RefurbMe
us
Alerts Support Stats Blog
We earn a commission when you follow links to make a purchase. Click here to learn more about how we make money.

What it costs to import from the US to

Forwarder fees, shipping, customs duty and VAT for a phone, compared across 6 US package forwarders. Cheapest estimated total first.

Duty
Phones, laptops, tablets, earbuds, smartwatches and cosmetics are duty free. Clothing pays 12%, sports shoes 16.9% and most supplements 12.8%, from the first euro.
VAT
VAT 22% on the price, shipping and duty, collected by the courier before delivery.
Duty-free limit
None since 1 July 2026, when the EU dropped its EUR 150 duty-free limit. VAT is due at any value.
Batteries
Used devices with lithium batteries cannot go by USPS, so expect DHL, FedEx or UPS.

Checked October 2026

Show totals in
$600 phone to Italy, 0.3 kg (0.6 lb) Estimated totals include the item, US sales tax, forwarder fees, shipping, duty and VAT.
# Forwarder Courier Fees + sales tax Shipping Duty + taxes Total Link
1 Forwardme Aramex8-15 days · From a quote €0 €24 €122 Shipping €24 · Fees and sales tax €0 · Duty and taxes €122 €675$765 Visit
No sales tax in Delaware. Free membership and free package processing. Consolidation is $3.25 per package on the free plan; Premium, $9.50 a month, promises lower shipping rates.
2 MyUS FedEx Economy5-9 days · From a quote €0 €27 €122 Shipping €27 · Fees and sales tax €0 · Duty and taxes €122 €678+€4 Visit
Florida charges 7% sales tax in Sarasota, but this address is on the state list of certified forwarding agents, so sellers that apply the list do not charge it. A seller that ignores the list will charge 7%. Premium membership is free for 30 days, then $9.99 a month. This estimate assumes the free month.
3 Ship To Box FedEx Economy4-8 days · From a quote €15 €22 €121 Shipping €22 · Fees and sales tax €15 · Duty and taxes €121 €687+€13 Visit
No sales tax in Delaware. Free standard membership, $2 receiving fee per box, plus a $15 lithium battery fee on devices. Free consolidation.
4 Planet Express DHL Express Worldwide1-6 days · From a quote €2 €63 €130 Shipping €63 · Fees and sales tax €2 · Duty and taxes €130 €724+€50 Visit
No sales tax in Oregon. Planet Express also has a tax-free address in Fort Pierce, FL and one in Torrance, CA, where sales tax applies. Free mailbox, $2 mail-out fee per package. Consolidation needs Premium, $10 a month.
5 Stackry DHL Worldwide Express2-5 days · From a quote €13 €55 €128 Shipping €55 · Fees and sales tax €13 · Duty and taxes €128 €725+€50 Visit
No sales tax in New Hampshire. No membership, $2 receiving fee per package, plus a $12.50 hazmat fee on phones and smartwatches. Consolidation is $3 per package.
6 Shipito DHL Express2-4 days · From a quote €11 €57 €129 Shipping €57 · Fees and sales tax €11 · Duty and taxes €129 €725+€51 Visit
No sales tax in Oregon. Oregon is the default address for Premium members; free accounts default to Torrance, CA, where sales tax applies. Premium membership, $10 a month, for the tax-free Oregon address, plus a $2.25 processing fee per package.

Shipping comes from each forwarder's own calculator, quoted at 1 lb and 5 lb and interpolated in between, so it is an estimate, not a live price. Check the forwarder's calculator before you buy. Devices with lithium batteries only go by services that accept them, usually DHL, FedEx or UPS, so most postal and budget services are left out.

Buying a refurbished iPhone? Compare prices from US sellers

Before you buy a phone in the US

  • iPhone 14 and later models sold in the US have no SIM tray and work only with eSIM. Check that your carrier offers eSIM, or pick an iPhone 13 or earlier, which takes both.
  • Pick an unlocked phone. One locked to a US carrier will not work with your local SIM or eSIM.
  • Any charger in the box has a US plug. Most phone, tablet and laptop chargers accept 100 to 240 V, so a plug adapter is enough.
  • The warranty and returns are the US seller's. The return window starts when the parcel reaches your forwarder's US address, and a repair or return means paying to ship it back to the US.

How Italy taxes this phone

Duty and taxes for the cheapest option above, in the order customs applies them.

Charge Rate Amount
Customs duty €0
Import VAT 22% €122
Total duty and taxes €122

Importing to Italy: common questions

Does the EUR 3 duty apply to a parcel sent through a forwarder?

Usually not. Since 1 July 2026 the EU charges a flat EUR 3 per item on distance sales up to EUR 150, where the shop ships to the EU buyer. When you hire the forwarder, you arrange the transport yourself, so the parcel pays the normal tariff rate instead. For phones, laptops and tablets that rate is 0%, so only VAT is due. A courier that declares the parcel as a distance sale may still charge the EUR 3.

Do goods made in the US pay less duty?

Yes, if you can show they were made in the US. Since 1 July 2026, Regulation (EU) 2026/1455 sets 0% duty on most US industrial goods, including clothing, shoes and cosmetics. A product made in China or Vietnam pays the normal rate even when it ships from the US. Apple devices are duty free either way.

Can I return it, and does the warranty work?

The 14-day withdrawal right and the EU legal guarantee cover shops that target EU buyers. A US shop selling to a US address usually does not, so its own return policy applies and returns go back to the US at your cost. Apple may limit iPhone and iPad warranty service to the country where the device was sold.

Will the courier add a fee?

Usually. DHL charges receivers without a DHL account 2.5% of the VAT and duty it pays for you, at least EUR 16. FedEx charges 2.5%, at least EUR 15, and UPS 3%, at least EUR 18.45. This estimate does not include courier fees.

Is there an extra Italian parcel fee?

Not yet. The 2026 budget law adds EUR 2 to every parcel worth up to EUR 150 from outside the EU, private parcels included. Its start has been postponed several times and is now set for 1 December 2026, so it is not in this estimate.

Can I buy refurbished in Italy instead?

Yes. Apple sells Certified Refurbished products at apple.com/it/shop/refurbished, and RefurbMe compares local refurbishers for the same models. Buying locally means local VAT is already in the price, the warranty is serviced locally and returns stay in the country.

Which forwarder is cheapest to Italy?

For a $600 phone weighing 0.3 kg (0.6 lb), Forwardme comes out cheapest in our estimate at $765 delivered, using Aramex. The order changes with weight and item type, and shipping prices are estimates, so check the forwarder's calculator before you buy.

Can I use a forwarder to buy from Apple's online store?

No. Apple's US online store ships only to US addresses and cancels orders sent to freight forwarder addresses. Retailers such as Amazon, Back Market or eBay sellers are the usual route, and their return and warranty terms can change once a parcel leaves the US.

The same phone, shipped elsewhere

Cheapest estimated total for a $600 phone in each country we cover. Each country has its own page.

Sources

Rules checked in October 2026. Exchange rates from 1 Oct 2026, Rates By Exchange Rate API. RefurbMe has no referral deals with these forwarders; the order is always the cheapest estimated total.