When your business expands to shipping internationally outside the European Union via traditional postal networks, dealing with customs documents becomes unavoidable. For many entrepreneurs, paperwork is the biggest hurdle in international e-commerce and B2B exports. One of the most common documents you will encounter in this process is the CN23 form. But when exactly do you need to use this document? What is the difference between CN22 and CN23? And most importantly: how do you ensure your shipment doesn't get stuck at customs for weeks due to a simple filling error? In this comprehensive guide, we will explain step-by-step how to fill out a customs form, and we will show you how modern shipping platforms can completely automate this process for you.
Chantal has been writing about logistics topics for almost two decades and has worked for major international carriers.
The CN23 form is an internationally recognized postal customs declaration (established by the Universal Postal Union, UPU). This document is exclusively used when you send packages via international postal companies (such as PostNL, Bpost, Royal Mail, or USPS) to destinations outside your customs union, such as outside the EU.
Customs authorities in the destination country use the information on this form to determine what is inside the package, its commercial value, and whether import duties or VAT need to be levied. Without a correctly completed CN23 form, a package is simply not allowed to cross the border.
One of the most frequently asked questions in logistics is understanding the exact difference between CN22 and CN23. Both are postal customs declarations for mail shipments, but they are used in different situations based on the value and weight of your goods:
The CN22 sticker: This is a small, simplified green (or white) label that you stick directly onto the package or envelope. You use the CN22 sticker for shipments with a value up to 425 SDR (Special Drawing Rights). Converted, this is approximately €425 to €500 (depending on the exchange rate). Additionally, the package must weigh less than 2 kilograms.
The CN23 form: This is a much more comprehensive document, often accompanied by a CP71 dispatch note. You use the CN23 form when the value of your goods is higher than 425 SDR, or when the package weighs more than 2 kilograms. Because of the higher value and risks associated with B2B shipments, the CN23 document is far more detailed and requires extensive customs data.
Note: For the most up-to-date guidelines regarding international postal treaties, you can consult the official website of the Universal Postal Union (UPU).
To fill out a customs form might seem like a mere formality, but a minor mistake can lead to package confiscation or high fines for you or your client. Make sure you always fill out the following components with 100% accuracy on your CN23 form:
Detailed Goods Description: Generic terms like "clothing," "electronics," or "samples" are no longer accepted. Be specific: "Men's T-shirts, 100% cotton."
Weight and Value: State the exact commercial value, the currency (e.g., EUR or USD), and the net weight per item.
The Correct HS Code: Just like with regular freight, the international commodity code is crucial. Read all about looking up your specific code in our HS code guide.
Country of Origin: Where were the goods originally produced or manufactured?
B2B Identification: For business shipments, it is highly recommended (and often mandatory) to include your company's EORI number and the receiver's VAT number. Discover more about this in our EORI number guide.
While the postal customs declaration is mandatory for services like PostNL, international express couriers (such as FedEx, DHL, UPS, and TNT) operate differently. They do not use CN22 or CN23 forms at all; instead, they use a Commercial Invoice. For B2B shipments, a courier service is often much faster, more reliable, and offers superior tracking compared to regular mail. Curious about the differences? Check out our comparison: DHL versus PostNL.
When you ship via the MyParcelParcel platform, you never have to manually struggle with postal customs forms again. Our platform automatically generates the perfect Commercial Invoice based on the shipment details you enter. We send this data digitally to customs (Paperless Trade), ensuring lightning-fast processing at the border. This saves you hours of administrative work and minimizes the risk of human error.
No. Unlike the CN22 sticker, the CN23 is a larger document. It should be placed inside a clear plastic adhesive pouch (often called a "doc wallet") stuck to the outside of the box. Customs officers need to be able to take it out, stamp it, and put it back without opening your package.
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No. If you are shipping freely circulating goods between EU countries (e.g., France to Germany), no customs forms are needed. You only need a CN23 if you are shipping outside the EU (e.g., UK, USA, Switzerland) or to special territories (e.g., Canary Islands).
