Parcel Forwarding from the UK to Germany
TL;DR: Send2Hub gives you a free UK address to shop any UK retailer and forward your purchases to Germany. German VAT (MwSt) is 19% for most goods. Parcels valued at €150 or below pay a flat EU duty of €3 per item category, and from 1 November 2026 an EU handling fee of €2 per item applies at any value. When you ship with Royal Mail, these import charges are paid upfront before dispatch. Free consolidation typically cuts shipping costs by 40 to 60%.
Germany is one of the largest ecommerce markets in Europe and home to a significant community of UK expats and British brand enthusiasts. Many popular UK retailers do not ship directly to Germany, or charge high international delivery fees that make individual purchases impractical. Send2Hub gives you a real UK delivery address at our secure warehouse in Stoke-on-Trent. Shop any UK retailer, consolidate your purchases to save on shipping costs, and we forward everything to your address in Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Cologne or anywhere in Germany, with full post-Brexit customs support on every shipment.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: EU CUSTOMS CHANGES IN 2026
Since 1 July 2026, the EU has removed the €150 customs duty exemption for low-value imports. B2C parcels from the UK to Germany valued at €150 or below now pay a flat EU customs duty of €3 per item category (HS code line), in addition to German VAT. Parcels above €150 pay standard EU duty rates. From 1 November 2026, the EU also adds a handling fee of €2 per item, at any parcel value.
When you ship to Germany with Royal Mail, import charges are paid upfront:
Step 1: You pay for your shipment as normal through your Send2Hub account.
Step 2: After payment, you receive a separate notification with the calculated import charge for your specific shipment.
Step 3: Your parcel is dispatched to Germany once the import charge has been paid.
With other carriers, import charges are not paid upfront and may be collected from the recipient on delivery. The €3 duty is a temporary EU measure in place until 1 July 2028. If you have any questions about the charges for your specific shipment, please contact us via send2hub.com/contact-us before requesting your shipment.
Shop Any UK Retailer and Ship to Germany
Your free Send2Hub UK address gives you access to the full range of UK online retail, including stores that do not offer direct shipping to Germany. Popular UK brands that Send2Hub customers in Germany regularly shop include ASOS, Next, Marks & Spencer, Boots, The Body Shop, Barbour, Hunter, Ted Baker, John Lewis, Amazon UK and many more. Use your Send2Hub address at checkout as you would any UK delivery address. Your parcel arrives at our warehouse, is automatically photographed, weighed and measured on arrival, and full details appear in your real-time account dashboard immediately.
Save money with parcel consolidation. Hold multiple UK purchases in free temporary storage and combine them into a single outbound shipment before forwarding to Germany. Consolidation typically reduces international shipping costs by 40 to 60% and simplifies customs: one shipment, one customs declaration, one delivery. For parcels valued at €150 or below, each item category in a combined shipment is charged the €3 duty once. Learn more on our parcel consolidation page.
If a UK retailer does not accept your German payment card or does not offer international checkout, our Shop & Ship service can purchase items on your behalf.
For Businesses: UK Returns Address for German Sellers
If you sell on Amazon UK, eBay UK, Shopify or any other UK marketplace from Germany, a UK returns address is essential for maintaining competitive seller ratings and meeting marketplace requirements. Send2Hub provides a professional UK returns address at our Stoke-on-Trent warehouse. Every return is automatically received and photographed on arrival, with details and an image in your real-time account dashboard the same day. Returns can be held in free temporary storage for consolidation before being re-shipped back to Germany in a single cost-effective shipment. Learn more on our e-commerce returns management page.
UK to Germany Customs: Post-Brexit Guide
Since Brexit, the UK is treated as a third country by EU customs authorities. All goods shipped from the UK to Germany are subject to EU import rules, including customs duties and German VAT (Mehrwertsteuer, MwSt). German customs is administered by the Zoll (German Customs). Understanding the current rules is essential to avoid unexpected charges and delays.
Customs Duties on UK Imports
Parcels valued at €150 or below pay a flat EU duty of €3 per item category (HS code line). For example, a parcel with clothing and a book pays €6. Parcels above €150 pay standard EU duty rates, which vary by product category and are calculated using the EU harmonised tariff system (HS codes); rates for common consumer goods typically range from 0% to 12%. Goods that genuinely originate in the UK may qualify for zero or reduced duty rates under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), provided accurate documentation and a statement of origin are included. Goods manufactured outside the UK and forwarded via Send2Hub do not qualify for TCA preferential rates. Use our worldwide customs duty estimator for an indication of duty and VAT.
