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What you may pay on an AliExpress order in Germany
| Charge | What the sources say | Who collects it |
|---|---|---|
| Import duty (up to €150) | German Customs: since 1 July 2026, a flat €3 duty for each product category in a parcel worth up to €150. It applies even if you ordered before that date, as long as the goods enter the EU after it. | Usually the carrier, who pays it to Customs and collects it from you. Check the seller’s terms too, because the duty may already be in the price. |
| Import VAT | 19%, or 7% on some goods such as food and books, per German Customs. Under IOSS, VAT is already in the seller’s final invoice. | The seller at checkout (IOSS), or the carrier at delivery. |
| Carrier service fee | Customs says carriers usually charge a service fee for declaring the parcel and paying the charges. Deutsche Post/DHL says its fee is €7.50 gross, charged only when import charges are collected. | Your carrier. Check its terms. |
| Storage at customs | If a parcel is sent to a customs office, German Customs says parcels are held for 9 days, then returned to the sender, with storage costs of at least €5 from day 10. | Customs. |
German Customs says consumers generally have no extra obligations for the flat duty in practice, because the carrier normally handles the declaration and pays the charges in advance.
The €3 duty in plain terms
- Per product category, not per item. German Customs’ example: four pairs of socks is one category, so €3. Four pairs of socks, a soft toy and a phone charging cable is three categories, so €9.
- Check the seller’s terms. Customs advises checking whether the flat duty is already included in the price or whether the buyer handles customs.
- Parcels over €150. Duty is calculated by the customs tariff, based on the total value including postage.
- How long. The European Commission says the flat duty runs until 1 July 2028. The EU rule in full.
IOSS: when the VAT is already in your price
German Customs says that if the non-EU seller is registered in the EU’s Import One Stop Shop (IOSS) and uses it, no additional import VAT is charged at Customs on goods worth up to €150. The seller pays the VAT through that scheme, so it’s usually already in the seller’s final invoice. The customs declaration is still required, and the carrier normally does it for you, and may charge a service fee. We couldn’t verify whether a particular AliExpress seller uses IOSS, so check your checkout total for a tax line.
Two worked examples
These are illustrations built from the sources above, not quotes.
| Order with VAT in the price (IOSS) | Order without IOSS, carrier collects | |
|---|---|---|
| Goods and shipping | €12.00 | €12.00 |
| VAT | Already in the €12 | 19% on €15 = €2.85 |
| Flat duty (1 category) | €3.00, paid by the seller or carrier | €3.00 |
| Carrier service fee | Ask your carrier | €7.50 (Deutsche Post’s stated fee) |
| Extra on delivery | Ask your carrier | €13.35 |
The second column shows how a €12 order could carry over €13 of charges. The Verbraucherzentrale (a German consumer organisation), quoted by ZDFheute, gave a similar example: a €7 phone case could reach about €20 with duty and fees.
When your parcel goes to the customs office
- Why. German Customs says a Deutsche Post parcel may be sent to a customs office if the post can’t submit the declaration because information about value, contents or the importer is missing or looks wrong.
- What to do. Contact the office named in your notice quickly. Options include collecting it, self-declaring online through Customs’ IPK service for parcels up to €150, or having it cleared from home.
- Deadlines. Parcels are held for 9 days and then returned to the sender, and storage costs start on day 10.
- Documents. Bring the notice and proof of the full purchase price including postage, such as an invoice or payment receipt.
Watch out for fake fee messages
German Customs has a warning page about fraud attempts, including phishing emails and fake notices. If you receive a payment request you don’t recognise, go to your carrier’s official website instead of following the link.
Items with extra rules
- Alcohol, tobacco, coffee. German Customs says excise duty applies regardless of value.
- E-cigarette liquids. Tobacco substitutes such as e-cigarette liquids must carry a valid German tax stamp when imported, per Customs.
- Restricted goods. Parcels containing goods subject to bans or restrictions can’t use the simple self-declaration route, per Customs.
We haven’t verified rules for specific product categories beyond these. Ask your carrier or Customs before ordering an unusual item.
Delivery to Germany
- How long. Refundy, a cashback company, gives 2026 planning ranges of 12 to 22 days for standard shipping and 7 to 14 days for premium to Germany, France and the Netherlands, and calls the region generally fast and predictable. Shipping times in detail.
