Shipping from the UK to Romania: Costs, VAT and Import Charges

Romania is one of the fastest-growing e-commerce markets in the EU. Internet penetration is rising rapidly, the country has a young, digitally engaged population, and Romanian consumers are increasingly comfortable buying from international sellers. For UK businesses looking at new EU markets, Romania represents genuine growth potential — but as with all EU destinations post-Brexit, understanding the import charge picture before you start selling is essential.

Romania's VAT rate: 19%

Romania applies a standard VAT rate of 19% to most goods. This is at the lower end of EU VAT rates — below the EU average and significantly below the 24–27% applied by Greece, Finland, Sweden, and Hungary. For UK sellers, this means Romanian customers face a lower on-delivery charge than many other EU markets for equivalent orders, which can make Romania a more accessible market to enter without customer service friction around unexpected charges.

VAT is charged on the total customs value — product price plus shipping — when the parcel clears Romanian customs. For a £95 fashion accessories order with £16 shipping, Romanian VAT at 19% on £111 comes to £21. Add a handling fee of around £6, and the on-delivery charge is approximately £27 on a £95 purchase.

Import duty on UK goods

Goods that genuinely originate in the UK qualify for 0% import duty in Romania under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Romania is an EU member state, so the same TCA rules that apply in France, Germany, or the Netherlands apply equally in Bucharest or Cluj. Standard EU duty rates apply to goods that don't meet UK origin requirements.

The €150 threshold

Romania uses the euro as a target currency but currently maintains the Romanian leu (RON) as its national currency. Romanian customs convert the EU's €150 threshold into RON at current exchange rates. At typical rates, €150 is approximately 740–760 RON — equivalent to roughly £130. For practical purposes, treat the threshold as approximately £130 and recalculate periodically as exchange rates move.

Shipments below the threshold benefit from simplified customs processing. If you're IOSS-registered or selling via a platform that handles IOSS, VAT is collected at checkout and your Romanian customer pays nothing on delivery. Above the threshold, VAT is assessed at Romanian customs at 19%.

A practical example

A UK fashion accessories brand ships a set of products worth £95 to a customer in Bucharest.

A £27 charge on a £95 order is a 28% surcharge — meaningful, but lower than the equivalent charge in Finland (24% VAT), Sweden (25%), or Hungary (27%). Romania's 19% rate is one of the reasons the market is relatively accessible for UK sellers compared to some other EU destinations. Understanding the full landed cost across different destination countries helps you prioritise where to focus your export marketing.

Romanian address formatting

One practical detail that trips up UK sellers shipping to Romania: Romanian addresses include a county (județ) as well as a city. Including the county is important for reliable delivery — particularly for addresses outside Bucharest. The format is typically: street address, city, county, postcode. A parcel addressed only to "Iași" without the "Iași County" designation (for addresses outside the city) may experience routing delays.

When collecting addresses from Romanian customers at checkout, include a county field and make it required, or ensure your shipping labels include the full address as provided. DPD, GLS, and DHL all operate reliable services in Romania — confirm your courier's coverage for Romanian addresses before taking orders.

Shipping times and customs processing

Standard courier services reach Bucharest and major Romanian cities in 4–6 working days from the UK. More rural addresses in Moldova, Transylvania, or Dobrogea may take 6–8 working days. Romanian customs processing can be slower than in western EU countries — during peak periods, allow additional time for parcels above the €150 threshold to clear.

Use a fully tracked service for all Romanian shipments. Tracking gives both you and your customer visibility during customs clearance, and it provides the proof of export you need for VAT zero-rating records. Untracked shipping to Romania has a higher rate of delivery disputes than tracked alternatives.

Romania as a growth market

Romania's e-commerce market grew by over 20% year-on-year in recent years, driven by rising household incomes, improved internet infrastructure, and rapid smartphone adoption. English proficiency is high among Romanian consumers under 40, and many are familiar with buying from UK sellers — particularly for fashion, tech accessories, and niche hobby products. The hidden cost picture is more manageable in Romania than in higher-VAT EU markets, making it a reasonable starting point for UK sellers new to EU export.