Ship parcels to United Kingdom

Customs & Taxes: The UK imposes 20% VAT on imports, with different treatment based on value: If the goods' value is ≤ £135 (approx €150), VAT is typically collected at point of sale or by the carrier (the UK removed its small £15 VAT exemption in 2021). If you're sending a commercial item to a consumer and you haven't pre-paid UK VAT, the carrier will charge the recipient 20% VAT plus possibly a handling fee. For goods > £135, import VAT is due and the receiver pays it (unless you shipped DDP). Customs duty in the UK is waived for goods ≤ £135, and above that threshold duty is charged according to the tariff (rates vary by product, often 2-5% for many consumer goods, higher for certain textiles, shoes, etc.).

Gift allowances: As mentioned earlier, gifts under £39 are free of VAT and duty. Over £39, VAT applies; over £135, duty too. These thresholds mean if you send a gift worth, say, £100 to the UK, the recipient will have to pay 20% VAT (~£20). If that gift was £150, they'd pay VAT and possibly a small duty (duty might be ~2-3% on many items) on the £15 above the threshold. The UK government has announced the £135 duty exemption will eventually be removed entirely by 2029, but until then the above rules stand.

Prohibited items: The UK's prohibited list is similar to EU's for the most part. Weapons and firearms are obviously prohibited (and UK has very strict gun laws – even realistic toy guns can be stopped). Knives that open automatically (flick knives, butterfly knives) are illegal to import. Offensive weapons like brass knuckles or stun guns are banned. Drugs (including cannabis) are illegal. Certain food products are restricted – meat and dairy from outside the UK/EU aren't allowed by mail, as the UK follows biosecurity rules similar to the EU. Also, plants or seeds need phytosanitary certificates or they'll be destroyed. One thing to note: since Brexit, personal imports of animal-origin foods from the EU have also been restricted, but from Canada it was always not allowed – so don't send grandma's homemade sausage to the UK. Importing medicine requires licenses (the UK will confiscate unauthorized medicines).

Delivery: Parcels to the UK usually move quickly (about 4–7 days), but customs clearance can add a couple days if charges need to be assessed. The recipient will typically get a notice to pay charges (Nova Poshta will hold the item at the local depot/collection point and send a notice). They can pay online or at the Nova Poshta collection point, then the item is released for delivery. Make sure the recipient's address is complete with postcode (UK postcodes are critical, e.g. "SW1A 1AA"). A phone number and email help the process – sometimes couriers will email a payment link for duties to speed up delivery. One tip: If shipping to a business or an individual who has an EORI (UK import number), include it, as it can smooth clearance for higher-value shipments. We handle all the required export paperwork on the Canada side, so shipping to the UK is straightforward with us, just mind the import fees on arrival.