Shipping from United States to France
Mostly Amazon, eBay and Etsy purchases. Transit is fast but customs charges are the norm rather than the exception, because US sellers rarely collect EU VAT at checkout.
How long it takes
| Standard shipping | 7–18 days by postal service |
| Express courier | 2–5 days by DHL, FedEx or UPS |
Door-to-door including customs. The gap between the two rows is mostly flight frequency and clearance priority, not distance.
Customs and taxes
VAT from the first euro; customs duty above €150
Unlike large marketplaces, individual US sellers are usually not IOSS-registered, so VAT and a handling fee are collected on arrival.
Who carries it
- USPS
20 to 22 digits, or UPU format ending in US
- UPS
1Z + 16 alphanumeric characters
- FedEx
12, 15 or 20 digits
- Colissimo
13 characters, usually starting 6A or 8R, or UPU format ending in FR
- DHL
10 digits (Express), or JJD / JVGL prefix (eCommerce)
What to expect on this route
- Courier shipments clear faster than postal ones but the brokerage fee charged by the courier is often higher than the tax itself.
- Gifts between individuals under €45 are exempt, but the declaration must say so.