General
Norwegian Customs makes demands of both carriers and senders/recipients when importing/exporting consignments of goods.
The Post Office holds customs warehouse authorisation from Norwegian Customs. It regulates all the liabilities and obligations which the Post Office fulfil when importing/exporting all consignments which the Post Office conveys for its customers. In addition, the Post Office offers to carry out actual customs clearance on behalf of its customers.
The customer undertakes to familiarise himself with rules relating to sending and receiving consignments from abroad. In addition, the customer must ensure that correct documentation is provided with the consignment so that forwarding goes quickly and correctly.
Duty and charge-free consignments
Consignments from abroad with a value of up to NOK 200, along with gift consignments from private individual to private individual valued at up to NOK 1000 are free of duty and charges, with certain exceptions.
Simplified customs clearance
All consignments of goods of a value in excess of NOK 200 must undergo customs clearance when imported. That is to say, value-added tax always has to be paid, while most groups of items are duty-free. To keep customs clearance as simple and as reasonable as possible, the Post Office has created a simplified customs clearance solution for consignments valued at NOK 200 and 1000 to private individuals. This solution has been approved by Norwegian Customs and can be used for most goods.
This means that:
Regular customs clearance
Consignments of a value in excess of NOK 1000, subject to restrictions and/or special charges (such as tobacco goods and alcoholic drinks) must pass customs clearance in the usual way, i.e. via the Norwegian Customs electronic system TVINN.
The Post Office
calculates the basic charge for your consignment as soon as it arrives from abroad. The consignment is then sent on as soon as possible to your local delivery office. You authorise the Post Office to carry out customs clearance when you pay the Cash on Delivery amount for the consignment and acknowledge receipt of it.
Export customs clearance
Export customs clearance is included in the price of shipping for all parcel products going abroad. This does not apply to letter products, so here customs clearance costs will be extra if the Post Office has to carry out export customs clearance for you.
NOK 217,- Customs clearance per commission when the Post Office carries out customs clearance for you.
NOK 110,- Handling of own customs clearance and customs warehouse cost*.
NOK 110,- Simplified customs clearance per commission.
NOK 441,- Customs refund (per application).
* This price covers costs relating to statutory tasks which the Post Office has to carry out: arrival processing, registration of the consignment and mandatory customs warehouse accounts for Norwegian Customs.
Customs clearance Private
Many private individuals feel that customs clearance of goods is both awkward and expensive. Therefore, the Post Office has created a simplified customs clearance solution for consignments to private individuals. The new Post Office solution has been made possible by authorisation from Norwegian Customs. Consignments subject to restrictions or special charges (such as tobacco goods and alcoholic drinks) or valued at over NOK 1 000 are excepted from the requirement and must pass customs clearance as before.
Private import of goods valued at NOK 200 – 1000
Question 1:
What does “Simplified customs clearance” mean to me?
Answer:
Norwegian Customs has granted the Post Office permission to simplify the statutory customs clearance of consignments to private individuals valued at NOK 200-1000. This means that:
Question 2:
I think my consignment is exempt from customs clearance because today’s exchange rate at the bank indicates that the consignment is worth less than NOK 200. Why has the Post Office used a different exchange rate that pushes the value up to over NOK 200?
Answer:
For all customs clearance, Norwegian Customs uses a separate exchange rate (conversion rate) which is calculated on the basis of the currency exchange rate at Norges Bank. This conversion rate is valid for one week at a time and is generally published on the Thursday of the preceding week. This is because importers have to be able to predict what fees they will have to pay in duty and charges. To check what the customs clearance charge will be for your consignment, therefore, you have to monitor the Norwegian Customs conversion rates, which can be found at www.toll.no.
Question 3:
The value of the goods in my consignment is only a little above NOK 200, including postage. The Post Office has to realise that postage should not be included in the basic amount when working out the charge-free limit of NOK 200. Why can the Post Office not be a little more service-minded and delivery my consignment without charges?
Answer:
The Post Office must stick to the Norwegian Customs rules and is not given the opportunity to exercise discretion when assessing the charge-free limit of NOK 200. When assessing whether a consignment can be delivered charge-free, the postage must be stated clearly on the invoice/consignment documents provided with the consignment. If the postage is not specified, the Post Office is then not entitled to deduct this amount from the total value. To have the consignment delivered charge-free, you have to ask the sender to send you an invoice specifying the postage. If you send this to the Post Office in time, the status of the consignment can be changed and then it can be delivered charge-free. For the Post Office to give you the service you expect, you yourself have to ensure that your sender abroad specifies the postage on the invoice/consignment documents provided with the consignment.
Question 4:
Why does the Post Office pay for “Simplified customs clearance”?
Answer: The price covers costs relating to statutory tasks which the Post Office has to carry out: arrival processing, registration of the consignment and mandatory customs warehouse accounts for Norwegian Customs.
Question 5:
I organise my own customs clearance for consignments at the moment. Could I benefit from “simplified customs clearance”?
Answer:
You can now carry out simple, effective customs clearance by using the Post Office’s simplified customs clearance. When you pay for and acknowledge receipt of a consignment, it is declared for customs and you can then use it. This means you will not have to carry out customs clearance on the Internet or with Norwegian Customs.
