Declaration of goods

A customs declaration is a document containing details about the goods imported (introduced into the European Union) and must be submitted by both visitors and residents.

Customs declarations help customs authorities to carry out checks on the goods in order to determine that the goods do not contain prohibited or restricted goods or whether the goods are subject to taxation. As a general rule, customs authorities do not ask for a declaration in respect of a person’s personal things, but a declaration is required when the person brings goods from a third country from which it is apparent that they have been acquired there and the value of which is higher than that permitted.

For travellers arriving from non-European Union countries For travellers leaving the European Union

For travellers arriving from non-European Union countries

If you carry goods acquired from a non-EU country, the value or quantity of which exceeds the tax-free threshold, the easiest way to declare the goods is to submit a declaration electronically up to three days before crossing the border.

Submitting a declaration

You can submit a traveller’s declaration conveniently in the e-services environment of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board.

Declaration of traveler's goods

     

Navigation in the menu of the e-MTA. Enter the e-services environment e-MTA. Select Customs – Simplified declarations – Traveler’s declaration. On the page that opens, click on the green button “New declaration”.

If you do not have access to the e-services environment e-MTA, you can submit the declaration electronically via the following link.

Declaration of traveler's goods

In the declaration

  • Select:
  • country from which you arrive
  • border crossing point through which you will arrive in Estonia
  • type of goods from the selection of goods
  • Enter the details:
  • quantity
  • price
  • currency
  • Check that the e-mail address displayed in the declaration is correct to receive a notification of the submission of the declaration.

At a border customs office upon arrival in Estonia

  • Select the red channel when passing through the border customs office.
  • Inform a customs official of the submission of the declaration and provide the notification of the submission of the declaration sent to you by e-mail.
  • You can pay taxes at the border customs office by debit or credit card (except American Express) or in cash in euro.

If you arrive as a traveller from a non-EU country with a motor vehicle purchased there, the vehicle must be declared at a border customs office and the taxes payable on import must be paid.

The customs declaration can be submitted either:

When filling in the declaration, pay attention to filling in the data field “Description of goods” and data block “Supporting documents and write-offs”.

  • The make, model, year of production, engine capacity and power of the motor vehicle must be indicated on the data field “Description of goods”.
  • Documents certifying the acquisition of the vehicle, the registration certificate and the vehicle’s VIN must be added as supporting documents to the data block “Supporting documents and write-offs”.

For travellers leaving the European Union

If, when leaving the EU, you are carrying:

  • goods of a non-commercial nature or
  • goods of a commercial nature the value of which does not exceed 1,000 euros or the quantity of which does not exceed 1,000 kg,

it must be declared to a customs official orally or by operation (i.e by passing through the green (“Nothing to declare”) channel or by passing through a customs office, if the customs office does not have a system of channels).

If, when leaving the EU, you are carrying:

  • goods of a commercial nature, the value of which exceeds 1,000 euros or the quantity of which exceeds 1,000 kg, or
  • goods and personal effects the export of which is subject to the requirement of a special authorisation,

it must be declared in a customs declaration.

The customs declaration can be submitted:

private client travel

Last updated: 09.01.2024

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