Customs, duties and clearance: the complete guide
What customs clearance means, when duties and import taxes apply, why parcels get held, and what you should (and shouldn't) do about it.
What customs clearance is
Every parcel that crosses an international border goes through customs clearance. Customs authorities check the declared contents and value of the shipment and decide whether import duties, taxes or fees apply before releasing it for onward delivery. It is a routine, mandatory step for cross-border e-commerce, not a sign that anything is wrong.
On your timeline you will typically see statuses like 'customs processing', 'held at customs' or 'customs cleared'. The first two mean the parcel is currently with the authorities awaiting review; 'cleared' means it has been released and can continue its journey.
When do you have to pay duties and taxes?
Whether you pay depends on your country's rules, the value of the goods and sometimes the type of product. Many countries apply a 'de minimis' threshold: below a certain value, no import duty is charged, though local sales tax (like VAT) may still apply. Above that threshold, duty is calculated as a percentage of the declared value.
In the European Union, for example, VAT is generally due on goods imported from outside the EU regardless of value, and the seller or a marketplace often collects it at checkout. Always treat the advertised price of an overseas item as potentially incomplete until you know how import charges are handled.
Why a parcel gets held at customs
A hold usually means one of three things: the shipment is simply queued for a routine check, the paperwork is incomplete or unclear, or duties and taxes are owed and must be paid before release. High-volume periods, such as the weeks before major holidays, can lengthen these queues considerably.
Occasionally customs needs more information — a clearer description of the contents, an invoice, or proof of value. In these cases the carrier or a customs broker contacts the recipient with instructions, and the parcel remains held until the request is resolved.
What you should do
In most cases you do nothing: the parcel clears on its own and continues. If you receive a legitimate request for payment or documents from the carrier, respond promptly, because parcels left unresolved in customs for too long are eventually returned to the sender.
Be cautious of scams. Fraudsters send fake 'customs fee' text messages and emails with links to steal card details. Real charges are usually collected by the carrier through their official website or at delivery, and the amounts are modest and itemised. When in doubt, go directly to the carrier's official site using your tracking number rather than clicking a link.
How Piplo handles customs events
Piplo shows customs events exactly as the carrier reports them and never guesses whether duties are owed or how much they might be. If your timeline shows a customs status, that information came from the carrier. For the specific amount and payment method, always rely on the carrier or the official customs authority of the destination country.