How to Ship Packages to Italy

Follow a few simple rules to ensure overseas packages arrive safely.

Sending packages to overseas destinations from the U.S. is a daily occurrence for many businesses, but not for the average individual. Shipping to some countries is fairly straightforward and most regular mail or shipping options are reliable. Italy presents some special challenges, however, due to inconsistent mail services and seemingly arbitrary customs procedures and charges. Taking certain precautions gives you the best chance that your package will arrive at its Italian destination in a timely manner and without costing you an exhorbitant amount of money.

Things You'll Need

• Item(s) to be shipped
• Safe packing material
• Sturdy packing box
• Italian recipient's complete street address
• Shipping company address forms
• Customs forms
• Insurance form (optional)
• Packing tape
• Cash or credit card

Instructions

1. Contact one of the two major overseas parcel shipping companies, Federal Express (FedEx.com) or DHL (dhl.com). Explain what you want to ship to Italy and what its in-country destination is. Based on this information, ask the shipping company to tell you exactly what steps to take and how to safely wrap the package.

2. Wrap the items to be sent to Italy in sufficient layers of protective material to withstand the rough handling inherent in overseas shipping. Take the unsealed box to the nearest facility offering the services of the shipper you have selected. Also take the complete street address of the intended recipient in Italy.

3. Complete the shipper's address forms, required customs forms and optional insurance forms, following the instructions of the shipper's representative. Place copies of these forms both inside and on the outside of the package.

4. Seal the package completely with strong adhesive packing tape. The shipper's representative will place the address and external customs forms in the appropriate places on the outside of the package. Keep your copies of these forms. Use your copy of the actual shipping form to track the shipping process and eventual delivery of your package.

5. Take a major credit card or sufficient cash to pay for your shipping costs; most overseas shippers will not accept personal checks. The cost will vary depending on the weight of the package and the speed of the delivery service selected. Certain FedEx packages weighing less than 1 lb. will cost between $47 and $75 for delivery to Italy within three business days. The cost increases dramatically for heavier packages, however -- a 20-lb. package to the same location in the same time frame is $220 (all costs as of July 2011).

6. Send packages to U.S. military personnel in Italy through the U.S. mail using the recipient's APO address. These packages are handled through completely different channels than are packages to civilian or business recipients in Italy.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid standard United States mail and off-brand parcel shipping services. These organizations may be perfectly reliable, but typically are not well-handled on the Italian end, causing delays and excessive fees for your packages.

• Mark your label to indicate "used personal items" as the contents of your package to avoid incurring excessive fees required in European Union countries for new products.

• Do not send illegal substances, weapons, fresh food items, unlabeled medication or flammable materials in overseas packages.

References

• FedEx; Service Guide; International Packages: 150 Pounds or Less
• United States Postal Service: Global Express Guaranteed
• Shipping International: Package Shipping to/from Italy

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish