Customs declarations and values explained

You declare the contents of each package yourself, and we make the customs invoice that travels with it from your declaration. Customs and the carrier work only from what you enter, so give a specific description, the real value and, for a shipment that crosses a customs border, the HS code of each type of item. For the steps, see How to declare package contents.

Your responsibility

• You are responsible for declaring your items correctly. We print what you enter and attach the invoice to the package.
• A vague or wrong declaration can lead to questions from the carrier or customs, delays, wrong charges or a refused shipment. Under our Terms, failing to meet import rules can also lead to penalties or seizure of the goods.
• Not sure what's inside the package? Order content photos before you declare. See Can I see what's inside my package?
• Check the declaration before you request dispatch. After that it is locked.

Item descriptions

• Write in English. Text in other scripts can be lost in the carrier's documents. On shipments from the Hong Kong warehouse, Hong Kong Customs accepts English descriptions only.
• Be specific. Say what the item is and, where it matters, what it is made of: "cotton T-shirt" or "wireless headphones", not "clothes" or "electronics". Vague words such as "samples", "gift", "spare parts" or "my personal item" aren't enough, and neither is a brand name or an order number alone. The form rejects some general words with Unacceptable Item Description. Please be more specific.
• One line per type of item, with its own quantity and value.
• Country of manufacture: all items are declared as made in China. If an item was made elsewhere, add the country code in square brackets to its description, for example cotton t-shirt [VN] for Vietnam or leather bag [IT] for Italy.

HS codes

For a shipment that crosses a customs border, for example from the EU to the USA, give the HS code of the destination country for every type of item. A missing code can delay the shipment, or we may have to cancel the dispatch request and ask you to add it. See HS codes: what they are and how to find yours.

Declared value

• Enter the value in US dollars, in the Price USD field. It is the total for the line, not the price per piece: for 3 pairs of shoes at $10 each, enter 30. The value must be more than 0.
• Declare the real price you paid. Correct values and HS codes make customs checks go more smoothly, but we can't predict or influence what customs decides.
• The declared value also counts if a package is lost or damaged: its value is the lower of your declaration and the invoices you provide. See Shipping insurance explained.
• Duties are often calculated from the value plus the shipping cost. See Customs duties and taxes explained.

Shipping cost on the customs invoice

The customs invoice attached to your package always shows a shipping cost, because customs expects it.

• By default, all our charges for the package are listed as lines after your items, for example the shipping cost, the dispatch fee, insurance and special requests such as a repack, because they are your cost for the shipment. They are added when you pay for the dispatch, so the preview shows them only after that.
• Your own shipping cost: tick Do not include Tiptrans expenses. Set your own shipping cost. and enter an amount. The invoice then shows only your item lines and your shipping cost, and nothing else, and we also give that amount to the courier as the freight charge.

The customs invoice

• It names Tiptrans as the shipper, with your name and the warehouse address, and your shipping address as the recipient. Invoices from your sellers are not used as the customs invoice. Even if you attach your own invoice, the customs invoice made from your declaration still goes with the package (see below). To have them taken out of the package, see How to request invoice removal from a package.
• ID numbers: to print a VAT, EORI or tax number (for example a Brazilian CPF) on the invoice, add it under Settings on the Account page: enter the Name of the ID and its Value, then click Save.
• Purpose: courier shipments are declared as gifts by default. If you need another purpose, for example a sale, contact us before you request dispatch.
• Preview: click Preview of customs invoice attached to package on the Content description tab. You can type changes into the preview and print it as a PDF for your own records, but nothing is saved, and the invoice we attach still follows your declaration.
• Many items: the generated invoice is designed for up to 20 types of items. For a longer list, consider attaching your own invoice as well.

Using your own invoice

You can send your own invoice with the package, but it travels in addition to the customs invoice made from your declaration; it doesn't replace it. See Invoices and labels in the box: remove them or add your own.

Checklist before you request dispatch

• Every type of item has its own line with a specific description in English.
• If the shipment enters another customs area, every line has the HS code that applies in the destination country.
• Each value is the total you paid for that line, in USD.
• Items not made in China carry their country code, for example [VN].
• If you set your own shipping cost, the invoice preview shows the right amount.
• Any document you want to send with the package is ordered with Attach documents, and your declaration matches your own invoice.

If a carrier or customs asks for more details after the package has shipped, see Customs asked for information: what to do.