Why do they require payment for storage as well?? I ordered for less than $75!!

Hi I bought something online two weeks ago,

Then I had a call from some company that wanted money for some kind of approval.

Why do they require payment for storage as well?? I ordered for less than $75!!

Online shopping has become increasingly popular in the age of the corona, and the prices on foreign websites like AliExpress and eBay Shine have become significantly lower for most products.

Due to a lack of information, many consumers order products they have no idea will be stopped at customs upon entry into Israel. This blog is designed to explain everything you need to know about the laws regarding ordering from the Internet. We will explain the most important points and discuss shipments that are held up at customs before clearance.

What is private import? Every online purchase is called “private import”. This is a private purchase, not in the name of a business, not intended for sale, in a reasonable quantity and for private use (family is also allowed).

What is a reasonable amount?

For example if you made a purchase of 30 products, so the distribution of units looks like this:

5 – shirts, 5 – jeans, 10 – underwear, 10 – socks – this is considered a reasonable amount!

But if you ordered 30 hats/ 15 perfumes/ 15 pairs of shoes – the quantity is not reasonable.

Almost everything can be imported, without licenses or permits, food, clothing, electrical appliances, household products, computers and more.

Take a look at this quote From “Personal Import Order”:

“An individual may import the goods specified in the first appendix without The presentation of an import license, or to import the goods listed in the second appendix without Inventing a permit or meeting the conditions, if it is proven to the manager’s opinion that The goods will not be imported through a dealer, they are not intended for supply, production or Providing services, and they are imported in a reasonable amount for personal or family use the same individual (hereafter – personal import”).

Why are packages stopped at customs? And when do you have to pay? Why do you need to provide ID details?

Legally, a shipment over $150 cannot be released without the ID number of the customer (most sites use the one entered on the site). As of 2022, personal imports under $75 are exempt from paying taxes; over $75 you will likely just have to pay VAT and over $100 you will also have to pay import declaration fees.

In other words, if you ordered clothes, household products, food, etc. for less than $75, you should not be asked for anything.

The releasing company usually pays the taxes on your behalf to the state if the purchase is over $75. If your purchase is under $75, you will most likely be contacted by one of the companies that handle delivery and asked to pay the VAT. You will also probably be charged an additional fee for the service, so it’s better to pay the taxes sooner rather than later if you refuse to pay or delay payment.

So when do the problems start?

Have you ordered a car part? Have you ordered a drone? Are there any security cameras? Customs receive directives from various government ministries, and certain products are restricted from being imported for reasons of safety, health, security, and economics.

For example, a product you ordered must be approved by the Ministry of Transport or the Ministry of Communications *What??*

A moment ago we read in the pages of history that it is allowed to import everything without the need for permits or a license, and if you bought it for less than $75, then it’s really nice, isn’t it?

*Note the continuation of the sentence:*

,and they are imported in a reasonable amount for personal or family use that individual (hereafter – personal import), except for goods whose importation is prohibited according to the customs decree and goods for which it was stated in the first or second appendix that an import license is required, or inventing a certificate or meeting the conditions, as the case may be, also applies to personal imports, and except traffic products for vehicles defined in the Traffic Products Order”.

What supplement is it about?

It turns out that at the bottom of the page there are issues that require compliance with certain conditions. Even for personal imports, the list is updated every few months and it is difficult to find an updated list.

Let’s say you ordered headlights for a car, which are very cheap to find online and very expensive to buy in Israel.

The customs item (851220) requires the issuance of a special permit for its release. The same goes for other products such as security cameras, drones, etc. – that in order to release them you will have to issue the permit.

Certain permits that need a checking representative such as transport products, it is highly recommended to use the service of the releasing company and not try to release on your own.

Communication products and standards already today have the possibility to issue an independent certificate on the internet on government websites without the need of the releasing company.

Which products are subject to personal import permits?

Most commonly, these are automobile parts, communication products, agricultural products, and pharmaceuticals.

As far as car parts are concerned, only safety products, brakes, mirrors, lighting equipment, safety belts, suspension systems, shock absorbers, helmets, child safety seats, and safety suspension systems require personal import permits. The importation of other car products is permitted without permits, including car covers, interior lighting, car DVDs, plastics, shades and more.

In addition to drones, baby monitors, security cameras, and walkie-talkies, communication products are also available.

It is important to note that in the past, many products required communication approval, but over time, the Ministry of Communications published new guidelines and lifted some product restrictions.

Pay attention to this list where there are products you can purchase online without authorization in Israel.

Personal imports of agricultural products, potted plants, flowers, seeds, fertilizers, are possible, but require approval from the Ministry of Agriculture. Agricultural approvals are usually expensive and are usually not worth the value of the product ordered, so it is better to stay away from them.

Medicines, blood pressure devices, any subcutaneous equipment, other medical equipment will also be stopped and approval will be required to release, also animal drugs and nutritional supplements will require a veterinarian’s approval to release.

Food supply is a somewhat complex subject, in general it is forbidden to import live meat, milk, and baby food compounds. The rest of the products have a quantitative limit per shipment, and in a total year.

Nutritional supplements can be ordered up to 15 units per shipment, but no more than 5 of each type. *Please note that you may not be allowed to order food deliveries more than 6 times a year!*

Nutritional supplements that contain cannabis are not nutritional supplements and are already considered medicinal drugs, you will need saliva approval for them

Sign your attending physician as well.

We touched on auto parts, communication products, agriculture, food, medical equipment, what else?!

Animals, contraceptives, tobacco products, rolling papers, filters, etc. must be marked with a warning. Smoke detectors and fire extinguishers breakers for electrical panels are required in the standard. All equipment with a laser, laser pointers, laser level requires an import license (which most likely a private customer does not have).

There are products that are prohibited for import, such as weapons / combat, gambling games, counterfeit bills, drugs, tools for drug consumption, tear gas in the form of a gun, etc.

These are products that may be stopped if purchased on websites abroad, the duty of the customs broker who handles the release is to stop these shipments and meet the conditions set by the customs. The absurdity is also that the duty of the customs broker is also to store the shipments in a “customs warehouse” and therefore many consumers also absorb storage costs.