Do you expect mail from abroad?
- How can I learn that the mail crossed the border of the Czech Republic?
- What will happen with the mail after its arrival to the Czech Republic?
- Can the Czech Post act as my clearance agent?
- Pricelist for Customs Declaration Services
- How does the customs clearance procedure look like?
- Most frequent reasons for importation
- Can there be any complications?
- How can I deliver the necessary documents?
- Countries of origin which do not require customs clearance
Do you want to order goods abroad, or get mail from a friend or business partner abroad? Is it something completely new for you?
Thanks to the Internet, ordering goods abroad, most often from the United States, has become a phenomenon these days. In practice, there are two basic ways how to do it:
- you can order goods directly at the online shop - providing that the shop offers mailing to the Czech Republic, or
- you can use the services of agent companies; they will buy the goods you want (also from more than one online shops at once) and mail all the goods in one package to the Czech Republic.
How can I learn that the mail crossed the border of the Czech Republic?
If you have received the posting number (reference code) of the mail from the sender, you can check the current status of the mail on the website of the postal operator (providing that the service is provided by the operator). The service would be most likely referred to as T&T (Track and Trace). As soon as the mail arrives to the Czech Republic, you can find information on certain types of mail (EMS, Standard Parcel, Insured Parcel) on our website, in the section Track&Trace. You can check the status of the mail by entering either the original reference code of the country of posting or the posting number assigned to it in the Czech Republic.
What will happen with the mail after its arrival to the Czech Republic?
It depends on the country of origin:
- Consignments from Member States of the European Union do not require customs clearance; they will pass through the sorting procedure and will be directed to the addressee.
- Consignments from other countries will be directed to the Post Office of Exchange Prague 120, Plzeňská 139/290, Prague 5 - Košíře, and go through the customs clearance procedure:
- consignments which are not subject to duty will be released for delivery, or
- consignments which are subject to duty will be cleared, i.e. the customs officers will calculate the duty plus VAT or only the VAT (the latter applies to goods which are exempt from duty but have a value equal to or greater than EUR 22), or
- the consignment will be deposited in the customs warehouse and the addressee will get a Notice of the Arrival of Mail from Abroad asking for additional details about the consignment.
- As soon as the prescribed formalities are complied with, the consignment will be released and directed to the delivery post office for delivery.
Can the Czech Post act as my clearance agent?
The Czech Post can present consignments containing goods imported from non-European Union countries along with the relevant declaration forms for customs clearance on behalf of its customers once they have authorised the former to act as their clearance agent (Authorisation Form (pdf, 91 kB)). Once authorised, the Czech Post will become the partner in all communication with the Customs Administration, even if necessary to apply remedial measures (appeals, renewed clearance procedure, etc.).
The Czech Post acts as clearance agent for its customers (recipients of consignments) for the purpose of release of the goods contained in the consignments into the relevant customs regime (mostly free circulation regime) and assessment of customs duty and/or VAT on the value of the goods. The consignment will be delivered to the addressee after completion of the clearance procedure. The assessed duty will be paid by the Czech Post to the Customs Administration and collected from the recipient - along with administrative fees, if any, and the fee for presentation of the goods for clearance and services of clearance agent - on delivery of the consignment.
Customers who decide not to authorise the Czech Post to act as their clearance agent will have to arrive in person to the Post Office Prague 120, Plzeňská 290/139, Prague 5, and file a customs declaration form with the local customs officials. The customer becomes a party to the customs clearance procedure and has to prove all facts relevant for release of the goods into the proposed customs regime. This includes presentation of evidence relating to the goods, in particular evidence of the customs value of the goods.
Regardless of whether you are a regular or occasional importer, you can still use the Authorisation Form (pdf, 91 kB) to authorise us to act as your clearance agent. This authorisation applies only to customs clearance of consignments and remains valid until revoked. If you decide to use our services as clearance agent, complete the form and send it by post to our Customs Declaration Department at Česká pošta, s.p., Oddělení celní deklarace, Plzeňská 290/139, Praha 5, 220 00, or scan it and send it by email to cd-praha120@cpost.cz. Received authorisations will be archived in accordance with the Record Keeping Rules of the Czech Post.
THE PROCESS OF PREPARATION FOR CLEARANCE (pdf, 63 kB)
Pricelist for Customs Declaration Services
The prices for customs declaration services and relating additional services and surcharges are quoted exclusive of VAT. This does does not apply to the Public Consultancy Service the price for which is quoted both exclusive and inclusive of VAT.