- Shipping from the EU. Listings that ship from within the EU can avoid import duty, per Dutch Customs’ EU guidance, if the parcel was already stored in the EU before you ordered. Shipping methods.
Payment and your rights
- Pay through AliExpress checkout. What Buyer Protection covers.
- Consumer rights. AliExpress cites a 2-year legal conformity warranty and a 14-day right to return in most EU countries. Check the current terms for your order.
- Credit card. Cards give an extra safety net. Payment methods compared.
- Fake goods and safety. The European Commission fined AliExpress €550 million under the Digital Services Act in July 2026. Is AliExpress legit?
How to see the real cost before you pay
- Set your delivery country to Germany and select your exact variant.
- Add the item to your cart and read the total, including any VAT or duty lines.
- Count the product categories in your cart. Each adds €3 for a non-EU parcel up to €150.
- Check whether the listing ships from within the EU.
- Ask what your carrier charges for handling. Compare with a second listing. Search for a second store.
Before you pay: Germany checklist
- ☐ I’ve set my delivery country and read the total, including any tax lines.
- ☐ I know each product category adds €3 duty on parcels up to €150.
- ☐ I’ve checked whether VAT is already included.
- ☐ I’ve allowed for a possible carrier service fee.
- ☐ I know a parcel at the customs office has a 9-day deadline.
- ☐ I’m paying through AliExpress checkout, ideally with a credit card.
Ready to shop?
Before you order to Germany, open the listing on AliExpress, set your delivery country and select your exact variant to see the delivery date and any tax lines in the total. Add the item to your cart to check what is already included, and search AliExpress for a second listing, ideally one that ships from within the EU, to compare the full cost.
Where to go next
- AliExpress Netherlands: will you pay VAT and the €3 duty?
- AliExpress customs and import taxes explained
- AliExpress shipping times: how long does it really take?
- AliExpress free shipping: what’s the catch?
- AliExpress Buyer Protection: what’s covered before you pay
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay customs on AliExpress orders in Germany?
Yes, in most cases. Since 1 July 2026, German Customs applies a flat €3 duty per product category on parcels worth up to €150 from outside the EU, plus import VAT of 19% or 7%.
Is the VAT included in the AliExpress price?
It can be. If the seller uses the EU’s IOSS scheme, German Customs says the VAT is usually already in the seller’s final invoice. Check your checkout total.
What is the €7.50 fee from Deutsche Post?
Deutsche Post/DHL calls it an Auslagepauschale, a service fee of €7.50 gross for handling customs on your behalf. It says the fee applies only when import charges are collected.
How long will customs hold my parcel?
German Customs says parcels sent to a customs office are held for 9 days and then returned to the sender, with storage costs of at least €5 from day 10.
Do I need to be at home to clear it?
Not necessarily. Customs offers clearance from home and an online self-declaration service (IPK) for parcels up to €150, with registration required.
The bottom line
Expect a €3 duty per product category on AliExpress parcels to Germany, plus 19% VAT that may already be in your price and a carrier service fee if the carrier collects charges. Read the checkout total, prefer listings that ship from within the EU, and respond quickly if a parcel is sent to a customs office.
Check current prices on AliExpress →
Sources
- Zoll (German Customs): Internetbestellungen (in German)
- Zoll: Wegfall der 150-Euro-Zollfreigrenze ab 1. Juli (press release, in German)
- DHL Paket: Hilfe zu Einfuhrabgaben (courier; in German)
- Verbraucherzentrale: Zoll und E-Commerce (in German; read as a search summary)
- ZDFheute: Zoll beim Online-Shopping, was sich ab 1. Juli 2026 ändert (in German; search summary)
- European Commission: €3 customs duty for low-value parcels (29 June 2026)
- Dutch Customs: Extra costs for online orders (EU-stored parcels)
- European Commission: Commission fines AliExpress €550 million under the Digital Services Act
- Refundy: How long does AliExpress shipping take? (Aug 2026, cashback vendor)
- AliExpress: Buyer Protection
German and EU customs rules, rates and carrier fees change. Check the total at checkout and the Zoll website before you pay.
