Shipping from Germany to the USA: auction purchases, art and spare parts, door to door.

Duties on art, antiques and collectors' items

Original paintings, drawings, sculptures and prints (HTS 9701 to 9703), collectors' items such as coins and stamps (9705) and antiques over 100 years (9706) enter the USA duty-free. The US tariff regime for EU goods changed three times in 2026: the IEEPA tariffs were struck down by the Supreme Court in February, a temporary Section 122 surcharge followed, and since 24 July 2026 EU-origin goods carry a Section 301 duty capped at 10 % in total. The whole of chapter 97, from paintings to collectors' items and antiques, is exempt from that duty by heading 9903.05.86 of the US tariff and the CBP list of 23 July 2026. We state the correct HTS code and an antique declaration on the invoice, which is what US Customs looks at.

Duties on spare parts and industrial goods

For machine parts and equipment of EU origin, US Customs applies the normal rate plus the Section 301 surcharge, capped at 10 % in total. Steel, aluminium and copper articles and their derivatives follow the separate Section 232 tiers instead. If your supplier can state the HTS code and material, we put it on the commercial invoice so the entry is filed correctly at the first attempt.

No de minimis: every shipment is declared

The USD 800 duty-free exemption for low-value shipments was suspended for all countries on 29 August 2025 and made indefinite in June 2026. Every parcel from Germany, whatever its value, now needs a customs entry. In practice the carrier's broker files an informal entry up to USD 2,500 and a formal entry above that, and bills you duty and the merchandise processing fee before delivery. There is no federal import VAT in the United States.

German VAT refund

If the auction house or supplier charged German VAT, our export documents (commercial invoice, electronic export declaration with the EU exit confirmation) are what the seller needs to refund it to you. Ask the auction house before you pay whether it works with this procedure; most do.

Restricted items

Elephant ivory cannot be imported commercially; the antique exemption (over 100 years, no repair with ivory after 1973, CITES export document from Germany, entry via a designated antique port) is narrow, so tell us before you bid on anything containing ivory. Other CITES materials such as tortoiseshell or rosewood need CITES papers on both sides. We do not ship weapons or militaria. Alcohol to private individuals depends on state law and most express carriers refuse it.