Non-commercial goods
| Customs clearance of consignments for release into free circulation | |
|---|---|
| Customs clearance of one consignment - Administrative Document (AD) | CZK 96.00 |
| Customs clearance of one consignment - Single Administrative Document (SAD) | CZK 180.00 |
Other customs declaration services provided by the Czech Post
| Extra charge for guaranteed clearance within 8 hours (requested by the customer) | CZK 500.00 | |
| - The service is available with recorded consignments, which are physically (the Track&Trace status “Consignment in the status of preparation for customs clearance”) present at the Post Office Prague 120.- The service is offered on working days between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., the 8-hour period of time runs only within these hours.- The service will be provided on request sent - together with all documentation necessary for customs clearance - to the email address:osobne-Praha120@cpost.cz and quoting the consignment ID.- Not charged if the time limit is exceeded.- Czech Post reserves the right to refuse to provide the service in exceptional cases. | ||
| Phytosanitary check - sampling* | CZK 100.00 | |
| Veterinary check - sampling* | CZK 100.00 | |
| Above-standard handling (requested by the customer) due to an above-limit quantity contained in the consignment* | CZK 150.00 | |
| EUR1 (Preference Document) (charge per document) | CZK 200.00 | |
| Storage of goods in interim warehouse (from the 15th day inclusive, charge per calendar day) | CZK 10.00 | |
| Public Consultancy Service | Price excl. VAT | Price incl. VAT |
|---|---|---|
| (per hour or part thereof) | CZK 300.00 | CZK 360.00 |
* Charge(s) for other services (if any) will be billed in full, as incurred by the Czech Post (e.g. decision by the Municipal Veterinary Administration to dispose of prohibited contents, above-limit contents, disposal-related costs, administrative fees).
How does the customs clearance procedure look like?
Consignments from non-EU countries first go through a decision-making procedure in order to decide:
- whether those provisions of customs regulations which provide for relief from import duty and VAT can be applied, or
- whether the consignment is subject to customs clearance and customs duty; in this case the consignment, along with a customs declaration and application for release into customs regime form, must be presented for customs clearance (if you are not sure how to fill in the customs declaration form, you can use the services of a clearance agent, provided by the Czech Post as well as other companies).
Consignments free of import duty and VAT
Consignments which are subject to the provisions on relief from import duty (Council Regulation (EC) No. 1186/2009, setting up a Community system of reliefs from customs duty)
- Consignments sent from a third country by one private individual to another private individual living in the customs territory of the Community which comply with the conditions for relief from import duties (importations which are not of commercial nature, up to a value of EUR 45 per consignment - Articles 25 to 27 of the EC Regulation No. 1186/2009). These consignments will be delivered to you.
- Consignments made up of goods of negligible value (in the meaning of Article 23 of the EC Regulation No. 1186/2009), which comply with the conditions for relief from import duties or from VAT (in the meaning of the VAT Act No. 235/2004 Coll., as amended). The duty-free limit of EUR 150 has been reduced to the current EUR 22 under the amended VAT Act valid from April 1st, 2011. These consignments will be delivered to you.
Consignments liable to import duty and VAT
Consignments which are subject to customs regime in the meaning of Articles 59 to 75 of the Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2913/1992 ("Community Customs Code")
If the declared value of your consignment does not comply with the conditions for relief from import duty or VAT, we will file a customs declaration form with the customs and ask for release of the goods for delivery. The customs officers will calculate the customs duty and/or VAT and the consignment, along with the relevant documents, will be delivered to you against payment (similar procedure to COD consignments) of the customs duty and/or VAT plus the fee for presentation of the goods for clearance, services of clearance agent and other fees, if any.
Should you have already authorised us to act as your clearance agent and your dutiable consignment complies with all formalities (duly completed declaration form, plus additional necessary documents, if any), we will automatically (without contacting you) present the consignment for customs clearance and deliver it to the given address.
If you are a regular importer of goods, information on the arrival of mail from abroad is available free of charge also in electronic format. Just download the Application Form (doc, 58 kB)and send it (in DOC, JPG or PDF format) to sklad.praha120@cpost.cz, or by fax to +420 257 213 734, or deliver it by mail or in person to the Post Office Prague 120, Plzeňská 139, 220 00 Prague 5 - Košíře.
Most frequent reasons for importation
Personal belongings and household effects (relocation)
You will have to produce evidence of the property having been used at your usual place of residence in a third country for at least 6 months before the end of your stay in the third country, or of your unbroken residence in a third country for 12 months, as follows: a copy of your passport with a visa, or a copy of your lease contract for a flat (house) in the third country, or a certificate issued by a state authority in the third country. Furthermore, a list of the relocated property and a recipient's statement to confirm that the property had been used in the third country for at least 6 months before its import from the third country and that the listed property will, in the period of 12 months from the date of release, be used by the recipient for the same purpose and will not be lent, pledged, let or transferred for a fee by the recipient without first informing the Customs Office.
