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Tick the gift box on the customs declaration, describe every item in plain words, and enter its fair value in the destination country's currency. The gift label does not waive duties by itself: it tells customs to check the package against that country's gift rules, which differ everywhere. Describe contents honestly, because vague or false entries are what get gift parcels opened, held, or taxed.
| Field on the form | What to write for a gift | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Contents type | Tick "Gift" (not "Merchandise" or "Other") | Ticking merchandise out of habit, which invites duty assessment |
| Detailed description | Plain words: "wool scarf", "hardcover novel", "ceramic mug" | "Clothing", "stuff", "present": too vague, and officers can open the box to check |
| Value | Fair market value in the destination country's currency | Writing a zero value or leaving it blank, which reads as hiding something |
| Quantity | Exact count of each item | "Assorted" with no counts |
| Sender and recipient | Two private individuals, full addresses | A business name as the sender, which kills the gift claim |
| Signature | Sign and date; you certify the contents are as declared | Someone else signing without the sender's knowledge |
It routes the package into the gift lane of the destination country's rules. Some countries give small private gifts a duty break up to a set value, some don't, and the thresholds are all different. Canada, for example, has a modest gift exemption: a genuine gift from someone abroad to a person in Canada is duty-free up to a set value, provided the sender and recipient are individuals and the item qualifies. Check the current threshold before you ship, since these limits change.
That break is not automatic everywhere, and it never covers everything. Alcohol, tobacco, and advertising material are usually excluded from gift treatment even when they are genuinely given as gifts. The exemption also has nothing to do with the sender's intent: customs cares about the facts on the form, not whether you feel generous.
This is general information, not tax advice.
A few things quietly sink the gift claim, and people hit them more often than you would expect.
First, anything sent by a business. If the sender is a company, the package is merchandise in customs' eyes, even if nobody paid for it. Promotional samples, influencer boxes, and company-to-person holiday gifts all fail the private-individual test. Second, anything the recipient paid for. If your friend reimbursed you for the item, it is a purchase, not a gift, and the form should say merchandise. Third, restricted categories. As noted above, alcohol and tobacco almost never qualify for gift exemptions. Fourth, value above the threshold. Go over the limit and the whole shipment is typically assessed, not just the amount above it: there is no partial credit.
One more quiet trap: writing "gift" on the outside of the box with a marker. The handwritten word on the packaging means nothing to customs. Only the completed declaration form counts, and only the box you ticked on it.
The biggest is undervaluing. Writing a token value for a new pair of headphones does not fool anyone: officers see thousands of parcels a day and know what things cost. Undervaluation can lead to seizure or fines, while an honest value just gets assessed normally. The second is vagueness. "Gift items" as a description is an invitation to be opened, because the officer cannot clear what they cannot identify. The third is mixing. If you put a genuine gift in the same box as something you sold, the whole package gets treated as merchandise. Ship them separately.
Also watch the currency. Entering the value in your own currency instead of the destination country's currency creates a mismatch that can stall clearance. Most forms print the expected currency right on the line, so check before you write. And keep a photo of the completed form: if the parcel is held, you will be asked exactly what you declared, and guessing wrong makes the conversation worse.
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