Shipping From China to Germany

01Freight to Germany

Slightly above France and the UK, because fewer direct air lanes serve Frankfurt than serve London.

Germany is also where volumetric weight bites hardest in the EU, because DHL's parcel structure rewards compact boxes. Two pairs of shoes in one box is almost always cheaper than two boxes.

02The €3 rule, and what a subheading is

This is the number to understand before you consolidate.

Under Regulation (EU) 2026/382, the €150 duty exemption ended on 1 July 2026. Consignments up to €150 now pay a flat €3 per distinct tariff subheading. A t-shirt and a watch in one box are two subheadings: €6. Six t-shirts are one subheading: €3.

Import VAT at 19% applies on top, charged on goods value plus freight plus duty. That is the larger number, and it is not avoidable on a declared parcel.

03Packaging law: the requirement nobody mentions

Germany enforces the Verpackungsgesetz, and it applies to the parcel your goods arrive in.

Under the German packaging register (LUCID), anyone placing packaged goods on the German market must be registered, and the packaging volumes must be reported through a dual system. For private buyers this is normally handled by the agent or the line, but not always — some carriers now ask for a registration number (LUCID/VerpackG) before accepting B2C consignments.

Practically: if a line advertises Germany-specific service, it has this covered. If you are shipping with a generic line and the parcel stalls for no customs reason, ask whether a packaging registration is what is missing.

04Which line clears cleanest

DDP lines are the default for Germany for one reason: the invoice is already settled.

Air runs 9–15 days, express 4–7. Most DDP lines to Germany include import VAT in the freight quote, which means no payment demand at the door and no handling fee surprise. DDU lines are cheaper on paper and usually more expensive on arrival.

Ask before paying whether the quote is DDP and whether the €3 interim duty is included. On small parcels the answer changes the total by €10–25, which is often more than the difference between two lines.

05What fails in Germany

Strict, procedural, and unforgiving of mismatches.

Three recurring problems: a declared value that does not match the invoice, branded goods detained under IPR enforcement (German customs is among the most active in the EU), and a DDU parcel abandoned because the recipient refused a €30 bill on a €100 order. Abandoned parcels are destroyed, and neither goods nor freight are refunded.

Q&AQuestions people ask about this route