How to correctly fill in the customs declaration when sending art objects?

A frequent question for artists, gallerists, and collectors is how to ship, transport art objects abroad? When moving through customs points, you must fill out a customs declaration, in which you must list the goods, things, their quantity and value.

Crossing the border with artwork yourself (in person, in your car)

When filling in the customs declaration, you must provide only accurate information. You should indicate the items you are transporting and their value, so that you can later confirm all of this with documentation. At this point you will go through the "clearance" procedure. Upon arrival in your country of residence, you must go to the customs office and have your goods cleared. If your things, goods, their quantity and value are subject to payment of customs duties - you will receive an invoice after payment of which you can safely use your things, goods.

Each case is different, so a consultation with a customs broker is needed to correctly handle your situation. Call us and we will help you through the art shipping process +380632478102, write us in Telegram or Viber.

Sending artwork by postal mail

A common type of parcel used by our shippers is "Gift" and "Other" (sales, forwarding personal items).

By choosing "Gift" you make it easier for the recipient to receive the package. In this case you can't put the sales documents (invoice, fiscal check, invoice, etc.) in the parcel, because it's a gift. The shipping process may take 10-15 days, and customs procedures may delay the delivery by another 5-30 days. If the gift is valued up to $50, it is exempt from customs duties in most countries.

Choosing the type of shipment "Other" you must specify in the customs declaration that it is "shipment of personal belongings of the recipient" or, for example, "shipment of the sold item to the buyer". In the latter case you will need to add supporting documents to the declaration - invoice, fiscal check, invoice, contract of sale. This way you can show the estimated value of the parcel and confirm the fact of sale, payment of sales taxes.

How to quickly and inexpensively deliver a parcel abroad?

A popular way to send art objects (paintings, sculptures) from Ukraine abroad is EMS by Ukrposhta. Terms of delivery to the U.S. take 12-20 days, to the UK (England) - 10-20 days, European countries (France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Austria, etc.) - 14-22 days.

As for nice things from Ukrposhta - today there is a discount of 70% on parcel delivery to Poland, to Germany -60%. To other countries - in Ukrposhta quite affordable delivery tariffs.

How to correctly fill in the customs declaration?

Your correct details as the sender will allow postal services to return the parcel to you if the recipient has not received it. For example, your recipient is in the hospital or the postal service cannot contact him or her for more than a month. Your details will allow the post office to contact you to clarify issues.

Correct recipient's details, including phone number and email, will allow postal services not to lose the parcel and inform the recipient when the parcel approaches his address. Then the recipient will be at home and receive the parcel immediately from the hands of the courier.

The most important part of the customs declaration is the description. This is where the customs representatives carefully look at. Here you can specify the details of the parcel in English - full name of the artist, name of the artwork, size and estimated value in UAH and $ (for Europe - €). It is obligatory to tick the box "Gift", "Documents" or "Other".

Contact the experts of ArtDom Gallery, we will give you free advice and help to

- filling in the customs declaration,

- sending, transporting art objects

- receiving permits to export an object of art.

Call us at +380632478102

Write us in Telegram or Viber.