Most of the time the recipient does nothing at all: the carrier declares the goods and sends a bill. A separate step begins where customs lacked information and approached the recipient directly.
How clearance works and what to do after the notification
The carrier normally files the declaration. Where details are missing the recipient is drawn in — and then there is a choice between visiting customs and clearing from home.
✓ Verified: 02/08/2026
WHAT TO DO
AUTHORITY
Zollverwaltung / Hauptzollamt
federalCustoms clearance for imports from non-EU countries: the Hauptzollamt at your point of entry or your place of residence. Online services run through the ATLAS portal.
DOCUMENTS 3
› Details and tips
👨🏻💻
Max recommends:
I waited a week for post and had written the parcel off. In fact they were waiting for me: proof of value was missing, and the notification sat under the junk mail in my letterbox.
👩🏼💼
Lea recommends:
Take a printout of the order with the final amount and the payment history. A screenshot on a phone is not accepted everywhere, and without proof of value clearance is postponed again.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who actually files the customs declaration? ▾
Usually the transport company: customs states expressly that the carrier takes over the declaration where applicable. The recipient is brought in when something is unclear or important information is missing, above all about contents and value.
Do I have to attend the customs office in person? ▾
No. After the written notification you can request postal clearance from home; for that you ask your customs office for the declaration form needed to declare the consignment. It helps when the nearest office is awkward to reach.
What should I bring if I do go? ▾
An identity document, the notification and evidence of value: invoice, order confirmation, bank statement. The assessment is drawn up on the spot from those documents and the freight papers.
When and how is payment made? ▾
The amount is settled after the assessment has been drawn up, at the cash desk of the customs office. The authority puts it plainly: no payments whatsoever are to be made before that point.