10 New Year Facts About Shipping Personal Items to Poland

By January 2026, shipping personal items to Poland from the United States had changed a lot over the years. Gone are the wild swings and tech headaches from a few years back. Rules are stricter now, with new standards popping up all the time.

Still, sending packages feels much easier for regular people and small shops, and a dependable shipping company makes all the difference. They take on the tricky stuff, keeping up with new laws so you don’t have to.

They’ll handle everything from paperwork to customs. International shipping starts feeling simple, almost like sending something across town.

Below are 10 facts every expert shipper should know. You personally don’t need a shipping degree or special skills – you just need to pick the right shipping partner that understands these facts. You’ll still get things where they need to go, without stress or guesswork.

The ‘12-Month Rule’ and Resettlement Property Benefit

Coming out of 2025, Poland’s customs KAS (Krajowa Administracja Skarbowa) has sharpened its focus on resettlement property, or Mienie Przesiedleńcze.

• In previous years, a simple lease might suffice. For 2026, you must provide a “totality of life” proof — U.S. tax records or utility history — to prove you’ve lived outside the European Union for at least 12 months.
• A professional service provides you with a vetted checklist of exactly which documents the Polish authorities are currently accepting. They review your file before it leaves the United States, making sure you secure that 23 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) exemption without a single stressful phone call to a customs agent.

“Resettlement property is personal property that you bring with you when you move your residence from a non-EU country to Poland,” according to Kunstar Global. “In order to benefit from the exemption of duties and taxes on resettlement property, you must meet several conditions. In order to clear resettlement property in Poland, you must declare it to the customs authority for the release procedure.”

Death of De Minimis Exemption and Shipping Personal Items to Poland

If you’ve shipped personal items to Poland in the past, you likely enjoyed duty-free status for items under €150. As of 2026, the European Union has largely abolished this threshold.

• Almost every parcel, regardless of value, is now subject to customs duties and a flat administrative fee. This is often around €3.
• Your shipping partner integrates these fees into your initial quote. They handle the Union Handling Fee and the digital declaration lines, so your recipient in Poland isn't surprised by cash-on-delivery tax demands.

“In November, EU Member States reached political agreement to remove the €150 de minimis exemption for low-value imports frequently used in cross-border e-commerce,” states CT Strategies. “The European Commission and Council have proposed a transitional approach: collection of customs duties on e-commerce parcels could begin as early as 2026, relying initially on a simplified, temporary calculation method.”

More comprehensive customs and data-reporting requirements will follow as part of the broader EU Customs Reform, including the planned EU Customs Data Hub slated for mid-2028, it states.

The report adds: “The EU argues the de minimis exemption is no longer justified and has created unfair competition. The practice of shipping individual parcels below €150 has given major e-commerce platforms an advantage over traditional retailers that import in bulk and pay full customs duties. Removing the exemption is intended to level the competitive playing field. The accelerated timeline appears influenced by the United States’ sudden elimination of its own de minimis threshold earlier in 2025, which sparked concerns that diverted e-commerce flows could surge toward the EU as the U.S. market became more restrictive.”

SENT System Expansion: Clothing and Footwear

Leading into 2026, Poland expanded its SENT system to include sensitive consumer goods. It was originally for fuel and alcohol.

• Large shipments of clothing and footwear are now monitored to prevent illegal trade.
• You don't need to register on Poland's PUESC platform. A consolidated shipper handles the mandatory digital registration for your household goods, ensuring your boxes of clothes are flagged as personal effects rather than commercial stock.

Advanced ICS2 Electronic Pre-Screening

Between 2024 and 2025, the European Union fully implemented Import Control System 2 (ICS2) for modern parcel logistics, including shipping personal items to Poland.

• Vague labels like “Gift” or “Misc” now trigger automatic rejections at the port. Every item must have a specific description and, in many cases, an HS (Harmonized System) code.
• Most modern shipping interfaces now use smart descriptions. You type in what you’re sending, and the service automatically assigns the technical codes required by EU law, shielding you from the complexity of tariff classification.