EU Handling Fee from 1 November 2026
From 1 November 2026, the EU adds a Union handling fee of €2 per item on goods sold at a distance to EU consumers from outside the EU. It applies at any parcel value, on top of customs duty and MwSt. Sources differ on exactly how an item is counted, so do not assume that combining parcels reduces this fee. Our customs duty estimator does not include it, so add it separately. The same date makes Product Identifiers mandatory on EU customs declarations, explained in our guide to EU Product Identifiers. For the full picture, see our guide to the 2026 EU customs changes.
German VAT (Mehrwertsteuer, MwSt)
German MwSt applies to goods imported from the UK at the standard rate of 19% for most goods. A reduced rate of 7% applies to certain categories including books, food and cultural items. MwSt is calculated on the value of the shipment including shipping costs plus any applicable customs duty. The EU Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) scheme lets some sellers collect VAT at checkout, but only when they ship directly to an EU address. Purchases delivered to your UK Send2Hub address and then forwarded to Germany are imported by you, so VAT is charged on import.
Required Documentation
Standard documentation for customs clearance in Germany includes a commercial invoice with accurate item descriptions, HS codes, declared values and country of origin, a packing list and an air waybill or bill of lading. For commercial imports, an EORI number is required. Send2Hub prepares all standard customs export documentation for every outbound shipment from our UK warehouse. Keep your order confirmations and product links until your parcel has cleared customs, as they help if any product details need confirming.
Restricted and Prohibited Items
Germany follows EU import restrictions. Prohibited or restricted items include weapons and ammunition, controlled substances, counterfeit goods, certain food and agricultural products and goods not meeting EU product safety standards. Visit our prohibited and restricted items page for full details.
Delivery Times from UK to Germany
DHL Express: typically 2 to 3 business days. DHL is headquartered in Germany and offers exceptional coverage across the country with full tracking.
DPD: typically 2 to 4 business days, with strong European coverage, precise tracking and an excellent German delivery network.
FedEx International: typically 2 to 4 business days, reliable express with comprehensive tracking.
UPS Worldwide: typically 3 to 5 business days, strong for business shipments with detailed tracking.
Royal Mail / Parcelforce: typically 3 to 7 business days, a cost-effective option for lighter shipments. With Royal Mail, import charges for Germany are paid upfront, so nothing is due on delivery.
Transit times are estimates, not guarantees, and exclude customs clearance. Use our shipping cost calculator to compare live rates across all available carriers.
Frequently Asked Questions: UK to Germany Shipping
Can I shop UK retailers that don't ship to Germany?
Yes. Your free Send2Hub UK address gives you access to any UK retailer, including those that only ship domestically within the UK. Use your Send2Hub address at checkout, your parcel arrives at our Stoke-on-Trent warehouse and we forward it to Germany. If a UK retailer does not accept your German payment card, our Shop & Ship service can purchase items on your behalf.
What customs charges apply when shipping from UK to Germany?
German MwSt of 19% for most goods, plus customs duty: a flat €3 per item category for parcels valued at €150 or below, or standard EU rates (typically 0 to 12%) above €150. From 1 November 2026, an EU handling fee of €2 per item also applies at any value. Use our customs duty estimator for duty and VAT, and add the handling fee separately.
Do I pay import charges upfront or on delivery?
It depends on the carrier. With Royal Mail, import charges for Germany are paid upfront: after you pay for shipping, you receive a separate notification with the charge, and your parcel is dispatched once it is paid. With other carriers, import charges are not paid upfront and may be collected from the recipient on delivery.
What is the €2 EU handling fee?
From 1 November 2026, the EU charges a Union handling fee of €2 per item on goods sold at a distance to EU consumers from outside the EU, at any parcel value and on top of duty and VAT. It is not included in our customs duty estimator, and you should not assume consolidation reduces it.
Do UK-origin goods qualify for reduced duty under the UK-EU Trade Agreement?
Yes, for goods that genuinely originate in the UK. The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) provides zero or reduced customs duty rates for qualifying UK-origin goods with proper documentation. Goods manufactured outside the UK and forwarded via Send2Hub do not qualify for TCA preferential rates.
Can I consolidate multiple orders before shipping to Germany?
Yes. Hold multiple parcels in free temporary storage and combine them into a single outbound shipment, typically saving 40 to 60% on shipping costs and simplifying customs clearance. Free storage: 30 days Individual, 45 days Business, 60 days Premium. One consolidated shipment means one customs declaration, and for parcels valued at €150 or below each item category is charged the €3 duty once.
Which is the best carrier for shipping from UK to Germany?
DHL is particularly well suited for Germany given its headquarters and extensive domestic network there. DPD also offers excellent German coverage. For business shipments, UPS provides strong tracking and reliable delivery across all German states. Royal Mail is a cost-effective choice for lighter parcels and lets you pay import charges upfront. Compare all available rates and transit times using our shipping cost calculator.
Ready to start shopping UK retailers and shipping to Germany? Register free and get your UK address in under two minutes. Questions? Get in touch with our team.