DHGATE EDIT · SHIPPING & CUSTOMS
DHgate delivery time and customs: what changes the wait and the bill
How long a DHgate order takes depends on the seller’s processing time and the shipping method you choose. The final cost depends on your country’s import rules, which changed in the US, the EU and the UK during 2025 and 2026. This guide explains both parts, with the rules as of 9 November 2026 and a source for each one. It is general information, not tax or legal advice.
How long DHgate delivery takes
The wait has two parts:
- Processing time: the days a seller takes to prepare and dispatch the order. It is usually set by the seller and can vary between options, and it is counted before the parcel ships.
- Transit time: the time the shipping method takes to reach your country, plus any customs clearance.
If a listing shows an estimated delivery window, check that it is for your own country before comparing. Busy sales periods and holidays can lengthen both processing and transit. Express and postal methods are cleared differently at customs, as the US section below shows, and that can change both the timing and who pays tax. We do not give fixed day counts here because they vary by seller, method and season. Use the estimate on the listing, and ask the seller if the method or tracking is unclear.
United States: no more duty-free de minimis
- Duty-free treatment for low-value parcels ended for all countries on 29 August 2025. Executive Order 14324 suspended it regardless of value, country of origin or shipping method.
- It stayed suspended in 2026. In June 2026, US Customs and Border Protection issued rules that suspend it indefinitely under its own authority: CBP Dec. 26-12 for courier and express shipments and CBP Dec. 26-13 for mail. The same CBP rule notes that a 2025 Act of Congress ends the exemption permanently from 1 July 2027.
- Mail changed on 24 July 2026. Under CBP Dec. 26-13, CBP officers no longer prepare entries for postal shipments, and duty is not collected from the recipient on delivery. An entry must be filed by the owner or purchaser, or by a licensed customs broker they appoint, with a bond and payment through Pay.gov. A postal parcel can be held until that entry is filed.
What to do: before paying, ask the seller which carrier and service will be used for your address, whether duties are included in the price, and who will file the US customs entry. Get the answer in writing on the platform.
United Kingdom: VAT at checkout on orders up to £135
- £135 or less: when goods are sold to you through an online marketplace, the marketplace must charge and account for VAT at the point of sale. In Great Britain, GOV.UK says no customs duty is charged on non-excise goods worth £135 or less. Northern Ireland has different rules.
- Over £135: import VAT and any customs duty are paid to the delivery company before delivery or when you collect. The carrier sends a bill that can include its own fee. GOV.UK says parcels are held for about 3 weeks and then returned to the sender if the bill is not paid.
- Change ahead: the government plans to remove the £135 customs duty relief by October 2028 at the latest. No start date had been set as of this update.
European Union: IOSS VAT, the €3 duty and the €2 handling fee
- VAT: for consignments worth up to €150, VAT can be collected at checkout through the Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS). If it is not, the postal operator or courier may collect VAT on delivery and may charge a customs clearance fee.
- €3 customs duty per item: the EU ended the €150 duty exemption on 1 July 2026. A temporary €3 duty per item applies from 1 July 2026 to 1 July 2028, and that period can be extended. An “item” means goods sharing the same tariff classification, not each piece. The Commission’s example is three T-shirts and a watch, which make two items and €6. The Commission says the duty applies whichever VAT route is used; the Council’s earlier announcements described it as applying to IOSS-registered sellers.
- €2 handling fee: the EU applies a €2 Union handling fee from 1 November 2026 on small, low-value parcels. Ask the seller or carrier how it will be charged on your order.
Customs seizures and brand-style items
Customs can stop goods that infringe trademarks. US Customs and Border Protection says it seizes infringing imports and that individual buyers may be fined, even when they did not mean to import counterfeits. Do not assume a seized parcel will be refunded. Check DHgate’s current buyer-protection terms on customs before ordering, as described in Is DHgate safe?.
Questions to ask the seller before paying
- Which carrier and service will ship to my address, and is tracking included?
- What is the processing time for my exact option and size?
- Are import VAT, duty or fees included in the price, or will I pay on delivery?
- For US orders: who will file the customs entry?
Shipping charges recorded in this catalogue are summarised in the DHgate shipping cost guide. Add any import charges to work out the delivered total.
Common questions about DHgate delivery and customs
How long does DHgate take to deliver?
It depends on the seller’s processing time, the shipping method and customs clearance in your country. If the listing shows a delivery estimate, check it is for your country, and confirm the processing time with the seller.
Do I pay customs on DHgate orders in the US?
Low-value parcels are no longer duty-free in the US, and duty can apply to orders of any value. Ask the seller whether duty is included and who files the entry, especially for postal shipments.
Do I pay VAT on DHgate orders in the UK?
For goods of £135 or less bought through an online marketplace, VAT is charged at checkout. Above £135, the delivery company collects VAT and any duty before delivery.
What is the €3 EU customs duty?
It is a temporary flat duty of €3 per item on low-value parcels from 1 July 2026. Goods with the same tariff classification count as one item.
Sources
Checked 9 November 2026: Executive Order 14324 (30 July 2025); CBP Dec. 26-12 and CBP Dec. 26-13 (Federal Register, 24 June 2026); GOV.UK guidance on overseas goods sold through online marketplaces, tax and duty on goods sent from abroad, and the low-value imports reform (updated 28 October 2026); European Commission pages on IOSS, buying goods online from outside the EU, the €3 customs duty (29–30 June 2026) and the EU customs reform. DHgate’s own delivery and customs pages were not quoted. Check them directly for current terms.