LitBuy Customs Declaration: Prepare Your Parcel Information
Keep accurate item details and purchase records ready before sending a parcel to the US, UK or an EU destination.
Prepare an accurate contents list and purchase records before submitting the parcel. The required form, treatment of delivery costs and any charges depend on the destination and service; use current official instructions rather than a universal value-per-kilogram rule.
Prepare the facts about your parcel
Make a list of the actual contents, quantities and purchase prices. Keep invoices or order confirmations with your parcel number. A clear record helps you answer a request for clarification without reconstructing the purchase later.
Create a contents worksheet before filling the form
This is our preparation worksheet, not an official declaration form. Use it to collect the facts, then follow the fields and instructions actually shown for your shipment.
| Information | What to record |
|---|---|
| Description | A specific, truthful item description and verified material where required |
| Quantity | Number of items or units, consistent with the parcel list |
| Purchase value | Actual transaction amount and currency, supported by the order record |
| Delivery and insurance | Keep these amounts separately available; check whether the form requires them |
| Recipient | Name, full address and contact details matching the intended delivery |
| Evidence | Invoices, order confirmations and proof of payment as requested |
Check your destination separately
LitBuy’s customs guidance notes that customs policies and costs depend on the destination. Do not apply a threshold quoted for one country to another. Check current instructions from your destination’s customs authority and the selected carrier before submitting the parcel.
Use accurate descriptions and values
Describe what the goods actually are and use truthful purchase information. Do not invent a low value or label a purchase as a gift to seek different treatment. If a form is unclear, ask support which field or document it requires rather than guessing.
Respond to requests promptly
Our suggestion: retain any customs or carrier notice with its deadline. Verify the request through the carrier’s official channel before sending documents or payment. Ask for clarification if the value, item description or charge appears incorrect. This guide does not provide country-specific tax rates or a clearance guarantee.
Example: describing a clothing parcel
Illustrative example: your parcel contains two T-shirts bought for CNY 80 each. Record two items, CNY 80 per item and CNY 160 for those goods. Do not change the quantity to one because they share a box. Record other costs separately, then follow the destination’s instructions for the value fields.
Describe the material only if it is known from reliable product information. If a field requires a classification code you cannot establish, use the relevant official guidance or ask the carrier for help; do not invent a code.
Where to check current destination instructions
For the UK, use GOV.UK’s guide to goods sent from abroad and its linked tax and document sections. For the US, use CBP’s trade information and follow the carrier’s instructions for your actual shipment. For EU destinations, consult European Commission customs information and the destination country’s customs authority.
This article deliberately provides no blanket tax-free threshold or fixed declaration amount. A rule from an old shopping post can be out of date or apply to a different type of import.
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