Garnelenfischer
Order shrimp from the EU to Switzerland
Short answer: An order from the EU costs more than the shop price. In addition, there are import taxes, possibly customs duties and the transporter's customs clearance fee. A reliable total cannot be given: it depends on the value of the goods, weight, transporter and whether the seller is subject to tax in Switzerland.
Import tax, customs duties, transporter fees and veterinary law, clearly separated and documented with official sources.
This page deliberately separates four things that are often lumped together: the Import tax, the Customs duties, the Carrier fee and the veterinary side. Only the first two are government taxes.
1. Import tax
The Federal Office of Customs and Border Security writes: “The value added tax (VAT) is 8,1% of the assessment basis. A reduced tax rate of 2,6% applies to certain goods.” The rates apply since 1 January 2024.
The reduced rate does not apply to ornamental aquatic animals. The BAZG guideline 69-04 “Tax rates”, status 1 May 2026, lists livestock, poultry and “eatable fish” in the reduced rate and explicitly mentions “dogs, cats, Ornamental fish, ornamental birds or zoo animals”.
A limitation that we disclose. The directive names ornamental fish literally. Dwarf shrimp, i.e. ornamental aquatic invertebrates, do not literally appear in it. The fact that the standard rate applies to them follows from the fact that they are neither livestock, poultry nor edible fish. This is an obvious derivation, not a quote. Only information from BAZG or ESTV would be binding.
The tax is not only levied on the value of the goods. The post office formulates it in such a way that the tax applies to the value of the goods including shipping costs and services.
2. The 5 franc rule, and why 150 francs do not apply here
The BAZG writes: “For administrative reasons, tax amounts up to 5 Swiss francs are not collected.” The legal basis is tax-exempt import with a small tax amount according to Article 53 paragraph 1 letter a VAT Act.
The BAZG itself converts this into an assessment basis: up to 62 francs at the rate of 8,1 percent and up to 193 francs at the rate of 2,6 percent, no tax is levied. There is a separate, parallel 5 franc border for customs duties.
The most common confusion. The often quoted one Value-free limit of 150 francs only applies to goods carried personally upon entry, not for packages. The BAZG says this expressly: “Other provisions apply to goods that you order abroad (e.g. on the Internet) and that are delivered to you by post or courier service.” The reduction from 300 to 150 francs per 1 January 2025 affected travel, not mail.
3. Customs duties
The BAZG: “Customs duties are usually based on the gross weight (including packaging), and are often less than 1 Swiss francs per kg.”
In the Swiss general tariff, valid from 1 March 2025, live freshwater ornamental fish under the number 0301.1100 carry an allowance of 1.60 francs per 100 kilogram gross. Living crustaceans under the position 0306 carry 0.00 there.
What we don't claim. We know no official confirmation, under which tariff number Neocaridina is specifically to be classified. And the general tariff is not the usage tariff: Tares is decisive for the actual assessment, and we didn't look there because access requires registration. Only the BAZG provides binding customs tariff information. We therefore do not give a tariff figure for shrimp.
4. The customs clearance fee is not a customs charge
The BAZG makes it clear: “The transporter charges customs clearance costs for his effort,” and these taxes “vary depending on the company.” The BAZG has no influence on this.
Swiss Post states on its pricing page, status 16 March 2023:
| Postal service | Price according to post office, excluding VAT |
|---|---|
| Basic tax for customs clearance, shipment from EU countries | CHF 13.00 |
| Basic tax for customs clearance, other countries | CHF 16.00 |
| Goods value surcharge | 3 percent |
| Maximum amount for customs clearance | CHF 70.00 |
| Border veterinary examination | CHF 50.00 |
| Inspection, value clarification, storage | CHF 20.00 |
Two points that are often overlooked: Prices exclusive of VAT reported. And the fee drops even if tax and customs duties are not charged at all due to the 5 franc rule, provided the shipment is cleared through customs.
5. Who owes the tax and the most important exception
In principle, the importer is responsible, and in the case of a purchase shipment this is the recipient in Switzerland, not the foreign sender. This is stated in the BAZG guidelines 69-01, edition 10/25.
The exception is practically decisive. The FTA: A foreign mail order company is subject to tax in Switzerland if it generates “at least 100 000 francs in sales from small shipments per year”. If he is registered, he himself owes the Swiss tax and is considered an importer. The same order can be billed completely differently depending on the seller: sometimes the tax is included in the shop price, sometimes an invoice comes with the package. The regulation has been in effect since 1 January 2019.
6. The veterinary side, and a common misconception
You often read that aquarium animals don't need any papers because they are pets. This does not apply to an order.
The Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs defines: “Pet animals are animals that accompany their owner when moving or traveling. They must have been personally taken over and held by the owner before entering the country.”
An animal sent by package does not accompany anyone on a trip and has not previously been personally held. The relief “without a permit and without a health certificate” is therefore not relevant. For trade with the EU, the FSVO mentions the framework of the veterinary agreement, the notification via the TRACES system and the EU regulations 2016/429, 2020/990 and 2020/2236 for aquatic animals.
Two open points that we were unable to clarify. Firstly: The BLV website does not say whether a certificate is required for ornamental aquatic animals that go into a private aquarium or whether an exception applies. Secondly: It is unclear whether a fishing permit is required for an alien species such as Neocaridina; The FOEN would be responsible. Anyone who orders from the EU should clarify this in advance with the cantonal enforcement authority. We neither claim that it is necessary nor that it is dispensable.
What you want to know before placing an EU order
- Is the seller liable to tax in Switzerland? It is usually in the legal notice or in the shipping conditions. If so, the tax is included in the price and there is no invoice.
- Which transporter? Customs clearance fees vary significantly per company.
- How long has the animal been on the move? The border takes time, and with live animals time is the critical factor.
- What happens if the animals arrive dead? A promise from the seller is of little use if it has to be enforced abroad.
We don't say this to denigrate an import. There are good reasons to order from the EU. But there is no good reason not to know the costs and time loss beforehand.
Sources
All pages accessed on 11 September 2026. This site is not legal or tax advice. BAZG, ESTV, BLV and the cantonal enforcement authority are binding.
- BAZG, receiving letters and parcels: bazg.admin.ch
- BAZG, guideline 69-04 tax rates, status 1.5.2026: PDF
- BAZG, guideline 69-02 tax exemptions, status 1.5.2026: PDF
- BAZG, guideline 69-01 importer, edition 10/25: PDF
- BAZG, value-free limit 150 francs upon entry: bazg.admin.ch
- BAZG, customs clearance costs and parcel tracking: bazg.admin.ch
- BAZG, Swiss general tariff, valid from 1.3.2025: PDF
- FTA, Swiss VAT rates: estv.admin.ch
- FTA, mail order and platform taxation: estv.admin.ch
- BLV, travel preparations with pets: blv.admin.ch
- BLV, import of animals and animal products from the EU: blv.admin.ch
- The post office, prices for import customs clearance, status 16.3.2023: post.ch
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