What "duty-free line" means on KakoBuy
A duty-free or tax-free line is a KakoBuy shipping route that KakoBuy says includes the import duty, so you do not clear customs yourself. It is KakoBuy's label, not a legal status, and its meaning changes with the destination. In the US it is a route choice; in the EU it is a route plus a flat per-parcel charge; in the UK and Canada the estimator lists no line with such a name.
KakoBuy's help article on customs says that for tax-free lines KakoBuy assists the carrier to declare and pay taxes, and that on non-tax-free lines the customs cost is borne by the user.
Our shipping page lists line quotes by country.
The label is KakoBuy's claim about duties; read what it excludes, especially VAT and brokerage.
Country table: what the line covers, what you might still pay
| Country | What the line covers | What you might still pay |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Routes KakoBuy labels tax-free or duty-free; its 2025 notice says no extra tariff or customs step for them | Full duty and clearance on other routes; possible carrier fees if the label is wrong |
| Germany, Spain (EU) | Duty-free lines include all duties per the 1 July 2026 notice; a €3 per-parcel charge sits in the shipping total | Import VAT (19% Germany, 21% Spain) unless the line quote includes it; postal lines clear DDU |
| United Kingdom | No tax-free line named in the estimator | VAT at point of sale up to £135; border VAT, duty and handling fees above £135 |
| Canada | No tax-free line named in the estimator | Nothing up to CAD 20; GST or HST and duty above it, plus carrier brokerage |
Only the US and EU have lines KakoBuy describes as duty-covered; the UK and Canada depend on the sale and the carrier.
The EU: €3 per category, €3 per parcel
The Council of the EU announced on 11 February 2026 a temporary flat customs duty of €3 on each different tariff category in low-value parcels, replacing the €150 duty exemption from 1 July 2026 and running until 1 July 2028. Import VAT already applies from the first euro, 19% in Germany and 21% in Spain.
KakoBuy responded on 23 June 2026. Its example: T-shirts only is one category; T-shirts and shoes is two; T-shirts, shoes, bags and accessories is four, so up to €12 under the rule. KakoBuy says it charges €3 per parcel whatever the number of categories, includes the €3 in the shipping cost at submission, and covers the rest. A parcel with three categories would owe €9 under the rule; KakoBuy absorbs €6.
On 1 July 2026 it added that all EU duty-free lines include all applicable taxes and duties. KakoBuy also says it holds an IOSS number, and its help pages say postal lines (EMS, EUB, SAL) clear on a delivery-duty-unpaid basis, so the recipient pays. The Germany page and Spain page carry their line tables, including a Canary Islands caveat.
In the EU you pay €3 per parcel to KakoBuy; confirm how VAT appears before you pay.
The US: the $800 limit is gone
US de minimis treatment ended for goods from China and Hong Kong on 2 May 2025 and for all countries on 29 August 2025, per CBP notices. KakoBuy's 17 April 2025 notice told US buyers it would offer tax-free routes, costing roughly $5 to $10 more per package than regular USPS-type routes, and that other routes require the buyer to clear customs and pay. Its help article 69 still prints "United States 800 USD": it is outdated, as is "European Union 22 EUR" in the same table.
| Line | 1,000 g | 2,000 g | Transit listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| USPS Tax-Free Line (Battery Accepted) | $39.28 | $69.83 | 7-13 days |
| USPS Special Line (Duty Free Route) | $42.00 | $75.03 | 7-13 days |
| US Tax-Free (Actual Weight) | $43.33 | not listed | 8-15 days |
| CN-EMS duty-free route | $49.48 | $67.15 | 5-17 days |
| UPS Duty-Free (No Batteries) | not listed | $57.80 | 2-6 days |
Compared with the other listed lines, the premium is small or absent. At 1,000 g the cheapest listed line was a cosmetics air line at $38.07, so the USPS tax-free line cost $1.21 more. At 2,000 g the UPS duty-free line at $57.80 was $8.02 below the HK UPS line at $65.82. Line names do not prove which lines are duty-covered, so check the label on the parcel page. Read the US page for the full list.
The tax-free premium was $1.21 at 1 kg and negative at 2 kg on 12 October 2026.
The UK and Canada: no tax-free label
For the UK, VAT on goods up to £135 is collected at the point of sale, by the seller or marketplace, and customs-duty relief for low-value imports still applies until it is removed; HMRC's policy paper of 13 July 2026 says removal is expected by October 2028. Above £135, import VAT and duty are charged at the border, and carriers add handling fees. None of KakoBuy's notices we read explain how this works for an agent purchase, so treat a UK parcel as one where VAT may be charged.
For Canada, goods from China outside CUSMA are duty and tax free only up to CAD 20. Above CAD 20, GST or HST and any duty apply to the full value, and carriers may add brokerage fees. KakoBuy's help article lists "Canada 20 CAD", a row that matches the CBSA rule. See the UK page and Canada page.
Plan for VAT in the UK and for tax above CAD 20 in Canada.
Large and repeated parcels
KakoBuy's help pages say parcels over 10 kg are more likely to be treated as commercial by customs, and that the quantity of items and the weight decide that. Our fees page lists the other costs in a parcel. If you want a second opinion on a route, scan the WhatsApp QR on the contact page and pay per order.
Duty-free labels do not change what customs thinks of a commercial-sized parcel.
Questions buyers ask
Does KakoBuy charge €3 per item or per parcel in the EU?
Per parcel. KakoBuy's notice of 23 June 2026 says the new EU rule can charge a fixed €3 for each product category, but KakoBuy charges only €3 per parcel however many categories are inside, adds it to shipping at submission, and covers the rest. It also says it will announce in advance if it stops the subsidy.
Are KakoBuy's EU duty-free lines really free of extra charges?
KakoBuy's 1 July 2026 notice says all its EU duty-free lines were updated to include duties, and that no additional customs duties or separate declaration are required. That is KakoBuy's claim about duties. It does not say how import VAT appears, so read the quote on the parcel page before paying, and do not assume a line includes VAT.
Is the US $800 duty-free limit still in place?
No. US de minimis treatment ended for goods from China and Hong Kong on 2 May 2025 and for all countries on 29 August 2025. KakoBuy's help article 69 still lists "United States 800 USD" and is outdated. Use a line KakoBuy labels tax-free or duty-free, or expect to clear customs and pay yourself on other lines.
Do UK parcels under £135 pay VAT?
Usually the VAT is collected at the point of sale, by the seller or marketplace, for goods up to £135. HMRC's 13 July 2026 policy paper says the customs-duty relief for low-value imports is expected to be removed by October 2028. Whether that VAT step applies to a purchase through an agent is not covered by KakoBuy's notices.
What is the Canadian limit for duty and tax on parcels from China?
CAD 20. For goods from China outside CUSMA, post or courier shipments are duty and tax free only up to CAD 20, and above that GST or HST and any duty apply to the full value, according to CBSA information. Carriers may add brokerage fees. KakoBuy's help article 69 lists the same CAD 20 figure.
Why do KakoBuy's duty-free lines cost more than other lines?
Not always. KakoBuy said in April 2025 that US tax-free routes cost roughly $5 to $10 more per package than regular routes. But on 12 October 2026 its estimator listed "USPS Tax-Free Line" at $39.28 for 1,000 g, only $1.21 above the $38.07 cosmetics air line. At 2,000 g a UPS duty-free line was the cheapest listed.