Shipping from Germany to Singapore: auction purchases, art and spare parts, door to door.
Singapore is the easiest of our Asian destinations: no customs duty on art, antiques or machine parts, and 9 % GST collected by the carrier. We collect in northwest Germany, pack in our own workshop, prepare the export documents and ship insured by express.
Shipping to Singapore: what to expect.
2 to 4 working days door to door with DHL Express, UPS or FedEx, plus clearance.
None. Singapore levies duty only on alcohol, tobacco, motor vehicles and petroleum; art, antiques, collectibles and machinery pay no duty.
9 % on the CIF value (goods plus freight and insurance), collected by the carrier before delivery.
Air and courier shipments with a CIF value up to SGD 400 are GST-free at import unless the seller is a GST-registered overseas vendor. Above SGD 400: GST on the full value.
Private buyers: nothing, the consignee on the waybill is the importer. Companies: UEN and a customs account; the carrier acts as declaring agent.
With our export declaration and EU exit confirmation the German auction house or supplier refunds the German VAT to you.
Facts checked October 2026. Rates and thresholds are set by Singaporean authorities and can change; your quote states what applies on the day.
From the hammer or the supplier to your door in Singapore.
Auction purchases
Paintings, prints, sculptures, porcelain, glass, clocks, watches, coins, books and collectors' items from German auction houses. We collect with your authorisation, photograph the condition and pack each piece for its own risk.
Antiques and furniture
Chests, chairs, mirrors, small furniture and decorative objects up to about 1.3 m and a few hundred kilograms, in made-to-measure wooden crates from our workshop. Larger pieces we route to a specialist forwarder and tell you so in advance.
Spare parts and industrial goods
Machine parts, components, samples and small equipment from German suppliers, collected, consolidated, export-packed and shipped with commercial invoice, packing list and the origin statement where a trade agreement saves you duty.
Four steps from Germany to Singapore.
- You write to us
Auction house and lot number, or supplier and order, plus your delivery address in Singapore. We reply within one working day with a quote that covers collection, packing, export documents and transport.
- We collect
With your authorisation at the auction house, or at the supplier, across northwest Germany. Items are photographed on arrival in Hannover.
- We pack and declare
Made-to-measure packing or a wooden crate, export declaration with EU exit confirmation, commercial invoice with the right HS codes for Singaporean customs. You pay our invoice after packing, by card or PayPal.
- Delivery to your door
DHL Express, UPS or FedEx with tracking, insured on request for the value you name. Import duty and tax are collected by the carrier on arrival; this page tells you what to expect.
Importing into Singapore: duties, VAT and rules.
General information for buyers and importers, not tax or legal advice. Duties and taxes are assessed by the customs authority of Singapore on the day of import and collected by the carrier; we prepare the documents so that assessment goes smoothly. Checked October 2026; sources at the end of this page.
No duty, 9 % GST
Singapore is one of the few countries where an auction purchase from Germany attracts no customs duty at all: only intoxicating liquor, tobacco, motor vehicles and petroleum products are dutiable. What you pay is GST of 9 % on the CIF value, i.e. the price of the goods plus freight and insurance, collected by the carrier before delivery together with a small handling fee. Investment-grade precious metals are GST-exempt, but collectible and commemorative coins are taxed like any other goods.
The SGD 400 threshold
Shipments arriving by air or post with a total CIF value of SGD 400 or less are relieved of GST at import, unless the seller is a GST-registered overseas vendor who charged GST at checkout. Above SGD 400 the full value is taxed. Auction purchases are nearly always above the threshold.
Spare parts and industrial goods
Machine parts and equipment enter duty-free; only the 9 % GST applies. Companies import under their UEN with a customs account, and the carrier files the permit through TradeNet as declaring agent. GST-registered companies claim the import GST as input tax.
German VAT refund
Our export declaration with the EU exit confirmation lets the German auction house or supplier refund the German VAT to you.
Restricted items
Elephant ivory is banned from domestic trade in Singapore since 2021 and imports need CITES permits from NParks and from Germany, so ask before you bid. Swords, daggers, bayonets and firearms, including replicas, need a police licence; we do not ship weapons or militaria. Chewing gum and firecrackers are prohibited.
Frequently asked questions.
Is there import duty on a painting or antique shipped from Germany to Singapore?
No. Singapore charges no duty on art, antiques or collectibles. You pay 9 % GST on the value plus freight and insurance, collected by the carrier.
How long does express from Germany to Singapore take?
2 to 4 working days door to door after dispatch, plus clearance, which in Singapore is usually same day.
Is anything GST-free?
Air and courier shipments worth SGD 400 or less, unless the seller charged GST at checkout. Investment-grade gold, silver and platinum are also exempt, collector coins are not.
Do I need to register with Singapore Customs as a private buyer?
No. The consignee named on the waybill is the importer; the carrier declares and collects the GST.
Can you ship machine parts from a German supplier to our company in Singapore?
Yes. No duty, 9 % GST, express in 2 to 4 days or air freight for pallets. We collect at the supplier, pack and prepare the export documents; your company claims the GST as input tax.
Can I get the German VAT back?
Yes, if the seller agrees to the export procedure. We provide the export declaration with the EU exit confirmation and the seller refunds the German VAT.
Question not listed?
Ask us directlyShipping from Germany, question by question
Practical answers for companies buying in Hannover and northwest Germany: spare parts, suppliers who do not export, packing, customs, trade fairs, industrial auctions.
Other destinations
Country pages with the same facts for the other countries we ship to.
Something to ship from Germany?
Tell us what needs shipping, where it is now and where it is going. A photo or a catalogue link helps. You receive a personal quote by email from the person who will handle your shipment.
Thank you, we have your request.
We will reply by email within one working day.
Or message us directly on Telegram:
BFF Logistics is the international shipping service of BFF Business Services GmbH (HRB 209217, Amtsgericht Hannover). We run Mail Boxes Etc. centre 0051 in Hannover, which is why our email address ends in @mbe.de.
Your contact: Michael Leikine, Managing Director. We reply within one working day, in your language: write to us in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Chinese or Arabic.
Günther-Wagner-Allee 13-17, 30177 Hannover, Germany.