Sending a package to Réunion: Customs, VAT and sea tax
From Germany to Saint-Denis, Saint-Pierre or Le Port: Properly prepare shipping and import procedures.
Réunion is located in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar and, as a French overseas department, belongs to France and the European Union.
- Shipping from Germany to Réunion
- Parcel, express and freight solutions
- Shipping to Saint-Denis, Saint-Pierre and Le Port
- Prepare customs and tax data digitally
- 8,5% VAT must be taken into account when importing.
- Octroi de mer je Ware check
- Note the special tax status of Réunions
- Preparing customs documents despite EU membership
10.000+
Shipments / Month
220+
Countries worldwide
< 2 seconds
per label
Up to 80%
günstiger
Réunion is part of the EU, but is nevertheless a special tax territory for shipping purposes.
For business shipments, the goods description, customs tariff number, value of goods and country of origin should be fully available before collection.
The distinction between customs duties and taxes is particularly important: Union goods remain within the EU customs territory, but can still trigger TVA and Octroi de mer when imported into Réunion.
8,5% VAT included
The standard VAT rate on Réunion is 8,5 percent. A reduced rate of 2,1 percent applies to certain goods, and in some cases, even lower rates apply.
Check Octroi de mer
In addition to VAT, imported goods may be subject to a sea tax (octroi de mer) and a regional sea tax (octroi de mer). The specific rate depends on the type of goods and the regional tariff regulations.
The EU customs territory is not the same as the EU tax territory.
Réunion is part of the customs territory of the European Union. However, for VAT purposes, the island is treated as a third territory vis-à-vis Germany and the other EU member states.
Shipping from
43.24 €
Delivery in
3-16 days
Guaranteed total cost for Platinum customers
Checkout-ready
for international orders
DDP / DAP
directly controllable
Carrier selection
including price & duration
More transparency
for dealers & customers
“We have automated our international shipping with the Billbee connection from Paket International and save several hours every day – especially with customs issues.”
Besler-Scharf – DLA Proficiency Tests
Important information about customs and import duties
DAP or DDP to Réunion: Who takes over TVA and Octroi de mer?
Even though Réunion is part of the European Union, local import taxes may apply when shipping from Germany.
For DAP The seller organizes the transport to the agreed destination.
Import processing and agreed local taxes and fees are generally the responsibility of the recipient.
This can include:
- 8,5% VAT or reduced rate
- Octroi de mer
- Octroi de mer régional
- Carrier handling fees
- Product-specific taxes may apply.
For DDP The seller assumes further obligations and agreed import costs, provided that the chosen carrier supports the corresponding processing.
Therefore, at least the following should be checked before making a DDP offer:
- Customs tariff number
- cart value
- Status as Union goods
- VAT rate
- Octroi-de-mer set
- Octroi de mer régional
- Carrier handling fees
Precisely because Union goods are often not subject to classic import duties, octroi de mer and TVA are easily overlooked in the calculation.
For more information, please visit Display landed costs already at checkout.
Are there import duties when shipping from Germany to Réunion?
Réunion is part of the customs territory of the European Union.
This is what makes the island so different from traditional third countries.
Become Union goods from Germany Therefore, when goods are shipped to Réunion, no standard import duty is generally incurred solely due to the transport to the island.
Nevertheless, special formalities are required because Réunion is outside the EU VAT area.
The following may be particularly relevant:
- VAT on imports
- Octroi de mer
- Octroi de mer régional
- statistical and customs information
- Carrier handling fees
The situation may be different for non-Union goods.
If goods from a third country are imported directly to Réunion and are not yet in free circulation within the European Union, additional EU import duties may apply.
The tariff number, origin and customs status of the goods are particularly important.
For normal goods that have already been properly released into free circulation in Germany, the local tax burden is the most important factor.
What is the VAT rate in Réunion?
The French value added tax is called:
Taxe sur la Valeur Ajoutée, TVA for short.
Réunion has lower tax rates than mainland France.
The regular rate is:
8,5%.
The reduced rate is:
2,1%.
This generally applies to goods and services that are subject to the reduced rates of 5,5 or 10 percent in mainland France.
In addition, there are special tax rates of:
- 1,75% for certain sales of slaughter animals
- 1,05% for certain press products and cultural services
However, for most normal commercial goods, the regular rate of 8,5 percent applies.
Regular VAT in Réunion: 8,5%
Sea tax: The most important special feature when shipping to Réunion
In addition to the VAT, Réunion has an additional regional import tax:
Octroi de mer.
This tax is generally levied on the import of goods into Réunion, regardless of the country of origin.
This means:
Goods from Germany may also be subject to the Octroi de mer.
Additionally, a:
Octroi de mer régional
be collected.
The specific rate depends on the product and is set by the Réunion region.
Therefore, the specific tariff position of the goods should be checked for a reliable cost calculation.