Biosecurity, the ‘Wheat Stamp,’ and Shipping Personal Items to Poland

Forestry protection has become a top priority for Poland coming out of the 2025 environmental reviews.

• Any wood packaging (crates or pallets) without a visible ISPM-15 hyphenated stamp can be incinerated at the border.
• If you have high-value furniture or white-glove sensitive items, your shipping team provides pre-certified heat-treated crating. They guarantee your cargo is bio-safe, preventing your entire container from being quarantined in Gdańsk.

The 2026 Green Maritime Surcharge

As part of the EU's Emissions Trading System (ETS) and shipping personal items to Poland, shipping lines must now pay for 100 percent of their carbon emissions on voyages to Europe.

• Ocean freight rates now include a variable green surcharge.
• While individual shippers might be confused by fluctuating carbon taxes, a consolidated service locks in your rate. They navigate the "Green Logistics" bureaucracy for you, providing a single, transparent price that includes all environmental levies.

From the United States to Polish Neighborhoods

Over the past three years, the network of authorized shipping outlets has expanded across the United States.

• You no longer need to live near a port. With 250-plus locations in states like Illinois, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, professional shipping is accessible to everyone.
• Your service partner manages the secure transit from your local neighborhood drop-off point to the primary terminal in Port Reading, NJ. Your only job is to drop off the box; they handle the interstate logistics and maritime loading.

The Lithium Battery Watt-Hour Audit

Coming into 2026 and a new year of shipping personal items to Poland, maritime safety rules regarding batteries are at an all-time high.

• Batteries boasting over 100 watt-hours in power tools, e-bikes, and similar electronic items are strictly regulated as Class 9 cargo.
• Your shipping partner performs a digital audit of your manifest. If they see a lithium-powered item, they guide you on whether it needs to be removed or specially packed, preventing a hazardous material fine that could cost thousands.

Marine Insurance and General Average Protection

Recent global shipping disruptions from 2024-2025 have highlighted the importance of General Average — a law where all cargo owners pay for a ship's rescue.

• Without insurance, you are legally liable for a share of a ship's losses if an emergency occurs.
• A trustworthy service makes all-risk insurance a simple, one-click add-on. They manage the claims and legal paperwork, so your sentimental items are protected by the same level of security as commercial cargo.

“The law of General Average states that cargo owners are jointly responsible for losses or costs associated with protecting the whole of the ships cargo,” according to TRG or Trade Risk Guaranty. “If a cargo ship’s master voluntarily sacrifices the cargo, equipment, or funds from the ship to save the voyage in the event of an emergency, then all parties involved in the venture (which includes all cargo owners) are required to make a proportional contribution to cover the costs incurred.”

It adds: “There is no effective way to determine beforehand which pieces of cargo will be jettisoned or sacrificed if trouble on the high seas occurs, and there is no way to guess when and/or where that trouble might arise. Therefore, the risk is spread among all the owners of the cargo.”

Shipping Personal Items to Poland and Last-Mile Deconsolidation

In 2026, the final leg of the journey in Poland is more efficient than ever, but still requires local expertise.

• Goods must be de-stuffed from a container at a terminal (like in Częstochowa) before being loaded onto a local truck.
• Your shipping service maintains its own fleet and warehouses in Poland. They don't just hand your boxes to a random third-party. They manage the final delivery, making sure that if you live on a narrow street in Warsaw or a rural farm in Podlasie, the right-sized vehicle arrives at your door.

How 2026 Logistics Facts Impact You

The table below illustrates how technical shifts from 2024 and 2025 translate into next year’s experience for families and businesses, and how a professional service in 2026 can simplify each one:

Shipping Personal Items to Poland: Questions and Answers

As we move into 2026, the logistics of shipping personal items to Poland have become more structured and digital.

