Customs duties when shipping from Poland outside the EU

[arletka100]

Hello,

I've been asked many times about customs duties on parcels leaving Poland toward the UK, US, Canada, or Australia. Since Poland is in the EU, shipments between EU countries are duty-free — that part is easy. But as soon as you cross the EU border, customs rules kick in and they differ a lot by country.

General rules of thumb:
- UK: VAT applies on most goods, and duty if total value is above £135.
- US: de minimis of $800, below that you usually pay nothing.
- Canada: low de minimis ($20 CAD), so expect taxes on almost everything.
- Australia: GST applies on goods above AUD 1,000; platforms collect it at purchase for lower values.

Always declare accurate values. Under-declaring is tempting but can backfire hard if the parcel is inspected or lost (claims are based on declared value).

What customs surprises have you had? Would be good to compile experiences here.

[arletka100]

Canada's low de minimis really does catch people out. Good reminder on accurate declarations — under-declaring can void insurance entirely. I let my forwarder handle the customs paperwork now; Polbox pre-fills the HS codes and values from the invoices in my account, which is a big time-saver when you're consolidating items from five different stores.

[RFerrth]

Really useful customs breakdown. One thing worth emphasizing for US buyers: the de minimis threshold has been a moving target. The current 800 USD threshold for informal entry is convenient but there have been legislative proposals to lower it, so it is worth staying up to date if you are planning large purchases. For Australian buyers the AUD 1000 threshold is also quite generous but GST applies on goods over that value and some carriers collect it at the door. One practical tip: when filling out customs declarations for a consolidated parcel, make sure the declared value reflects the actual purchase price, not the retail value. Some people undervalue to avoid duties - this is customs fraud and not worth the risk, especially since most of the time the duties on a personal parcel are minimal anyway.