🇮🇹 Shipping to Italy from the USA
22% IVA from the first euro, the EU parcel duty, a national fee still on hold, and why the codice fiscale matters
Quick answer
- How long: 2 to 4 days by express to the north and Rome, up to a week to the south; 1 to 2 weeks by USPS, longer if customs holds it.
- What the recipient pays: IVA at 22% from €0, plus a flat €3 EU duty per item category on online orders up to €150. Duty is not limited to orders over €150 any more.
- Tax-free route: private gifts of €45 or less.
- Final mile: Poste Italiane and its SDA courier arm for USPS parcels.
IVA threshold
From the first euro
IVA rate
Reduced rates exist
Delivery
Express to postal
National fee
Start date deferred
Shipping Rates to Italy
| Carrier & Service | 1 lb | 5 lbs | 10 lbs | 20 lbs | Delivery Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USPS First-Class Intl | $35.90 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1–2 weeks |
| USPS Priority Mail Intl | $70.40 | $89.70 | $120.10 | $180.95 | 6–10 days |
| UPS Worldwide Expedited | $70.00 | $106.00 | $165.00 | $280.00 | 3–6 days |
| FedEx International Priority | $72.00 | $110.00 | $172.00 | $292.00 | 2–4 days |
| DHL Express | $66.00 | $100.00 | $158.00 | $270.00 | 2–4 days |
USPS prices are official retail rates from Notice 123 (effective October 4, 2026). UPS, FedEx, and DHL figures are rough list-price estimates before fuel and other surcharges, not quotes, and a live quote can be much higher or lower. Delivery times exclude customs delays unless stated.
Reference list-price estimates before fuel and demand surcharges, duties and taxes, not quotes. Add clearance time for southern and island addresses. USPS Priority Mail Express is not listed here because a current reference figure was not available.
How long shipping to Italy takes
Milan Malpensa and Bergamo take most express freight, so Milan, Turin and Bologna are commonly served in 2 to 3 business days and Rome in 3. Naples, Bari and Palermo tend to add one or two days, and Sardinia and small islands more. USPS parcels clear through Italian postal customs before Poste Italiane delivers them, and a parcel needing payment or a recipient tax code stays put until someone answers the notice. That is the usual cause of an Italian parcel "stuck" for weeks. If tracking stops, see package stuck in customs.
What Agenzia delle Dogane charges
Rules come from Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM). This page previously said duty only starts above €150; that stopped being true on 1 July 2026.
- IVA: 22% standard with lower rates for some goods, on value plus shipping plus duty.
- Online sales up to €150: flat €3 per item category until at least 1 July 2028, charged at checkout or by the carrier.
- Union Handling Fee: €2 per distinct item on e-commerce goods from 1 November 2026, directed at sellers and platforms.
- Italy's own €2 contribution: approved in the 2026 budget for low-value non-EU parcels but deferred several times. Italian tax press reported 1 December 2026, then 1 January 2027. Check ADM before quoting it to a buyer.
- Gifts: up to €45 between private individuals is free of duty and IVA. A gift above that pays IVA on the whole consignment, with a flat 2.5% duty generally available up to €700.
Example: a €120 jacket with €20 shipping, no IOSS, one tariff line. Duty €3, IVA 22% of €143 = €31.46, total €34.46 plus the carrier's handling fee. At €300 with €30 shipping and a 12% tariff: duty €39.60, IVA €81.31, total about €120.91. For how charges stack up, read the duties and taxes guide.
Prohibited
- Counterfeit goods, including for personal use
- Weapons, ammunition and certain knives
- Meat, dairy and many fresh foods from outside the EU
- CITES-protected species products
- Narcotics and most CBD products
Tips for Italy
- Give the codice fiscale: carriers and customs often ask for the recipient's tax code. Having it on the waybill avoids a clearance email that goes unanswered.
- Write a real description: "gift" or "clothes" gets queried; "men's cotton shirt, new" does not.
- Add the intercom name and scala: older buildings have several stairways and the courier needs the name on the buzzer (citofono).
- Avoid the Ferragosto window: the weeks around 15 August slow business deliveries across the country.
- Sellers: use IOSS on orders up to €150 so the buyer is not asked for IVA at the door.
From elsewhere?
Parcels from the UK, Canada or Australia face the same IVA and duty structure. From Germany or France there is no customs because it is an EU internal shipment. Livigno and Campione d'Italia have special tax status, so check with the carrier before mailing there. Comparing EU destinations? See the country comparison table.
Italy shipping questions
Do I pay IVA on a small parcel?
Yes, unless it qualifies as a private gift of €45 or less. Since 2021 there has been no general low-value IVA exemption.
Which carrier is best for Italy?
For speed, whichever express network is cheapest for the weight; the differences are small. For a low-value parcel, USPS plus patience. FedEx vs DHL covers the trade-offs.
What is the difference between the €3 and the €2 charges?
The €3 is an EU customs duty per item category on low-value sales. The €2 from November is an EU handling fee on e-commerce items. Italy's separate €2 is a national contribution that has not started.
What is IOSS?
The Import One-Stop Shop lets non-EU sellers collect VAT at checkout on orders up to €150 so the parcel clears without a collection at the door.