As of April 2026:
Norwegian buyers often get hit with an extra Postal clearance fee even when Etsy already charged 25% VAT at checkout.
This happens because the package isn’t automatically recognized as “VAT already paid via VOEC”. Etsy is officially VOEC-registered (number 2021137), so the system is designed to avoid extra fees — but you (the seller) have one critical step to make it work.
What you MUST do to avoid your Norwegian customers paying the clearance fee:
1 – Always include Etsy’s VOEC number (2021137) on every shipment to Norway
This is the single most important thing.
When you create the shipping label, put the number in the electronic customs field:
For postal services (USPS, Royal Mail, etc.) → “sender.identification.reference” field in ITMATT.
For other carriers/couriers → in the EDI message (ask your carrier how to add it).
Do not add any extra letters or characters — just the 7-digit number: 2021137.
If you ignore this, the buyer can be charged VAT a second time + the clearance fee.
2 – Use Etsy’s integrated shipping labels whenever possible.
They usually transmit the VOEC data automatically, but double-check the customs declaration.
3 – Strongly prefer DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) shipping.
Etsy officially recommends this (see their Seller Handbook).
– With DDP, you pre-pay all import taxes, duties, and clearance fees upfront.
– The buyer pays nothing extra at delivery.
– Best carriers for DDP to Norway: DHL, UPS, FedEx, or third-party partners like ShipStation/Easyship that offer DDP options.
– It costs you more, but it eliminates complaints, refunds, and bad reviews.
4- For orders over 3,000 NOK
VOEC doesn’t apply. These go through full customs clearance → buyer will almost always pay extra fees. Consider warning them in the listing or limiting shipping to lower-value items.
Quick checklist before you ship to Norway
- Order value < 3,000 NOK per item? → Good for VOEC.
- Etsy collected VAT at checkout? → Yes for most items.
- VOEC number 2021137 added to customs data? → Mandatory.
- Using DDP carrier? → Best experience for the buyer.
Extra tips that help a lot:
- Add a clear note in your Shipping Policy and Shop Announcement:
“For Norway: Norwegian VAT is already included at checkout via Etsy’s VOEC system. No extra customs clearance fees should apply if the package is processed correctly.” - Test one small order to Norway yourself (or ask a friend) to confirm everything clears smoothly.
Do these steps and 99% of the time your Norwegian customers will only pay the VAT that was already shown at checkout — no surprise clearance fees.