Frequently Asked Questions

I've purchased goods over the internet. Why do I have to pay additional charges?

Even if you have ordered and paid for your goods online, the goods must undergo an import procedure to ensure declaration through customs. Customs clearance depends on:

Country of origin
The value, including transport costs
The quantity of the goods

Each country has its own duty/tax legislation which depends on the type of imported goods.
DHL, like all other international carriers, has to comply to the local customs authorities, and therefore DHL pays Duty/Vat and taxes on behalf of the consignee in order to be able to declare the goods as soon as possible.

Danish duty/tax rules are as follows:
All goods imported from countries outside the EU are subject to VAT.
In addition, all goods imported from countries outside the EU may be subject to duty if the value of the goods exceeds DKK 1,150.

I thought the price I paid included all charges. Why wasn't I told about the additional charges?

Internet retailers usually draw attention on their website to the likelihood duty/VAT has to be paid. Please check the sender's website under terms and conditions, or contact your sender directly.
You do not pay DHL for additional shipping costs. However, you will be asked to pay duty, VAT and taxes, plus any import duties related to customs clearance in your home country, based on local regulations.

Do I have to pay duty/VAT?

In general you always have to pay duty/VAT when importing goods from a country outside of EU.
Only limitations to that is that the value of the goods are below certain thresholds set by the Danish Authorities:
All goods imported from countries outside the EU are subject to VAT.
In addition, all goods imported from countries outside the EU may be subject to duty if the value of the goods exceeds DKK 1,150.

The goods I've received is a gift. Why do I have to pay duty/VAT?

You will have to pay duty/VAT unless all of the below conditions for gifts are met:

both sender and reciever have to be private persons.
it must be visible on the commercial invoice following the shipment that this is a gift.
the goods have to have a declared and actual value below 360 DKK.
The danish tax authoritites (SKAT) have to accept and approve that the shipment is a gift.

If only one of these criteria is not met, customs clearance will take place. SKAT is the only authority that can alter this decission

The goods aren't what I expected. Can I return them and get a refund of the duty/VAT paid?

Most internet retailers offer solutions that involve reimbursement of the paid amount if the goods are returned. Please note that if you choose to return the goods to your sender, you must apply to SKAT to get your paid duty/VAT refund.
This requires proof of the export of the goods from Denmark, which must be sent to SKAT together with your application. LINK: www.skat.dk/skat.aspx?oid=2245294
Only SKAT can approve and refund already collected duties and VAT.
You are welcome to contact DHL if you have any further questions.

If Why do I have to pay a Duty Tax Importer fee? What is this?

The Duty Tax Importer fee covers the import of all packages, for customers without a contract, for example private recipients, where DHL is responsible for handling customs duties, fees and other costs that may be for the recipient related to customs clearance,
As DHL bears the risk of any non-payment from the recipient, a fee will be charged for this service.

My declaration is wrong and needs to be changed/refunded - when will I recieve my money?

DHL needs to make an application to the Danish Authorities (SKAT) regarding correction of the declaration, which means that unfortunately DHL are not able to give an expected timeline for handling the request. However DHL can not refund you before SKAT has approved and refunded the money to DHL - this only happens once a month.

Which other fees or costs can I expect in regards to receiving a shipment sent from outside EU?

Dependant on the type and value of goods you have imported, you should expect the possible following types:

Import duty (percentage of the shipments value and transport costs)
Local VAT (25 %)
Disbursement fee
All types of fees if relevant

What happens if the sender wants to pay the duty/VAT after the goods have been shipped?

Customs and VAT expenses can be charged to the shipper's DHL account. This requires a written confirmation from the shipper, stating their account number and that services are then clarified before the goods are finally cleared through customs.
If the change takes place after customs clearance has taken place in Denmark, a correction fee will be charged for the correction.

What are the available payment methods?

Pay duty/VAT online through the link that we send you by SMS and / or email. This is the fastest payment method.
Pay duty/VAT in cash during delivery of your shipment by our courier
If you do not prefer the other payment options, you can pay via wire transfer. Please note that this payment method will delay the delivery time of your shipment because delivery can first take place after payment is recieved by DHL.

Need Assistance?

General information

DUTY & VAT related enquiries

Customs Department