Question 6: Is it still cheaper to carry out your own customs clearance on consignments valued at NOK 200 – 1000?
Answer:
No, doing your own customs clearance and simplified customs clearance cost the same.
Question 7:
Why do I have to pay VAT on this item?
Answer: You have to pay VAT on goods you import in the same way that you pay it on goods you buy in Norway.
Question 8:
Why do I have to pay duty on this item?
Answer:
Most groups of goods are duty-free at present. Individual goods such as clothing and bedlinen produced outside the EU are still subject to duty. In the case of “Simplified customs clearance”, a duty rate of 10 % (set by Norwegian Customs) is applied.
Question 9:
Can the pick up deadline be extended?
Answer:
No. The consignment has to be picked up within 14 days to prevent it from being returned.
Question 10:
Are there any kinds of goods that are not covered by “Simplified customs clearance”?
Answer:
Goods subject to restrictions or special charges (such as tobacco goods and alcoholic drinks) are excepted from the requirement.
Question 11:
The duty/VAT may be calculated incorrectly. What should I do?
Answer:
The specification of goods and their value applied to/sent with the consignment forms the basis for the calculation of charges. If you can document the fact that the value specification is incorrect and require a new calculation, contact us as soon as you receive the pick up notification, or at the latest 2 days before the pick up deadline. You can get in touch with Customer Service Overseas on tel. 23 147600, Monday-Friday 08.00 – 16.00.
Question 12:
Where do I find details of the value from which charges have been calculated?
Answer:
The calculation data is worked out from consignment documents supplied and is stated on the invoice which we send you. This invoice is included with the consignment, and the data can be seen when you pick up the consignment. You can also contact us on tel. 23 147600.
Question 13:
Can I have these kinds of consignments delivered to the door?
Answer:
You can order our “To the Door” service as soon as you have received a pick up notification. The best way to order this is to go to www.posten.no
Question 14:
I have received a gift consignment from abroad for which you have calculated charges.
Answer:
The definition of a gift consignment is that it has to be from a private individual to you privately. With the exception of certain goods, such as alcohol and tobacco goods, no VAT or other charges will be calculated on a gift consignment if the value of the contents is less than NOK 1000.
Question 15:
I have ordered books from abroad and have to pay VAT. Why is that?
Answer:
Books to end users are normally charge-free. If your consignment contains other goods which are not specified in the customs documentation, it is correct that you should pay VAT for the consignment, or the contents of the consignment, i.e. on any books that may be in the consignment as well.
Question 16:
I do not want to pick up the consignment which has come to me from abroad. Do I have to pay the charges, and what do I do?
Answer:
No, you do not have to pay charges. The consignment will be returned after 14 days if you do not do anything. If you want the consignment to be returned before the 14 days are up, you have to write “Return, refused to accept” on the pick up notification and send this to the Post Office. The sender will be charged return postage for parcels.
Question 17:
Where can I find more information on “Simplified customs clearance?
Answer:
You can contact us on tel. 810 00 710.
Question 18:
Where can I find more information on customs rules?
Answer:
Information can be found at www.toll.no.
Regular customs clearance
If you cannot find the answer to your question, you are welcome to contact Customer Service Overseas on tel. 23 14 76 00 or at ksutland@posten.no. For general queries on customs, please see also: www.toll.no.
Here are the most frequently asked question.
Question 1:
I think the charge has been calculated incorrectly. What should I do?
Answer A:
If you think the Post Office has made an error, contact Customer Service Overseas. If you are right, of course we will make sure we put it right.
Answer B:
If the charge has been calculated incorrectly but the Post Office is not to blame, you have the following options:
Question 2:
Why do I have to give the Post Office authorisation for customs clearance of the consignment when I do not need to give authorisation in other instances?
Answer:
In some cases, the sender has paid the customs clearance cost and hence given the Post Office customs clearance authorisation. When the sender has not paid the customs clearance cost, this cost will be passed on in full to the importer. This means that when the Post Office has to provide customs clearance for the consignment, we have to have customs clearance authorisation from the importer as we are acting on behalf of the importer for Norwegian Customs. Such authorisation is specified in the delivery attachment you receive and normally has to be given the first time you receive this kind of consignment from the Post Office.
Question 3:
What happens when I give the Post Office customs clearance authorisation?
Answer:
You provide approval of the charge calculation carried out by the Post Office, and at the same time you give the Post Office permission for customs clearance of your future consignments to be transported by the Post Office. This customs clearance authorisation can be withdrawn at any time: see the answer to question 4.
Question 4:
What happens if I do not give the Post Office customs clearance authorisation, or if I withdraw this?
Answer:
Then you have to carry out customs clearance of the consignment yourself, produce acknowledgement of customs clearance to the Post Office and pay for handling of own customs clearance before the consignment can be delivered to you. Your future consignments will then be retained until you produce acknowledgement of customs clearance to the Post Office. Note that you have to pay the price of handling of own customs clearance before the consignment will be delivered to you. For details, see prices.
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