Who pays customs charges
Whether customs duties and taxes apply to your order, and who is responsible for paying them, depends on where the order is being shipped.
Destination | Custom & Duties | Who Pays |
United States | Included | Covered by Minut |
European Union | Included | Covered by Minut |
United Kingdom | Included | Covered by Minut |
All other countries | May apply on arrival | Paid by recipient |
For orders to the US, UK, and EU, Minut covers all customs duties, import taxes, and associated shipping costs: no additional charges will be applied to your delivery. For all other destinations, any customs duties, import taxes, or handling fees charged by your country's customs authority are the responsibility of the recipient and must be paid before the package is released for delivery.
Customs charges are set by your country's authorities not by Minut. We have no control over the amount charged or when customs clearance occurs. These charges are not included in your order total at checkout.
What to expect at customs
When a shipment enters your country, customs authorities may inspect it and apply import duties or taxes based on the declared value of the goods. Here is what typically happens:
Customs notification | The carrier or your local customs authority will contact you usually by email or through the carrier's tracking system if duties or taxes are due before delivery can proceed. |
Payment | You will be asked to pay the applicable charges directly to the carrier or customs authority before the package is released. Payment methods vary by country. |
Delays | Customs clearance can add several working days to your delivery time. This is outside Minut's control and does not affect the 3–5 working day estimate, which applies from dispatch to arrival at your country's border. |
Declared value | Minut declares the accurate purchase value of goods on all shipments. We are unable to mark shipments as gifts or understate the value. |
Order held at customs
If your order is held at customs and you have not received a notification from the carrier or customs authority, check your tracking link first as most carriers provide a status update when a package is held and instructions on what to do next.
Check your tracking | Your tracking link (in your dispatch email or at web.minut.com/account/orders) will typically show a customs hold status and any action required from you. |
Contact the carrier | If your package is held, contact the carrier directly using your tracking number. They can advise on the specific charges or documents needed to release the shipment. |
Contact Minut | If you need additional documentation from us to clear customs, email hello@minut.com with your order number and a description of what is needed. |
Reporting window | Missing or undelivered orders must be reported within 30 days of the estimated delivery date, including delays caused by customs holds. Claims submitted after this window cannot be investigated or reimbursed. |
A note on Canada
Shipping to Canada currently incurs higher costs due to import fees applied at the Canadian border. We are actively working to reduce these charges and offer a more competitive shipping rate.
In the meantime, we are keeping a list of Canadian customers who would like to be notified as soon as a better shipping option is available. If you would like to be added to this list, email hello@minut.com with your account email address and we will make sure you hear from us as soon as things improve.
We appreciate your patience while we work on this.