If you have just moved to Gran Canaria, the first online order can be a surprise. Something you bought from a shop in Madrid or Germany turns up a week late, with a notice asking for paperwork or a payment before it can be delivered. Friends back home order from the same shop and get it the next day with nothing to pay.
The short answer is that yes, customs applies to online orders sent to the Canary Islands, even from mainland Spain. The good news is that most everyday orders go through with little or no tax to pay. This guide explains why the islands are treated differently, when you are likely to pay something, and how to keep your parcels moving.
Why the Canary Islands Are Treated Differently
The Canary Islands are part of Spain and part of the EU customs territory, but they sit outside the EU VAT area. The European Commission’s territorial scope table sets this out. Instead of Spanish IVA, the islands have their own indirect tax, the IGIC (Impuesto General Indirecto Canario).
That has a practical consequence for anything you buy online. The Agencia Tributaria’s FAQ on online purchases says that goods brought into the Canary Islands are subject to customs formalities whether they come from elsewhere in Spain, from another EU country or from outside the EU. Correos says the same on its import page for the Canary Islands: every shipment goes through import procedures, whatever its origin, value or contents.
So a parcel from Barcelona is, on paper, an import. That is why it can take longer than you expect and why some retailers simply refuse to deliver to the islands.
The €150 Threshold: When You Usually Pay Nothing
For most small orders, the paperwork happens in the background and you pay no IGIC. The Agencia Tributaria Canaria (the islands’ tax agency) explains on its page about the H7 declaration that imports with a total value of no more than €150 are exempt from IGIC and go through a simplified low-value declaration.
There are exceptions. The same page lists goods that do not get the exemption, including alcoholic drinks, perfumes and colognes, tobacco products, e-cigarette liquids and nicotine pouches. Correos adds that parcels containing perfume or cologne go through the full import route whatever their value. If you order a bottle of aftershave, expect a different process from a phone case.
The exemption is about IGIC. A carrier may still charge its own fee for handling the customs side, and that fee depends on who delivers the parcel. Check the delivery terms before you order rather than assuming the price at checkout is the final price.
What Happens Above €150
Once an order is worth more than €150, things become more formal. According to Correos, parcels over that value, along with goods subject to excise duties or the AIEM (a separate Canary Islands tax on certain imported goods), or goods needing health or other border checks, go through a full import declaration, often called the DUA.
In that case, the person receiving the parcel may have to pay, as applicable:
- IGIC on the value of the goods
- AIEM, if the product falls under it
- Import duties, if the goods come from outside the EU
- Excise duties on things like alcohol or tobacco
- The carrier’s fees for preparing and presenting the declaration
The general IGIC rate is 7%, but it is not the only one. The consolidated IGIC law published in the BOE also sets a zero rate and rates of 1%, 3%, 5%, 9.5%, 15% and 20% for particular goods. Which one applies depends on the product, so do not assume 7% on everything. Correos also notes that these amounts are paid before the parcel is handed over.
Orders From Outside the EU
Buying from the UK, the US or Asia adds another layer. Since 1 July 2026, the Agencia Tributaria says low-value online purchases of up to €150 shipped from outside the EU pay a flat customs duty of €3 per category of item, and its FAQ confirms this also applies in the Canary Islands.
Whether you see that charge at checkout or at the door depends on the seller. If the shop’s terms say the price includes duty, you should not be asked for it again. If not, the carrier may ask you to pay before delivery. The same FAQ points out that the EU one-stop-shop arrangements for VAT do not apply in the Canary Islands, so a checkout that says “all EU taxes included” does not necessarily cover a Canary delivery.
For gifts sent by friends or family, the ATC’s H7 page gives separate limits: up to €110 for gifts sent from mainland Spain, the Balearics, Ceuta, Melilla or another EU country, and up to €45 when they come from outside the EU. If you are sending gifts the other way, our guide on how to send a parcel from the Canary Islands to the UK covers the UK side.
Why Some Shops Won’t Deliver to the Canaries
Because the islands are outside the EU VAT area, an order sent from mainland Spain is handled as an export for customs purposes, as the Agencia Tributaria’s export page explains. For a small retailer, that means paperwork they may not want to deal with, so many either exclude the Canaries at checkout, charge a higher delivery fee or use a slower service.
A few practical habits help:
- Check the shop’s delivery page for “Canarias” before you fill your basket, not after
- Look at how the price is shown. If Spanish IVA is included, check whether the shop removes it for Canary deliveries and how it handles the IGIC side
- Keep the invoice and proof of payment, because customs and carriers can ask for them
- Split large orders only where it genuinely makes sense, and never under-declare a value. The Agencia Tributaria warns that deliberately declaring a lower price can lead to a penalty
Doing the Paperwork Yourself
Most people let the carrier deal with customs. If you would rather handle a larger import yourself, the ATC offers a simplified import form for individuals for goods over €150, and a Model 040 declaration for postal parcels from the EU delivered by Correos.
For the Model 040 route, the ATC asks for an identity document, the invoice or order confirmation showing the goods and their value, and the Correos arrival notice. Neither route can be used for tobacco, alcohol subject to excise duty or goods that need health or veterinary checks. These procedures change from time to time, so read the current ATC page before you start.
Keeping Track of Customs Notices
The parcels that cause the most trouble are not usually the expensive ones. They are the ones where a customs notice arrives and nobody acts on it. If you are away, staying with family or between rentals, a request for an invoice or a payment can sit unanswered until the parcel is sent back.
A few things reduce the risk:
- Use a delivery address where someone reliable will receive notices and parcels
- Make sure the name on the order matches the name the carrier will expect
- Track every order so you notice when it stops moving
- Have the invoice ready in your email so you can reply the same day
Our guide on how to receive parcels in the Canary Islands without a permanent address goes into the options in more detail, and secure parcel reception in Gran Canaria covers what to look for in a receiving address. If you need items sent on, see how a Spain mail forwarding service works, or compare virtual mailbox providers in Spain.
How Letterbox.es Can Help
Letterbox.es gives you a secure, staffed address in Playa del Inglés for your post and parcels. Deliveries arrive somewhere that is not an unattended letterbox, and we can let you know when something comes in, scan letters such as carrier notices so you see them quickly, store parcels until you are back, and forward them if you need them elsewhere.
If you shop online from Gran Canaria and want somewhere dependable for your deliveries to land, get in touch with our team or take a look at our virtual mailbox service.
A Quick Checklist Before You Order
- Confirm the shop delivers to the Canary Islands and which carrier it uses
- Note whether your order is above or below €150
- Watch for goods that never get the low-value treatment, such as perfume and alcohol
- For orders from outside the EU, check whether the €3 duty and taxes are included
- Keep the invoice and tracking number to hand
- For anything unusual, check the official ATC or Agencia Tributaria guidance before you buy
This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice. Rules and rates change, so check the official sources linked above for your own situation.