The estimate appears here.
How the EU charges an agent parcel since July 2026
Until mid-2026, a parcel worth €150 or less paid no customs duty in the EU, only VAT. That exemption ended on 1 July 2026. For parcels up to €150 sent to consumers, the EU now charges a temporary flat duty of €3 for each different item category in the parcel. The European Council set it to run until 1 July 2028, after which normal tariffs are due to apply. Above €150, normal duty rates applied before and still do.
The word that matters is category. The duty follows the tariff sub-heading, not the number of pieces. A box of five identical T-shirts is one category and pays €3. A T-shirt, a pair of trainers and a cap are three categories and pay €9. That changes how mixed hauls are priced: a parcel with many small items of different kinds can now pay more duty than its value would suggest. The tool asks for the number of categories for this reason; when unsure, count clothing tops, trousers, footwear, bags, headwear and accessories separately.
Count categories, not items, when you estimate the €3 duty.
Why Italian buyers see bigger bills than they expect
Italy's standard IVA rate is 22%, one of the higher rates in the EU, and import IVA is charged on the goods, the shipping and the duty together. A haul with €90 of goods, €35 of shipping and two categories therefore pays €6 of duty and then 22% of €131 in IVA, about €28.82. If the parcel travels on a postal line rather than a tax-prepaid one, the carrier collects that at delivery and usually adds its own handling charge, which you can enter in the last field.
Two things are worth knowing on top of the maths. First, under-declaring the value to lower the bill risks the parcel being held and the true value being taxed anyway, and Italian customs can treat it as an administrative offence. Second, Italian law separately allows fines for buyers of trademark-infringing goods; that is explained on the Milan page and in Italian on the dogana page, and no calculator can price it.
For Italy, add roughly a quarter of the goods-plus-shipping total before you decide a haul is cheap.
IOSS and DDP lines versus postal lines
On an IOSS or DDP line, the agent's logistics partner collects duty and VAT when you pay for shipping and declares them on arrival, so the parcel should clear without a bill at your door. On a postal or standard courier line, the destination carrier handles customs and asks you to pay before delivery. The tax itself is the same either way; the differences are timing, the handling fee, and the risk of a parcel waiting at a depot while you sort out payment.
| Line type | When duty and VAT are paid | Typical extra | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tax-prepaid (IOSS / DDP) | At checkout with shipping | Usually none at the door | Parcels up to €150 into the EU |
| Postal line | To the carrier before delivery | Carrier handling fee | Buyers happy to pay at the door |
| Express courier | To the courier, often by link or on delivery | Courier disbursement fee | Speed, heavier parcels |
When the price difference is small, choose the tax-prepaid line and avoid the door bill.
United Kingdom and United States
For the UK, VAT at 20% on consignments up to £135 is charged at the point of sale, which for agent parcels means it appears in the shipping price of lines built for the UK. Above £135, VAT is collected at import and customs duty may also apply depending on the goods. The tool covers the VAT part only. For the US, duty-free treatment of low-value parcels ended in 2025, so most agent lines to the US now include duties in the price; our New York page explains the options.
Once you know the landed cost, compare agents on the same item with the Mulebuy alternatives guide, and keep your sizes straight with the size converter.
The UK and US build tax into the line price; the EU still leaves it to you to check.
Questions readers ask
Is the €3 charged per item?
No. It is charged per different item category (tariff sub-heading) in the parcel. Five identical T-shirts pay €3 once; a T-shirt, a hoodie and trainers usually pay €9.
Is VAT charged on the shipping too?
Yes. EU import VAT is calculated on the goods, the transport cost to the EU and the duty. That is why a cheap line can still produce a sizeable IVA bill in Italy.
What changes on an IOSS or DDP line?
Who pays and when. The duty and VAT are collected when you pay for shipping, so the carrier should not ask you for anything at delivery. The amounts are the same.
Does this tool include agent shipping prices?
No. Agent line prices change too often to hard-code. Enter the shipping you were actually quoted.
How long does the €3 rule last?
The EU set it as a temporary measure from 1 July 2026 until 1 July 2028, when normal tariffs are due to apply to low-value parcels.