHF 11.50
Country of origin
Other countries
Basic customs clearance fee
CHF 16
All prices in CHF, excl. VAT.
We also charge
- A surcharge of 3% of the value of the goods (incl. shipping costs, services and customs duties)
- VAT on the basis of the value of the goods (incl. shipping costs, services and customs duties)
- Customs duties on the gross weight and, depending on the goods (such as tobacco), additional fees or preferential conditions may apply.
The maximum price for customs clearance is CHF 70.
Prices of value-addes services
|
Price |
Notification |
13.00 |
Inspection, value clarification and storage |
13.00 |
Customs clearance of consignments that are subject to an order not prescribed by customs law |
13.00 |
Import customs clearance preliminary agreement |
13.00 |
Customs clearance of additional customs tariff numbers (ZTN)
|
10.00 |
Transit clearance |
50.00 |
Transshipment clearance |
80.00 |
Special clearance (ATA Carnet, etc.) |
25.00 |
Provision of precious metals control (EMK) |
50.00 |
Provision of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species |
50.00 |
Provision of border veterinary examination (GTU) |
50.00 |
Provision of plant protection |
50.00 |
All prices in CHF, excl. VAT.
The services form the basis of the import tax (VAT) charged by the Swiss Federal Customs Administration (FCA). A calculation example can be found on the FCA’s website in the right-hand column.
The GLS Incoterms govern the payment method between the sender and recipient for customs clearance and state levies (duties, VAT). With Incoterm 20, these costs are incurred by the importer. The sender always pays the transport costs.
The same prices for import customs clearance and value-added services apply to parcels from the GLS network as well as to all other parcels cleared through customs by Swiss Post.
The GLS Incoterms govern the payment method between the sender and recipient for customs clearance and state levies (duties, VAT). With Incoterms 30 and 40, the exporter and importer share these costs.With GLS Incoterms 30, the sender pays for customs clearance services, while the recipient covers customs duties and VAT. With GLS Incoterms 40, both customs clearance services and customs duties are paid for by the sender. The recipient pays the VAT. The sender always pays the transport costs.
The same prices for import customs clearance and value-added services apply to parcels from the GLS network as well as to all other parcels cleared through customs by Swiss Post, with the following exceptions:
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Import administration1 (telephone, fax, postage, papers, etc.) | CHF 10 per consignement |
| Disbursement fee1 | 2% of customs/VAT, at least CHF 10 per consignment |
| Customs1/VAT duties | Depends on parcel contents |
1 ↑ Customs clearance is conducted in Switzerland and is subject to VAT in accordance with the VAT Act 641.20 Art. 52 paragraph a.
The GLS Incoterms govern the payment method between the sender and recipient for customs clearance and state levies (duties, VAT). The sender always pays the transport costs.
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Reminders and tax receipts from second dunning level | CHF 20 per reminder |
| ZAZ reclassification | CHF 30 per consignment |
| Address corrections | CHF 8 per correction request |
| General handling fee | CHF 25 per event |
| Tax documents | CHF 30 per duplicate |
| Destruction (without return) | CHF 60 per destroyed consignment (excl. customs duties) |
| Disbursement fee | 2% of customs fee/VAT, min. CHF 10 per consignment |
All prices in CHF, excl. VAT
For questions on import customs clearance, visit our page “FAQ on imports/customs” page. Please send queries using our contact form.
Contact
If you have any questions about import customs clearance, please contact
Postal Customs Clearance Customer Service (letters and parcels)
Please call +41 848 639 639 or write to us
GLS Customer Service (parcels)
Please call +41 848 858 686 or write to us