No general percentage for all goods
Unlike regular VAT, there is no meaningful uniform standard rate for all products under Octroi de mer.
Depending on the product:
- different tax rates
- Tax exemptions
- special regional regulations
be valid.
The combination of TVA and Octroi de mer is therefore one of the most important points in a landed cost calculation for Réunion.
Sending a package to Réunion: What companies should know beforehand
Réunion is located in the Indian Ocean between Madagascar and Mauritius.
The island is a French overseas department and also one of the so-called outermost regions of the European Union.
The most important economic and logistics locations include:
- St Denis
- The Port
- Saint Paul
- Saint-Pierre
- Saint-André
- Saint-Benoît
For smaller goods, international parcel and express services are available.
For machinery, pallets and larger quantities of goods, sea freight via Port Réunion plays a particularly important role.
Is Réunion a third country?
From a customs law perspective, the answer is:
No.
Réunion is part of the customs territory of the European Union.
However, for VAT and excise tax purposes, the island has a special status and is not part of the corresponding EU tax territory.
This means that for tax purposes, goods movements from Germany to Réunion are treated similarly to exports.
That is precisely why special customs and tax information is required for deliveries within the European Union.
What documents do I need for Réunion?
For a commercial delivery of goods, the following information or documents should typically be prepared:
- Commercial invoice
- precise product description
- Customs tariff number
- cart value
- Weight and number of packages
- Country of origin
- Sender and recipient data
- Packing List (if applicable)
- Product-specific documentation, if applicable
For postal shipments, customs declarations may also be required.
The special tax status means that even goods movements from Germany cannot simply be treated like a normal package to Paris or Lyon.
Do I need an ABD or MRN for Réunion?
Réunion remains part of the EU customs territory. Therefore, this is not a classic export from the customs territory of the European Union.
Nevertheless, due to the special tax status, there are special registration and documentation requirements.
In the German ATLAS system, the French overseas territories, including Réunion, are explicitly listed as Special tax areas guided.
Depending on the value of the goods, the shipping method and the procedure, special customs declaration data may be required.
A classic third-country ABD should not be drawn up simply because Réunion is geographically outside of Europe.
How long does it take for a package to arrive in Réunion?
DHL Parcel currently states a delivery time estimate of:
10 to 16 working days.
The storage period is:
30 days.
DHL Express Worldwide currently indicates a standard delivery time of approximately: to Réunion
3 working days
in the international main race.
The actual delivery time can also be influenced by:
- Tax and customs clearance
- missing product information
- Recipient region
- Carrier
- Type of goods
What language should the customs declaration be in?
DHL lists the following for Réunion:
- English
- French
A precise French product description can be helpful for local processing.
Not:
“Pièces de machine”
but for example:
“Accouplement en acier inoxidable pour pompe centrifuge industrial”
This makes the product, material, and use much easier to identify.
Write the address for Réunion correctly
Réunion uses the French address and postal code system.
One possible format is:
REUNION INDUSTRIE SARL
25 STREET OF COMMERCE
97420 LE PORT
MEETING
The recipient's phone number and email address should also be provided.
For business shipments, this facilitates queries during tax or transport processing.
These errors are delaying shipments to Réunion
Most misunderstandings arise from Réunion's EU membership.
Typical errors are:
- Réunion is treated like a normal French mainland destination.
- VAT on imports is not taken into account.
- Octroi de mer is overlooked
- A flat-rate octroi de mer rate is assumed.
- Customs tariff number is missing
- The product description is too general.
- The value of the goods cannot be verified.
- Country of origin missing
- Commercial invoice is not attached.
- Carrier handling fees are not included.
The distinction between is particularly important Customs territory and Tax area.
The fact that Réunion belongs to the EU does not automatically mean that a delivery of goods from Germany is treated for tax purposes like a normal intra-community delivery.
What goods are shipped from Germany to Réunion?
Réunion is heavily dependent on imports and at the same time has construction, energy, health, tourism, food and service sectors.
For German companies, technical products, spare parts and capital goods may therefore be of particular interest.
These include, for example:
- Machines and production facilities
- Machine spare parts
- Electrical Engineering
- Solar and energy technology
- Pumps and water technology
- Refrigeration and air conditioning technology
- Tools and workshop equipment
- medical devices and accessories
- IT and communication technology
- Vehicle and commercial vehicle parts
- Hotel and catering technology
Especially with technical products, the customs tariff number should be determined before shipping.
It is not only important for statistical and customs purposes. The tariff classification can also influence the applicable sea tax rate.
For electronics and devices with lithium-ion batteries, the respective transport regulations of the carrier must also be taken into account.
Shipping information: Réunion
Standard, express or freight to Réunion.
The most suitable shipping method depends on weight, size, and urgency.
