Discusses the prevalence and reliability of express delivery firms within the country, time from large U.S. cities, and relevant customs procedures, including de minimis amounts.
Last Published: 8/6/2019

The international express delivery of documents, parcels, and freight is carried out by over 32 companies, including international companies such as DHL, FedEx, TNT Express, and UPS, and several smaller international and domestic companies such as Meest Express, Pony Express, and Nova Poshta. The Ukrainian national mail operator is Ukrposhta, which has an extensive network and delivery fleet and is the only carrier able to deliver mail to the most remote corners of the country.

On average, international express delivery takes from one to seven days, depending on the type of dispatch, type of shipment, and destination. Please visit the web sites of the operators to calculate the cost and time for delivery. 

When sending express shipments to Ukraine, there are several factors to consider. First, some goods are deemed to be documents and only require a waybill to be delivered, while others must be accompanied by an invoice and, in some cases, additional customs documentation.

Starting from July 01, 2019 changes to the Tax Code of Ukraine took effect. Non-taxable total invoice value of imported goods sent in postal and express shipments to private individuals is reduced from 150 EUR to100 EUR. Total invoice value (batch of goods value) is a value for all shipments from one shipper to the same consignee that arrive in Ukraine during one day.  Total invoice value of the goods is below 100 EUR - duties and taxes are not collected.

Total invoice value of the goods is above 100 EUR but below 150 EUR - 20% VAT is collected from the value exceeding 100 EUR. Goods are cleared under customs declaration M16. According to Articles 234-235 of the Customs Code of Ukraine, goods (except excise goods) sent express internationally from one sender to one beneficiary (person or legal entity) in one dispatch are not subject to customs duties if the total invoice amount does not exceed the equivalent of 100 Euros. If the total invoice amount exceeds the equivalent of 100 Euros, however, the shipment is subject to customs duty and VAT.   All permissible excise goods are subject to customs duty and other taxes, regardless of the total invoice amount.  Some types of goods are prohibited for international express delivery into Ukraine:

  • Firearms and ammunition
  • Explosives, flammables, other dangerous substances
  • Military equipment (unless otherwise provided by law)
  • Narcotics, psychotropic substances, and their analogs
  • Items including obscene and immoral content
  • Permits for the right to bear arms
  • Employment records and identification (except Ukrainian passports for traveling abroad)
  • Live animals 

The complete list of prohibited goods is available on the web-site of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine. In addition to the prohibited items above, Ukraine prohibits the shipment of goods that fall within groups 1 through 24 of the Ukrainian Classification of Goods in Foreign Economic Activity are not permitted unless the gross weight of the shipment is less than ten kilograms and the goods are shipped in manufacturer’s packaging.

Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.