Duties & Taxes

About Customs, Duties & Taxes

 When ordering from MADAMVOYAGE, you're responsible for assuring the product can be lawfully imported to the destination.

Recipients of international shipments may be subject to import taxes, fees, and customs duties (hereafter, "Import Fees"), levied by the customs office of your shipping destination. Import Fees vary according to the customs regulations of the destination country. Components that play a role in Import Fee calculations are (among others): 

  • Product category and price 
  • Shipping costs and package weight 
  • Customs clearance channel 
  • Import taxes based on custom duty amounts 

Customs policies vary widely, and some countries don't charge Import Fees for shipments that fall below a minimum value. Contact the customs office of the destination country for more information.

 

Import Regulations

 The recipient is the importer of record and must comply with all applicable laws and regulations of the destination country. Customs delays can affect original delivery estimates.

Note: Customs offices in some countries or regions require the importer of record to provide a form of identification before releasing a shipment, such as a Passport, Tax ID, etc.

Common Questions to Taxes and Customs  

  • Will I have to pay for Tax or Customs on my order ? 

When a package is delivered internationally, it may be subject to import taxes, customs duties, and/or fees imposed by the destination country. These charges are typically due once the package arrives in the destination country. Depending on the country, the buyer may be required to pay these charges at the time of delivery, or MADAMVOYAGE  may be required to collect the tax at checkout and remit it to the tax authorities. Purchases for which MADAMVOYAGE is required to charge sales tax at checkout differ between countries.

  • Am I responsible for paying customs fees?

There are two types of taxes charged when goods are imported into a country: customs fees and VAT (or similar tax).

Customs fees are placed on physical goods that are imported into a country from another country or territory. These fees are applied to international sales, but never domestic. 

In general, the buyer is responsible for paying the additional costs such as duties, taxes, and customs clearance fees. In some countries, MADAMVOYAGE is obligated to collect those as VAT on imported goods and to pay this over to the tax authorities.

Most customs charges are due once the package arrives in the destination country. The amounts can vary widely and are often based on the price and type of item, package weight and dimensions, origin country, and the taxes, duties, and fees of the destination country. More information here

If a buyer and a seller are located in different countries, we inform buyers that additional duties and taxes (such as those charged at customs) may apply. This is to make it clear to buyers that they may be responsible for paying these additional fees.

Please contact your local customs office to find out your next steps as you may need to pay additional charges. 

  • When does MADAMVOYAGE collect and remit VAT-type taxes?

VAT, or value-added tax, is sales tax based on the consumption of goods and services that are commonly found in the EU and other regions of the world.

MADAMVOYAGE automatically collects and remits applicable taxes at checkout when required by law.

In cases where physical goods are delivered cross-border between countries or states, please be aware that additional duties and taxes may apply. This will be the responsibility of you, the buyer, to pay, unless otherwise stated.

European Union

For goods sold within the European Union, There are no customs duties to be paid when goods are transported from one EU country to another. VAT - if applicable  - will be included in the purchase price at the time of sale. 

Goods arriving into EU from non-EU country

The amount of customs duty will be assessed at the point of entry of the destination country. Customs duty only applies to packages with a value over 150 EUR.

VAT will be collected at the time of checkout where the value of the package is less than 150 EUR and you should not be charged additional VAT by the courier. For packages over 150 EUR, VAT will be collected by the carrier with the customs duty. 

United Kingdom

As of 1st January 2021, the UK requires MADAMVOYAGE to collect and remit VAT on applicable goods from buyers on orders that meet the following criteria:

  • The purchase is for a physical item. 
  • The recipient is located in the UK.
  • The total value of the package (including gift wrap but excluding delivery) is less than or equal to 135 GBP.
  • VAT is applied to the full order total, which includes item price, delivery, and gift wrap charges.
  • The goods are dispatched from outside the UK.*

*MADAMVOYAGE is not obligated to collect VAT on packages from the EU to Northern Ireland, or on packages from Northern Ireland to other parts of the UK. Learn more.

For amounts higher than 135 GBP, VAT will be charged and collected at the border.

MADAMVOYAGE doesn’t collect VAT  where the goods are located in the UK and the transaction is between buyers and sellers both located in the UK. Since MADAMVOYAGE requires sellers to list their prices inclusive of VAT, you shouldn’t have to pay any additional amounts other than the total price displayed at checkout.

If you’re in a country where MADAMVOYAGE is collecting VAT,  your basket details will show the item price and postage costs at checkout.