Standard package
For smaller and less time-critical goods, an international parcel service can be used.
DHL Parcel currently states:
10 to 16 working days.
For more information, please visit DHL Parcel and international shipping options.
Express Shipping
For urgent spare parts, medical products, or production materials, express delivery can be significantly faster.
DHL Express Worldwide currently indicates a main transit time of approximately three working days.
Freight shipping
Air and sea freight are particularly interesting for machinery, pallets and larger quantities of goods.
Due to its island location, the choice between speed and transport costs plays a particularly important role.
“` :chatgpt-content-reference{index=”9″}
## Transport routes
“`html
Port Réunion is the most important gateway for larger goods deliveries.
The Grand Port Maritime de La Réunion plays a central role in the island's trade.
Port Réunion connects the island to international sea freight routes between Africa and Asia.
The port is, among other things:
- largest port in the French overseas territories
- major container port
- Supply port for the island
- Logistics hub for general cargo and bulk goods
In 2025, more than:
370.000 TEU
and overall around:
6,1 million tons of goods
turned over.
For machinery, production facilities and larger B2B deliveries, sea freight can therefore be an economical alternative to air freight.
For time-critical spare parts and smaller high-value goods, air freight or express shipping is often a better option.
For more information, please visit international freight shipping.
Which transport routes are suitable for Réunion?
Due to its location in the Indian Ocean, air and sea freight are the most relevant methods for shipments from Germany.
For smaller goods, spare parts and time-critical business shipments, parcel and express services are suitable.
Larger quantities of goods, on the other hand, are often transported by sea freight.
The island's most important port is:
Port Réunion near Le Port.
It provides a large part of the island's supply and is a major container and transshipment port in the Indian Ocean.
In 2025, more than 6,09 million tons of goods and around 370.000 TEU were handled there. Container traffic accounts for more than 60 percent of total port traffic.
Therefore, the following are particularly suitable for larger deliveries:
- Container sea freight
- LCL consolidated goods
- FCL container
- Project and machinery freight
- combined sea and road transport
For air freight, the following is particularly important:
Aéroport de La Réunion Roland Garros
relevant at Saint-Denis.
The airport handled approximately 30.700 tons of air freight in 2025. About 71 percent of this was imports. :chatgpt-content-reference{index=”1″}
Air freight is particularly suitable for:
- urgent spare parts
- medical products
- Pharmaceutical products
- high-quality electronics
- Time-critical production materials
For heavy or bulky goods, sea freight is generally more economical. For urgent shipments, air freight can be a sensible option despite higher transport costs.
For more information, please visit international freight shipping.
What import costs can arise on Réunion?
Several types of costs may be relevant for a delivery from Germany.
This includes in particular:
- 8,5% VAT or reduced rate
- Octroi de mer
- Octroi de mer régional
- Carrier handling fees
- Product-specific taxes may apply.
Generally, no standard import duty is levied on goods from the Union.
However, this does not mean that the delivery is completely free of duties.
Especially octroi de mer and TVA can make up a significant portion of the total costs.
The specific Octroi de Mer rate should be checked using the tariff number.
“` :chatgpt-content-reference{index=”11″}
## Cost
“`html
How much does a package to Réunion cost?
The transport price depends in particular on:
- Weight
- Package dimensions
- Volumetric weight
- Carrier
- Standard or express shipping
- Type of goods
- Additional Services
Due to the great distance to Germany, the volumetric weight can have a particularly strong influence on the price.
This applies particularly to light but bulky goods.
In addition to the actual transport price, possible local VAT, Octroi de mer and handling charges should be taken into account.
Therefore, if you ship regularly, it's worth comparing different carriers and shipping methods.
You can find out more at Multi-carrier shipping for international business shipments.
How much does a package to Réunion cost?
Shipping costs to Réunion depend heavily on weight, dimensions, shipping method and chosen carrier.
The following are particularly relevant:
- actual weight
- Volumetric weight
- Package dimensions
- Standard or express shipping
- Air or sea freight
- Type of goods
- Insurance
- Possible special and island surcharges
Especially with light but bulky goods, the volumetric weight can significantly increase the transport price.
In addition to the actual shipping cost, further costs may be incurred when importing goods to Réunion.
This includes in particular:
- 8,5% VAT or reduced rate
- Octroi de mer
- Octroi de mer régional
- Carrier handling fees
- Possible storage or special handling costs
While no standard import duties are generally levied on EU goods from Germany, this does not mean that the shipment will be delivered without additional charges.
Especially for higher-value goods, VAT and Octroi de mer should be taken into account before shipping.
For pallets, machinery and larger shipments, the comparison between air and sea freight can also reveal significant price differences.
Therefore, if you ship regularly, a multi-carrier comparison is worthwhile.
You can find out more at Multi-carrier shipping for international business shipments.