Veterinary
On entry, veterinary goods are subject to a veterinary check, which is to be performed by officers from the Veterinary Border Control Station at Ruzyně Airport (phone: 220 113 267) (applies to consignments containing goods such as, live animals (Act No. 377/2003 Coll.), animal products and other veterinary goods). You will have to produce an official veterinary health certificate. You can find further information on the conditions of imports from third countries at www.svscr.cz.
Tobacco and unlabelled tobacco products
Maximum volumes of unlabelled tobacco products, accepted under the Act No. 353/2003 Coll., are: 50 cigarettes, or 25 little cigars (weighing up to 3g/pc), or 10 cigars, or 50g of tobacco for smoking, or a proportional assortment of these products (only if the conditions set out by articles 25 to 27 of the Council Regulation (EEC) 1186/2009 are complied with).
For information on evidence necessary to clear imported volumes greater than those permitted, please call the information number of the Customs Office Prague Ruzyně (Department 023.1), on working days between 8.00 a.m. and 3.30 p.m., at 257 019 256.
Commercial samples of negligible value
These samples will be released into free circulation only if the sole purpose of their use is ordering of goods. The samples must be rendered unusable by being perforated, torn, showing clear and indelible marking or by being otherwise rendered unusable without losing the nature of samples.
This action must be carried out by the recipient of the goods or his/her authorised representative under the supervision of customs officers.
Educational materials
Educational materials and household effects of pupils or students coming to stay in the customs territory of the European Community for the purpose of studying there. You will have to produce the following evidence: certificate of study (transcript or another kind of evidence), list of imported goods, statutory declaration (to affirm that the goods are educational materials for personal use by a student).
Arms or ammunition
You will have to produce an arms accompanying document from the country of import (issued by the Czech Police).
These consignments are subject to a special clearance regime; for detailed information please contact the information number of the Customs Office Prague Ruzyně (Department 023.1), on working days between 8.00 a.m. and 3.30 p.m., at 257 019 256.
Phyto
Applies to consignments containing goods of plant character. Please arrange with the State Phytosanitary Administration, Prague District Department, phone: 220 114 369, mobile phone: 724 039 912, for a phytosanitary check (sections 21 to 27 of the Act No. 326/2004 Coll., on phytosanitary care).
All kinds of drugs
These consignments are subject to a special clearance regime; for detailed information please contact the information number of the Customs Office Prague Ruzyně (Department 023.1), on working days between 8.00 a.m. and 3.30 p.m., at 257 019 256.
Non-commercial goods whose customs value exceeds EUR 700
You will have to produce an accurate and concrete description of the goods, weight of the goods, invoice and payment certificate that are to be attached to a customs declaration form for the consignment; the goods will then be sub-classified according to the customs tariff and the customs debt will be assessed.
Complaints
You will have to produce: evidence of purchase of the goods, of sending the goods back for a complaint handling procedure, letter of complaint for damaged goods, or email communication with the supplier (as evidence of the subject-matter and financial conditions of complaint).
INTERNATIONAL MAIL ARRIVAL NOTICE (doc, 32 kB)
Can there be any complications?
- The consignment does not contain the goods described in the customs declaration form.
- The nature of the goods and, in particular, their value are not sufficiently clear to enable the officers to decide, in a sufficient time advance, whether the goods can be relieved from import duty or whether the consignment must enter the customs regime.
-
The consignment contains goods of veterinary character, prohibited goods, etc.
You will be informed about any complications by an email or fax message or by post (Notice of the Arrival of Mail from Abroad). The information will contain details about all necessary documents you are to deliver.
Information on veterinary regulations and issues related to importation of veterinary goods is available on the website of the Municipal Veterinary Administration Prague www.mevs.cz.
How can I deliver the necessary documents?
- In person, at the address given in the Notice of the Arrival of Mail from Abroad. You don't have to send the documents in advance, just bring them with you and you will be able to get the consignment from the counter clerk, or arrange for its delivery to your address; or
- By email, sent to sklad.praha120@cpost.cz (in DOC, XLS, PDF or JPG format); or
- By post, sent to the Post Office Prague 120, Plzeňská 139, 220 00 Prague 5 - Košíře.
We will submit the required documents to the customs officials and, if cleared, direct your consignment to the delivery post office for delivery.
You can find information on customs legislation and clearance procedures on the Czech Customs Administration website at www.cs.mfcr.cz.
You can get information on the status of customs clearance of your consignment by calling our Information Line at +420 257 019 301.
Countries of origin which do not require customs clearance
Customs clearance does not apply to consignments from these countries of origin:
Andorra, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark (excluding Faroe Islands and Greenland), Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy (excluding Livigno and Campione d'Italia), Cyprus, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Monaco, Germany (excluding Helgoland and Büsingen), Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Austria, Romania, Greece, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain (excluding Ceuta and Mellila), Sweden, Vatican, United Kingdom