Send a Parcel Abroad: What You Need | Prestige Cars & Couriers
What Do I Need to Send a Parcel Abroad?
Most businesses that send a parcel abroad discover the same thing, packing the box is the easy part. The paperwork, customs documentation and the question of who is holding the parcel at the border are where shipments stall. A missing commodity code or a vague item description can leave a time-critical delivery sitting in a customs shed for days.
Prestige Cars & Couriers has spent 45 years moving documents and parcels for business clients, and the same questions come up again and again. What do I need to send a package overseas? Which documents matter? Who actually completes the customs entry? This guide answers them, and explains how our international courier service takes most of that work off your desk.
What you need to send a package overseas
Whichever courier you use, customs authorities want the same core information about every international parcel. Have these to hand before you book.
· A full description of the contents, specific enough for an officer to understand (for example "cotton shirts, men's", not "clothing" or "samples")
· The value of the goods and the currency
· The commodity code for each item, which classifies the goods for duty and VAT
· The country of origin, meaning where the goods were made
· Full names, addresses and contact numbers for sender and recipient
· The weight and dimensions of the parcel
The commodity code is the item people most often get wrong. You can look yours up in the UK Trade Tariff, and a good courier will check it with you rather than guess.
What documents do I need to send a parcel abroad?
For most commercial shipments the key document is the commercial invoice. It records what is being sent, to whom, and at what value, and customs uses it to assess duty and tax. Depending on the goods and the destination, you may also need a packing list, an export licence, or a certificate of origin.
If you are a UK business exporting regularly, you will probably need an EORI number, which identifies you to customs on both sides of the border. You can apply for an EORI number on GOV.UK at no charge.
Gifts and personal items still need a declaration, though the paperwork is lighter. Whatever you send, the declared value must be honest. Under-declaring to reduce duty is the quickest way to have a parcel held and a business flagged.
IteMs you cannot send
Some goods are restricted or banned on international routes, and the rules differ by destination. Lithium batteries, aerosols, perfumes, liquids, alcohol, plants, food and certain medicines commonly need special handling or cannot travel by air at all. Checking before you pack saves a return journey and a wasted fee.
How to send a parcel internationally from London
The practical steps are short. Confirm what you are sending and where. Gather the details above. Pack securely, because international routes involve more handling than a domestic run. Then book a courier who will collect from your address and handle the international shipping end to end.
This is where the choice of provider matters. Many services hand you a label and a form and leave you to complete both correctly. Ours does not. Our Express International Export and Import service is door to door and fully tracked. We submit the customs entry electronically and prepare the paperwork ourselves, so there are no labels or forms for you to fill in. Every shipment is monitored through the customs clearance process, and every delivery carries 100% proof of delivery, with hard copies on request.
Our London team works with a network that reaches 500+ cities worldwide, so the same single point of contact covers an export to Paris and an import from New York.
Our introductory offer on international express parcels
We are offering all business clients a 20% reduction on International Express Parcel delivery prices for three months. It applies to parcels up to 20 kilograms, and it is open to anyone who has not yet used the service. If you are an existing client, we simply adjust the international tariff on your account. There is nothing to redeem at the point of booking.
For a business sending samples, spare parts, contracts or stock to customers abroad, three months at this rate is a low-risk way to test the service on live work. You will see how clearance, tracking and proof of delivery behave on your own routes before committing to anything. If you ship stock regularly, our warehousing and pick and pack service can prepare and dispatch those orders from London for you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best international courier service for businesses sending parcels from London?
The best choice is the one that handles customs for you, tracks the parcel from collection to door and provides proof of delivery. Prestige submits the customs entry electronically and prepares all paperwork, so the shipper does not complete any forms.
Do I need a commercial invoice to send a parcel abroad?
For goods with a commercial value, yes. The invoice states the contents, value and parties involved, and customs relies on it to assess duty and tax. The Prestige team will confirm exactly what your shipment requires before it leaves.
What is the maximum weight for the 20% introductory offer?
The Prestige 20% introductory offer covers International Express Parcel shipments up to 20 kilograms. It runs for three months from the point your account is adjusted.
Does Prestige handle the customs documentation for international parcels?
Yes. Prestige submits the customs entry electronically and prepares all the paperwork, so there are no labels or forms for you to complete. Every shipment is monitored through customs clearance until it is delivered.
Can Prestige collect an international parcel from my London office?
Yes. Our international express service is door to door, so Prestige collects from your address and delivers to the recipient abroad. Our London team coordinates with partners across 500+ cities worldwide.
Can I track an international parcel?
Yes. Prestige international shipments are fully tracked door to door and monitored through customs clearance. Proof of delivery is recorded on every shipment, and we can supply a hard copy on request.
Ready to send your first parcel abroad?
Sending a parcel overseas does not need to mean learning customs law. Hand over the parcel and the details, and we manage the rest.
To claim your 20% reduction, open an account or speak to our team and we will adjust your international tariff. Our London SW11 team is also on +44 20 7384 2300. If you would rather book a shipment now, book online.