Online shopping to Réunion: Know the 22-euro limit
For online shops, Réunion has a special feature that differs significantly from shipping within mainland Europe.
VAT and octroi de mer may apply to goods delivered from Germany or another EU member state to Réunion.
However, for small commercial shipments, there is currently a general tax exemption limit of:
Euro 22.
If the value is higher, the following taxes may become relevant:
- VAT
- Octroi de mer
- Octroi de mer régional
- Carrier handling fees
What is important is:
This 22-euro rule is a special DROM rule and should not be confused with the normal EU e-commerce rules for the European VAT area.
Not a classic EU distance selling transaction
Since Réunion is outside the EU VAT area, a delivery from Germany is not treated for tax purposes like a normal intra-community distance sale to France.
Online retailers should therefore maintain the following data in their shop system if possible:
- cart value
- precise product description
- Customs tariff number
- Country of origin
- Weight
This allows for a much more reliable preparation of VAT and octroi-de-mer costs.
For more information, please visit Display shipping and import costs at checkout.
Réunion is an EU customs territory, but for tax purposes it is a third territory.
It is precisely this combination that makes Réunion particularly suitable for shipping.
The Island:
- belongs to France
- belongs to the European Union
- belongs to the EU customs territory
- does not belong to the EU VAT area
- has its own reduced VAT rates
- raises Octroi de mer
For a German company, this means:
The goods do not leave the EU customs territory, but they do cross a tax border.
Therefore, tax and customs formalities are necessary, even though there is no classic export to a third country.
Octroi de mer will remain regionally controlled in 2026.
Even after the legal changes in 2026, the specific Octroi de mer rates in Réunion will be determined by the responsible regional level.
Therefore, the specific product classification is crucial for a reliable calculation.
Which carrier is suitable for Réunion?
Various parcel, express and freight solutions are available for shipments from Germany to Réunion.
Depending on the program, the following are examples of possibilities:
- DHL package
- DHL Express
- UPS
- FedEx
- international air freight partners
- Sea freight and forwarding partner
When comparing prices, one should not only consider the base price.
Other important criteria include:
- Runtime
- Handling of VAT and Octroi de mer
- Tracking
- Insurance
- maximum dimensions and weights
- Handling fees
- DDP or DAP option
For a small spare part to Saint-Denis, an express service may therefore be useful, while a machine or several pallets can be shipped more economically by sea or air freight.
Frequently Asked Questions about Shipping
Can I send a package from Germany to Réunion?
Yes. Parcels, express shipments, and freight can be sent from Germany to Réunion. Although Réunion is part of the European Union, additional customs and tax formalities apply due to its special tax status.
Is Réunion a third country?
From a customs perspective, no. Réunion is part of the customs territory of the European Union. However, for VAT and excise duty purposes, the island lies outside the relevant EU tax territory and is treated as a third territory for tax purposes with respect to Germany.
How long does it take for a package to arrive in Réunion?
DHL Parcel currently estimates a delivery time of 10 to 16 working days. DHL Express Worldwide indicates approximately three working days for its main international route.
What is the VAT rate in Réunion?
The standard VAT rate is 8,5 percent. A reduced rate of 2,1 percent applies to certain goods. In addition, there are some special lower rates.
What is the Octroi de mer?
The Octroi de mer is a special tax on goods in the French overseas territories. Imports to Réunion can be subject to this tax regardless of their country of origin. The specific rate depends on the type of goods.
Are customs duties levied on goods from Germany?
For goods that already have EU status and are in free circulation, no standard import duty is generally levied when shipped from Germany to Réunion. However, VAT and sea tax may still apply.
Do I need a EUR.1 for Réunion?
For standard EU goods from Germany, an EUR.1 certificate is not required to obtain preferential tariff treatment in Réunion. Réunion is already part of the EU customs territory. The decisive factors are the customs status of the goods and the local tax regulations.
Is there a tax exemption limit for online orders?
For small commercial shipments to Réunion, there is currently a general tax-free allowance of €22 for VAT and sea tax. Excess shipments may be subject to these taxes.
What language should the customs declaration be in?
DHL lists English and French as acceptable languages for the customs declaration to Réunion. A precise description of the goods in French or English can facilitate clearance.
What documents do I need for Réunion?
For business shipments, a commercial invoice, precise description of goods, customs tariff number, value of goods, weight, country of origin, and complete sender and recipient details are typically required. Depending on the shipment, further documentation may be necessary.
Can I send DDP to Réunion?
DDP may be possible depending on the carrier used and the specific shipment. Beforehand, you should check in particular VAT, sea tax, regional sea tax, and handling fees.
Why do I need customs information when Réunion is part of the EU?
Although Réunion is part of the EU customs territory, it is not part of the EU VAT area. Therefore, goods movements from Germany cross a tax border, resulting in special customs and tax formalities.
