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    What counts as a gift for Finnish Customs?

    The conditions a parcel must meet to be treated as a gift.

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    Short answer

    Finnish Customs treats a parcel as a gift when the sender and the recipient are both private persons, the goods come free of charge, the gifts are occasional and the goods are for the recipient or their family, not for sale. A parcel that someone ordered from an online shop to be delivered to you is a purchase, not a gift. Goods a company sends for free, such as prizes or samples, are also taxed whatever their value.

    Practical: communication, money, services

    Why

    1. Finnish Customs lists private sender and recipient, no payment and occasional gifts as conditions.
    2. Customs told Verkkouutiset that a parcel ordered from an online shop for a relative is a purchase.
    3. Finnish Customs says free goods from companies are taxed regardless of value.

    Details

    The same applies if you order goods for yourself from outside the EU and then give them to someone in Finland.

    Tip

    If a relative abroad wants to send a gift, it is better that they buy it and post it themselves.

    What may differ

    Family members can each use the 45 euro limit when one parcel contains gifts for several of them.

    Common misconception

    A parcel marked as a gift by the online shop is a gift for customs.

    What actually happens

    A parcel sent by a business is never a gift for customs, whatever the label says.

    People also ask

    • Do you pay tax on a gift parcel sent to Finland?
    • Can you clear a parcel through customs yourself?
    • Is there customs duty on online orders from outside the EU?

    Sources

    This answer is for reference only. Customs rules for online purchases are changing in stages, so check Finnish Customs before you order.

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