EU VAT and customs charges

What will it cost?

It depends on the country, the order value, and the items in your cart. If checkout shows EU import charges, those are the charges we can collect for that order. If something cannot be prepaid, your local courier or customs office may still ask for it on delivery.

For EU orders under €150, you may see a €3 customs duty at checkout. It is charged by kind of product, not by quantity: two of the same deck are still one kind of product.

Does this mean it's cheaper for me to buy magic in the EU?

Most magic is wholesaled from the USA, so EU magic shops often have to import the same products before selling them locally. With our free international shipping, and because we absorb or reduce some courier surcharges where possible, Vanishing Inc. is often still the cheapest solution even after EU import charges are included. If checkout shows those charges, they are part of the total before you pay, not a surprise bill later.

Are other magic shops doing this?

Some shops leave import charges for the courier to collect when the parcel arrives. That can mean admin fees, delays, and extra paperwork. We don't get to choose whether EU import charges apply; customs rules decide that. Our job is to collect the charges we are required to collect and send the courier the details they need with the parcel.

Why does €150 matter?

The €150 point changes how EU import charges are handled. For goods worth €150 or less, checkout can usually collect the EU charges that need to be paid before the parcel ships.

Those under-€150 orders can also include a €3 customs duty. This is charged by kind of product, not by quantity. So three of the same deck of cards would normally be one €3 charge, not €9.

Different kinds of products can mean more than one €3 charge. A deck of cards and a book are usually two kinds of products, so that could be €6. Two books, three decks, and a close-up prop could be three kinds of products, so that could be €9.

For goods worth more than €150, the under-€150 checkout system cannot be used. If checkout offers import-duty prepayment, you can choose to pay it with your order. If it is not offered, or you do not choose it, the courier or customs office may collect charges when the parcel arrives.

I have a VAT number. Should I still prepay?

If you are buying for a business, add your VAT number to your account before the order ships. We include it in the customs paperwork. If it is missing, we have to treat the order like a personal order.

Are books still VAT free?

It depends on the country. Many EU countries charge 0% VAT on books, but customs duty and courier fees are separate from VAT. Checkout still checks the destination and product details to show any charges we can collect.

Give me an example

• One magic trick at €160: the order is over the €150 limit, so the under-€150 VAT system cannot be used. If checkout offers import-duty prepayment, you can choose to pay it on our site; otherwise the courier or customs office may collect it when the parcel arrives.
• Two identical decks at €10 each: in a separate order, the goods value is €20. That is under €150, and both decks are the same kind of product, so the customs duty would normally be €3, not €6. VAT can still apply as well. If checkout shows these EU import charges, you pay them on our site as part of your order total.