The courier is usually asking again because the VAT was collected at checkout, but the parcel was not shown to customs as pre-paid tax, so the courier’s system still treats it as unpaid. It can also happen if the seller charged tax on the order but used the wrong shipping declaration, or if the courier’s invoice mixes VAT with a separate clearance or handling fee.
Start by checking two things: your checkout receipt and the courier’s demand.
- On the order confirmation, look for a line that says VAT, tax, import tax, or “tax included,” plus the total you actually paid.
- On the courier message or invoice, look for the exact reason for the charge: “import VAT,” “customs clearance,” “brokerage,” “advancement fee,” or a customs reference number.
The most important question is whether the parcel was sent under a tax-paid setup, such as IOSS for low-value imports into the EU, or another duty-paid arrangement. You usually cannot verify that from the parcel alone, so ask the seller or marketplace support to confirm how it was declared.
Ask the seller for:
- Confirmation that VAT was collected at checkout
- The parcel’s customs declaration or proof that the tax was remitted
- The order number and any IOSS or tax reference used for the shipment, if available
This matters because a store saying “tax included” is not enough by itself. The courier may still charge you if the customs data does not show prepayment, or if the parcel was declared in a way that does not match the checkout claim.
If the courier charge includes more than VAT, ask for an itemised invoice. Sometimes the VAT part is the disputed amount, while the courier fee is a separate service charge. Do not assume the whole bill is tax unless the document says so clearly.
If you already paid VAT at checkout and the seller can show the parcel was meant to be tax-paid, challenge the courier with proof:
- Order confirmation showing tax included
- Payment receipt or card statement for the full checkout amount
- Courier invoice or payment request
- Tracking number and any customs notice or clearance reference
When you contact the courier, ask them to explain which customs declaration they used and why they believe VAT is still due. Include the tracking number, invoice number, and screenshots of the tax-included checkout. If the courier says the parcel was not sent under the correct tax scheme, the seller is often the one who needs to fix the declaration or refund the duplicate tax.
If the seller cannot prove the tax was pre-paid, the courier’s request may be valid even though the store wording was misleading. In that case, your next step is to push the seller to refund the extra VAT or correct the mistake, using the checkout proof and the courier’s charge as evidence.
Practical tip: save the exact wording from the checkout page and the courier invoice together, because the dispute often turns on whether the parcel was marked as “tax paid” in customs data, not just on what the store promised.
