# Customs charges calculator UK: parcels and gifts

URL: https://computenow.co.uk/customs-charges-calculator/

> See what you pay on a parcel or gift from abroad: import VAT, Customs Duty, Alcohol or Tobacco Duty and the handling fee, with the £39 and £135 rules.

This calculator shows a worked example below. To use your own figures, add them to the URL as query parameters (listed in https://computenow.co.uk/llms.txt), for example https://computenow.co.uk/customs-charges-calculator/?<parameter>=<value>.

[What's Left, step 1 of 7: What will I take home?](https://computenow.co.uk/money-plan/#steps)

# Customs charges calculator

See what you pay when a parcel or gift arrives from abroad.
Rates checked 18 October 2026Great Britain
By the ComputeNow team, checked against GOV.UK and HMRC[Sources (5)](#sources)[How we calculate](https://computenow.co.uk/methodology/)

You pay on delivery
£73.96
Goods worth over £135 pay Customs Duty and import VAT.

## How it adds up

| Item | Amount |
| --- | --- |
| Goods | £200.00 |
| Postage | £15.00 |
| Value for duty (goods, postage and insurance) | £215.00 |
| Customs Duty for t-shirts and vests (cotton) (code 6109100010): 12% | £25.80 |
| Import VAT at 20% on £240.80 | £48.16 |
| You pay on delivery | £73.96 |

The delivery company asks for this before handing over the parcel. Check any letter or text is really from them before you pay.
This is an estimate, not advice. For parcels to Great Britain; Northern Ireland has different rules. The duty rate depends on what the goods are and where they were made: check it in the UK Trade Tariff.

### Next steps

- [Import duty and VAT calculator](https://computenow.co.uk/import-duty-calculator/?goods=200&freight=15)For businesses importing goods to sell.
- [VAT calculator](https://computenow.co.uk/vat-calculator/)Add or take VAT off a price.
[What's Left](https://computenow.co.uk/money-plan/) adds up your monthly figures from each calculator and shows what is left each month.
[You pay on delivery £73.96 Breakdown](#result)

## How customs charges are worked out

A gift worth £39 or less, sent by someone abroad, has nothing to pay. If you buy goods worth £135 or less, the seller adds UK VAT at checkout and there is nothing more to pay at the door.
A gift worth more than £39 and up to £135 pays import VAT. Over £135, goods pay Customs Duty as well, on the value including postage and insurance, and VAT is charged on the total including the duty.
Alcohol and tobacco always pay Excise Duty, Customs Duty and VAT, whatever their value. The delivery company collects the tax and usually adds a handling fee.

## Common questions

### Do I pay customs charges on a gift from abroad?

Not if it is worth £39 or less. A gift worth more than £39 and up to £135 pays import VAT; over £135 it pays Customs Duty too. Alcohol and tobacco are always taxed.

### Do I pay customs on things I buy from abroad?

For goods worth £135 or less, the seller should add UK VAT at checkout and there is nothing to pay on delivery. Over £135 you pay Customs Duty and import VAT when the parcel arrives, usually with a handling fee.

### How much is customs on a £200 order?

With £15 postage and a 12% duty rate (common for clothing): £25.80 Customs Duty and £48.16 import VAT, £73.96 before any handling fee. The duty rate depends on the goods and where they were made.

## Related calculators

[Import duty and VAT calculator For businesses importing goods](https://computenow.co.uk/import-duty-calculator/)[VAT calculator Add or remove VAT](https://computenow.co.uk/vat-calculator/)

## Guides and help

### Official services and free advice

[Tax and duty on goods sent from abroad GOV.UK: parcels, gifts and paying charges](https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad)[Find your commodity code UK Trade Tariff: the duty rate for your goods](https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/find_commodity)[Import goods into the UK: step by step GOV.UK: for businesses and individuals](https://www.gov.uk/import-goods-into-uk)

## Sources

Each source was last checked on 18 October 2026.

- [GOV.UK: UK Trade Tariff (duty rates by commodity code)](https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/find_commodity)
- [GOV.UK: VAT on imports](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/vat-imports-acquisitions-and-purchases-from-abroad)
- [GOV.UK: Tax and duty on goods sent from abroad](https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty)
- [GOV.UK: Alcohol Duty rates](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/alcohol-duty-rates)
- [GOV.UK: Tobacco Duty rates](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rates-and-allowances-excise-duty-tobacco-duty/excise-duty-tobacco-duty-rates)
These results are an estimate, not financial advice. They use the 2026/27 rates in force on 24 October 2026 and the inputs shown, so your actual tax, pay or costs may differ. Before making a decision about your money, check the figures with HMRC or your provider, or speak to a regulated financial adviser. Free, impartial guidance is available from MoneyHelper.
This page explains the rules using the 2026/27 rates in force on 24 October 2026. It is general information, not financial advice. For decisions about your own money, speak to a regulated financial adviser, or get free, impartial guidance from MoneyHelper.