If you're ordering from inside the EU, there's a small change worth knowing about as of July 1, 2026. The EU now applies a customs duty on lower-value imports arriving from outside the bloc, including from our US headquarters. Here's what it is, what you'll see, and why we handle it the way we do.
From July 1, 2026, the EU charges a €3 customs duty on orders under €150 imported from outside the bloc. It is an EU rule, not a Keyport fee. Keyport ships pay-on-delivery, so your courier collects the duty and local VAT when your package arrives.
What Changed on July 1
The EU ended a long-standing rule that let imports under €150 skip customs duty. In its place: a €3 duty that applies to those orders now. It's an EU customs rule, not a surcharge we invented, and it's outside our control. We'd rather tell you plainly than let it show up unexplained.
Why This Rule Exists
The rule exists because of volume. The EU saw billions of low-value parcels a year pouring in from ultra-cheap platforms like Temu and Shein, and the old duty-free exemption was built for a different era of mail-order, not for that flood. The €3 duty is the EU's response. It applies to everyone shipping from outside the bloc, which now includes us, even though a made-to-order carry system and a three-dollar phone gadget have very little in common beyond a customs form.
How You Pay It
We ship pay-on-delivery, which keeps your checkout price low. The tradeoff is that import charges are settled at your border rather than on our site. For how we handle shipping generally, see our shipping policy. When your package reaches your country, your postal service or courier (DHL, DPD, UPS, and the like) holds it briefly and contacts you to collect:
- Your local VAT, the standard percentage your country applies to imported goods. This is not new. It's applied to EU imports since 2021 and works exactly as it always has.
- The new €3 EU customs duty, per the rule above.
Your courier may also add a small handling fee of their own for processing the paperwork. That's standard practice and predates this change.
Why We Do It This Way
A fair question: why not just calculate all of this at checkout and bundle it into your total?
Because Keyport is built to order. Almost every setup is configured differently, and each configuration can carry its own customs treatment and its own landed cost depending on where it's going. A big retailer shipping identical units can estimate that cleanly. We can't, not without guessing, and a guess at checkout means some customers overpay to cover the ones who'd otherwise underpay.
We'd rather not charge you a number we can't stand behind. Your local courier clears the parcel and bills you the actual VAT and duty for your specific order and country. You pay what's genuinely owed, not our best guess at it. The tradeoff is that you settle it at the door instead of at checkout, which is exactly why we're telling you here, before it arrives.
What To Do When It Arrives
Watch your inbox, your phone, and your mailbox. Your courier sends a payment link by email, text, or a slip through the door. Settling it online takes under a minute and releases your package for final delivery. Pay promptly and it keeps moving.
The Short Version
From July 1, EU orders under €150 carry a €3 customs duty, collected at your door alongside the VAT that always applied. We ship pay-on-delivery and let your courier bill the exact amount owed rather than estimate it ourselves, so you pay what's real, not a markup. It's an EU rule, not a Keyport fee, and we'd rather you hear it from us than from the courier.
Got Questions?
Questions about a shipment on its way? Email [email protected]. Want the rule from the source? The European Commission's guidance lays it out.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) New €3 Customs Duty Explained (DDU)
Is the €3 fee charged by Keyport?
No. The €3 is an EU customs duty that took effect July 1, 2026, on imports under €150 from outside the bloc. It applies to every seller shipping into the EU, not just us. Your courier collects it at delivery and passes it to customs. Keyport never sees it.
Do I have to pay VAT on top of the €3?
Yes. VAT and the €3 duty are separate charges. EU VAT has applied to imported orders since 2021 and works the same as it always has. The €3 customs duty is new and additional. Your courier collects both at the door, along with any handling fee they charge for processing.
Why isn't this added at checkout like shipping?
Because Keyport is built to order, and each configuration carries its own customs and tax treatment depending on where it ships. Estimating that at checkout means guessing, and a guess means some customers overpay to cover others. Your courier bills the exact amount owed for your order, so you pay what's real.
What happens if I don't pay the courier's charge?
Your package waits. The courier holds it until the VAT and duty are settled, then releases it for final delivery. Paying the link they send takes under a minute. Packages left unpaid past the courier's hold window are typically returned, so settle it promptly to keep yours moving.
Does this apply to orders over €150?
No. The €3 duty applies only to orders with a value under €150. Higher-value orders fall under standard EU customs rules, which existed before this change and are handled separately at import. Most Keyport orders fall under the €150 threshold, so the €3 duty is what applies.