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Yes. Even for gifts, if the package weighs over 2kg or exceeds the value threshold, you must use the CN23. In the "Category of Item" section, tick the box for "Gift". This may grant the receiver a tax exemption (Gift Allowance) depending on the country.
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If customs suspect the value is too low, they will hold the package and ask the receiver for proof of payment (a receipt or bank statement). If the values don't match, they can issue a fine for "False Declaration" or seize the goods.
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While some templates exist, manual Excel forms are prone to errors (wrong HS codes, illegible fonts). It is safer to use a shipping tool that validates your data before printing.
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You can instantly check the shipping costs through our rate calculator. Enter the weight, dimensions, and destination country of your shipment, and you will see all available shipping options along with their respective delivery times. The calculator can be used to compare shipping rates for both export and import shipments.
If you need help calculating a shipping rate, watch the video below. Click on the 
button to play the video and the 
icon to view the video in fullscreen.
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Shipping costs are calculated based on dimensions (LxWxH in cm), weight (in kg), and the destination country. Both the actual weight (as shown on the scale) and the volumetric weight are considered.
The volumetric weight is the weight calculated based on the space your shipment occupies in the plane. The higher of the two weights (volumetric or actual weight) is used to calculate the shipping rate. You don't need to calculate this yourself; our calculator does it for you.
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You can use the discount code PP10 for 10% discount on the transportation costs of your first shipment. You can apply the discount code during the checkout process (instructions).
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Whether additional costs apply depends on whether your shipment stays within the European Union or is sent to/from a country outside the European Union. Below, you can see the additional costs for each situation.
Within the European Union
If, for example, you send a shipment from the Netherlands to Italy (within the EU), there will be an additional 21% VAT on the shipping costs.
Furthermore, if your shipment stays within the European Union, you won't have to deal with any import duties or customs clearance fees because your shipment doesn't go through customs. Please note that the European Union is not the same as Europe.
View here all the countries that are part of the European Union. For example, Switzerland is part of Europe but not part of the European Union.
Outside the European Union
If, for example, you send a shipment from the Netherlands to the United States, there will be no VAT (0%) applied to the displayed shipping rates.
However, there might be import duties levied by customs in the destination country if you send a shipment to/from a country outside the European Union. Typically, customs costs are charged to the recipient. This is known as Delivered At Place (DAP) in logistics terminology.
Customs is a government agency that levies import duties in certain cases to protect the local market. As a company, you can also ship using Delivered Duty Paid (DDP), which means any customs costs will be charged to you as the sender.
If you have any questions about this topic, feel free to contact us. Additionally, you can read everything about import duties, VAT, and the customs clearance process in this blog.
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A customs invoice is a form where all the goods you want to ship are specified. This invoice includes an English description of the goods, along with their corresponding value and weight.
The contents of your shipment must be specified per type of product you're sending to avoid delays at customs. A customs invoice is always prepared in quadruplicate in accordance with customs guidelines.
When is a customs invoice required?
A customs invoice is only required for shipments to/from countries outside the European Union (e.g., Netherlands - United States). If your shipment stays within the European Union (e.g., Netherlands - Italy), your shipment will not go through customs, and therefore, a customs invoice is not required.
Additionally, document shipments are not subject to customs, so if you're sending a document to a country within/outside the European Union, no customs invoice is needed.
Please note that not all goods can be shipped to every country. You can find a list of goods that cannot be sent via ParcelParcel on this page.
Do I need to create a customs invoice myself?
If you're sending a shipment to/from a country outside the European Union, it's mandatory to include a customs invoice with the shipment. We provide free support in creating a customs invoice.
You can easily generate a customs invoice through our shipping platform. The customs invoice will be automatically generated based on the content you specified during your booking.
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You can import just as easily as export via ParcelParcel.
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You can find a list of goods that cannot be shipped via ParcelParcel on this page.
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