Shipping from the UK to Ireland: is it really simpler post-Brexit?

Ireland feels like it should be the simplest EU country to ship to from the UK. It's close, English-speaking, culturally familiar, and shares a land border with Northern Ireland. Surely Brexit hasn't complicated things that much?

Unfortunately it has. Here's the reality of shipping from Great Britain to Ireland post-Brexit — and what your Irish customers will actually pay.

Great Britain to Ireland is now an international shipment

Before Brexit, shipping from England, Scotland or Wales to Ireland was treated as a domestic EU shipment. No customs, no declarations, no charges. Since January 2021, it's an international export from a third country into the EU.

That means full customs declarations, potential import duty, and Irish VAT — exactly the same as shipping to Germany or France. The proximity and cultural familiarity don't change the customs rules.

Ireland's VAT rate

Ireland's standard VAT rate is 23% — the highest of any country in this guide. Applied to the CIF value of your shipment, this is a significant charge for Irish customers receiving UK parcels.

For a £200 product with £12 shipping and 0% duty, your Irish customer faces a VAT bill of around £49 on delivery. This surprises many UK sellers who assumed Ireland would be straightforward.

The Northern Ireland exception

Northern Ireland has a unique status under the Windsor Framework. Goods moving from Northern Ireland to Ireland are not subject to the same customs rules as goods from Great Britain — Northern Ireland effectively remains within the EU's single market for goods.

If you're based in Northern Ireland, shipping to Irish customers is considerably simpler. If you're based in England, Scotland or Wales, full EU customs rules apply.

Import duty

As with other EU countries, many UK-made goods attract 0% duty when exported to Ireland under the TCA. Standard consumer goods, handmade products, most clothing and homeware frequently qualify.

The land bridge issue

Some UK parcels to Ireland are routed via the land bridge — through England, across the channel to France or Belgium, then by road to Ireland. Post-Brexit this route involves multiple customs touchpoints and can lead to delays. Direct sea routes from ports like Holyhead to Dublin, or Liverpool to Belfast, tend to be more reliable for GB-to-Ireland shipments.

A real example

A UK gift business ships a hamper worth £95 and a set of candles worth £65 to a customer in Dublin. Total order: £160.

The bottom line on Ireland

Ireland is not a special case. It's subject to full EU customs rules, has the highest VAT rate of the major EU markets, and Irish customers are just as likely to be surprised by charges on delivery as German or French ones.

The good news is that Irish consumers are generally very familiar with online shopping and understand international shipping reasonably well. Clear communication about potential charges tends to be well received.

Calculate your UK-to-Ireland landed cost on ClearShip before you ship — it takes 30 seconds and could save you a refused delivery.