Below are the most common questions regarding this new normal for international shipping:

• How do I avoid the 23 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) when moving my household to Poland? To qualify for Relief from Import Duties (Resettlement Property), you must prove you lived outside the European Union for at least 12 months and owned your items for at least six months. Your shipping partner provides a vetted document kit (utility bills, residency proof) and reviews your file before departure to ensure your "Mienie Przesiedleńcze" claim is guaranteed and tax-free.
• Can I still ship small gift parcels duty-free? As of 2026, the EU has largely removed the €150 duty-free threshold. Almost every parcel now incurs VAT and a flat administrative fee. A quality consolidated shipping service acts as a buffer by calculating or pre-paying these fees upfront. This guarantees your family in Poland receives their paczka without being asked for unexpected cash at the door.
• What is an ICS2 Electronic Declaration, and do I need to file one? The EU’s Import Control System 2 (ICS2) now requires a six-digit HS Code and a precise description for every item. Vague terms like “household goods” will cause port rejections. You simply describe your items in plain English, and the shipping service's software automatically assigns the technical HS codes and files the mandatory electronic declarations for you.
• Is it true that clothing and shoes are now monitored by the SENT system? Yes. Starting in March 2026, Poland's SENT system monitors the transport of used clothing and footwear (over 10 kilograms) to prevent illegal trade. Your shipping navigator manages the mandatory digital registration on the Polish PUESC portal, legally flagging your items as “personal effects” so they aren't mistaken for commercial inventory.
• Why is there a green surcharge on my 2026 shipping invoice? Under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), all ships traveling to Europe must now account for 100 percent of their carbon emissions (up from 70 percent in 2025). Rather than leaving you to navigate fluctuating carbon taxes, your partner provides transparent, flat-rate pricing that already incorporates these mandatory environmental levies.
• How do I protect my furniture and art from biosecurity laws? Any wood packaging (crates or pallets) must have the ISPM-15 “Wheat Stamp” to prevent pest infestation. Without it, Polish customs may seize the entire crate. For white-glove sensitive items, your service provider uses only pre-certified, heat-treated crating, ensuring your belongings are bio-safe and compliant with forest protection laws.
• Can I ship electronics, like e-bikes or power tools? Lithium batteries over 100 watt-hours are strictly regulated as Class 9 Hazmat. As of January 2026, many batteries must be shipped at a 30 percent State of Charge (SoC) for safety. Your shipping team performs a safety audit of your manifest, guiding you on battery limits and handling the specialized labeling required to keep your shipment legal.
• What happens if the ship encounters an emergency at sea? Under the maritime law of General Average, if a ship is saved from peril, all cargo owners share the cost of the rescue. A professional service makes all-risk insurance a simple add-on. They handle the claims and legal paperwork, shielding you from massive unexpected contributions if a General Average event is declared.
• Do I have to pick up my boxes at a port in Poland? Consolidated shipments must be de-stuffed from a container at a terminal (like in Częstochowa) before being transferred to local trucks. Most trusted partners manage the entire last mile. They use their own local Polish fleet to navigate narrow streets or rural villages, delivering directly to your doorstep.
• Why shouldn't I just DIY (Do It Yourself) my international shipment in 2026? The shipping chaos of 2025 proved that manual paperwork and vague descriptions are the leading causes of port delays and heavy fines. 2026 is the year of “the hand off.” By letting a specialized partner handle the Brussels and Warsaw paperwork, you shift from being a stressed logistics manager to a relaxed customer, knowing your connection to Poland is in expert hands.

Polonez America

Polonez America specializes in international shipments from the United States to 43 European countries, including shipping personal items to Poland. We offer parcel shipment via ocean or air, vehicle shipment, commercial LCL (Less than Container Load) and FCL (Full Container Load) shipping.

Our comprehensive range of services means customers can initiate package or commercial shipments from any of Polonez's authorized shipping outlets within the United States, which are then transported to our headquarters for sorting. Customers can send packages from authorized shipping outlets in the United States or by sending them via UPS, FedEx, or U.S. Postal Service to Polonez America's headquarters in Port Reading, NJ.

Polonez America is your expert in the resettlement process, collaborating with European partners for parcel services, customs, and delivery within Poland and other countries. We earn client trust through integrity and professionalism by delivering the highest quality service at the most competitive price.

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