Sending a case of vintage Bordeaux to an overseas distributor or sending corporate gifts containing craft beer isn't as simple as packing a standard box. Shipping alcohol internationally is one of the most heavily regulated sectors in global logistics. Due to strict tax laws, age restrictions, and safety concerns, many countries outright prohibit the import of alcohol without specialized commercial licenses. For vineyards, breweries, and B2B distributors, understanding these legal barriers is the difference between a successful delivery and having your goods seized by border authorities. Here is the operational breakdown of what you need to know before you ship beverages across borders.
Chantal has been writing about logistics topics for almost two decades and has worked for major international carriers.
Before you even pack a bottle, you must confront alcohol customs rules. Standard courier services generally prohibit individuals from sending alcohol. For businesses, transporting these goods is permitted only if you hold the appropriate import and export licenses.
Every international border imposes specific excise duties and taxes on alcoholic beverages. To prevent your shipment from being destroyed or held at customs:
Verify Destination Laws: Some countries (like certain Middle Eastern nations or specific US states) strictly forbid the importation of alcohol. Always check the destination country's current import regulations.
Accurate Documentation: You must provide a highly detailed commercial invoice stating the type of alcohol, the volume (in liters or milliliters), the exact alcohol by volume (ABV) percentage, and the country of origin.
Prepare for Taxes: Be ready for custom duty clearance. The importer of record is almost always responsible for paying specific excise duties upon arrival.
Expert Insight: Within the European Union, the movement of excise goods (like alcohol) between member states for commercial purposes requires the use of the Excise Movement and Control System (EMCS). You can read the official guidelines on the European Commission - Excise Duties on Alcohol page to ensure full compliance.
If your business holds the necessary licenses, the next critical step is packaging. Liquid in glass bottles is exceptionally heavy and highly fragile.
When you ship wine overseas or send beer abroad, standard cardboard boxes will fail. You must use specialized packaging designed for liquid transport:
Polystyrene Bottle Shippers: Use molded expanded polystyrene (EPS) inserts that cradle each bottle individually. This provides thermal insulation (crucial for wine and beer) and absorbs extreme impact.
Corrugated Inserts: Alternatively, use heavy-duty, multi-layered corrugated pulp inserts inside a double-walled export box.
Seal and Label: Seal the box with reinforced packing tape and clearly label the package as "Fragile" and "Liquid." (Note: Carriers do not always guarantee careful handling just because a "Fragile" sticker is present, making the internal packaging your only real defense).
Shipping spirits introduces an additional layer of complexity: flammability. While wine and beer generally have a low ABV, spirits like whiskey, vodka, or rum have a much higher alcohol content.
In global aviation logistics, beverages containing more than 24% ABV but less than 70% ABV are subject to volume restrictions per receptacle. Any spirit exceeding 70% ABV is strictly classified as a Dangerous Good (flammable liquid) and is universally banned from standard express air networks. Always verify the ABV before you attempt to calculate shipping costs or book a shipment.
Because of the regulatory minefield, you cannot simply drop off a case of wine at a local post office. Businesses must partner with an authorized wine courier or freight forwarder that operates under a pre-approved alcohol shipping contract with major networks (like DHL, UPS, or FedEx). These networks require specialized accounts to ensure all local and international laws are strictly followed.
Alcohol customs rules mandate that the sender and receiver hold valid import/export licenses for commercial shipments. Furthermore, all shipments must include a commercial invoice detailing the volume, value, and ABV percentage to accurately calculate high excise duties and taxes.
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In most cases, no. Major express carriers prohibit consumers from shipping alcohol internationally due to complex licensing, taxation, and age verification laws. Shipping alcohol is generally restricted to licensed B2B transactions.
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It depends on the alcohol by volume (ABV). Spirits with an ABV over 70% are classified as flammable liquids (Dangerous Goods) and are prohibited in standard courier networks. Spirits between 24% and 70% ABV face strict volume and packaging limitations.
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To send beer abroad safely, you must use specialized bottle shippers—such as molded polystyrene inserts or thick, custom-corrugated pulp trays—placed inside a heavy-duty, double-walled cardboard box. Standard packaging materials like bubble wrap are insufficient for heavy liquids.
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A specialized wine courier operates with the legal contracts and compliance frameworks required by international customs and aviation authorities. They ensure that the necessary age verifications, excise tax declarations, and thermal-handling requirements are met during transit.
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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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