H7 Customs Form Explained — Step by Step Guide

If you order or receive a parcel to the Canary Islands, the H7 form is unavoidable. It is the official simplified customs declaration of the Spanish authorities for shipments up to €150 in goods value — by far the most common case for online shopping (Amazon, AliExpress, Otto, Zalando) and for C2C shipments such as gifts from the EU mainland.

This guide fully explains what the H7 form (Declaración Simplificada H7) is, who needs it, how to fill it out correctly, and what steps you as the recipient have to handle yourself after submission.

What is the H7 form?

The H7 form is a simplified customs declaration document for Canary Islands customs clearance. It was introduced in 2021 under the EU customs code and replaces the full DUA (Documento Único Administrativo) for low-value shipments. It contains:

• Recipient data (name, Canary Islands address, NIF/NIE/CIF)
• Sender data (name, EU mainland or third-country address)
• Shipment data (tracking number, goods value, shipping cost)
• Goods description (type, quantity, tariff code, country of origin)
• Confirmation of tax calculation (IGIC + AIEM if applicable)

Who needs the H7 form?

You need the H7 form if all of these conditions apply:

• You are the recipient in the Canary Islands (private individual or small company)
• The goods value of the shipment is under €150 (shipping costs do not count toward the threshold)
• The shipment comes from the EU mainland (mainland Spain, Germany, Austria, etc.) or a third country (UK since Brexit, USA, China, etc.)
• The shipment contains no specially regulated goods (no large quantities of tobacco, no weapons, no food with special permit requirements)

• B2C online shopping: Amazon order, AliExpress parcel, Otto/Zalando delivery to your island address
• C2C shipments: gifts from family/friends in the EU mainland, personal parcels
• Returns: when you return an online purchase, you usually do not need an H7 (the sender handles it), but the original shipment to you on the islands required an H7.

How to correctly fill out the H7 form — 5 steps

Step 1: Shipment data

Enter tracking number, shipment date and the country of dispatch. Important: for an Amazon order from Madrid, this is "Spain" (not "Canary Islands"), because legally the mainland is a separate customs zone.

Step 2: Goods value and shipping cost

The goods value is the gross value of the goods excluding shipping. Shipping is entered separately because both are part of the IGIC tax base:

``
IGIC = (goods value + shipping) × 7%
``

For €100 goods value + €12 shipping → IGIC = 112 × 0.07 = €7.84.

Step 3: Recipient data

Entering the full NIF/NIE/CIF of the recipient is mandatory. Without a valid tax ID number, the parcel will not be released. Common pitfall: foreign recipients without an NIE can act as "consumers", but Spanish customs requires an NIE in 95% of cases.

Step 4: Goods item

The goods description must be meaningful. Instead of "book", better: "math textbook, printed, 250 pages". The tariff code (TARIC nomenclature) is not required in detail for H7 — a rough category is sufficient. For most online orders, the standard tariff category is enough.

Step 5: Confirmation and PDF download

After entering all data you check the automatic tax calculation (IGIC, plus AIEM for special goods like tobacco) and download the completed PDF.

Common mistakes when filling out the H7

• Wrong goods value: enter only the net goods value, not the gross sum including shipping. Shipping is captured separately.
• NIF/NIE format: Spanish NIE has the format "X1234567A" or "Y1234567A" — letters must be uppercase.
• Wrong carrier: in many portals you must select the actual delivery service — not the seller (Amazon is not the carrier; DHL/Correos are).
• Forgotten country of dispatch: for EU mainland shipments enter "Spain" or the home country of the sender.
• Multiple items = multiple positions: an order of 3 books + 1 pen has 2 positions (books as a combined position, pen separately — or all as 1 combined position with total value).

Example: H7 workflow from Amazon order to parcel release

1. Day 0: You order a book from Amazon.de for €89 + €8 shipping. Delivery address: Tenerife.
2. Day 3: DHL notifies "Parcel at Las Palmas customs — action required".
3. Day 3 evening: You log in to ImportCanariasFacil, upload the Amazon invoice as a PDF. OCR recognition automatically reads goods value (€89), shipping (€8), sender (Amazon EU SARL).
4. You enter NIE and recipient address (3 fields, 30 seconds).
5. The tool calculates IGIC automatically: (89 + 8) × 7% = €6.79.
6. PDF download of the completed H7 form.
7. Day 4 morning: You upload the PDF in the DHL portal and pay IGIC + DHL handling fee (€15).
8. Day 4 afternoon: DHL receives clearance from customs. Parcel is delivered.

What you do as recipient, what we do

Import Canarias Facil is not a customs broker. We provide a guided online tool for the H7 form with invoice OCR, validation and PDF export. We explain what happens next.

What we do:

• OCR recognition of your invoice (goods value, shipping, sender) — no retyping
• Validation of NIF/NIE/CIF and automatic IGIC calculation
• Correct translation of the goods description into customs-standard form
• PDF export with the Spanish authority template

• Submit the completed PDF to your carrier (DHL, Correos, FedEx, UPS) or upload it via the AEAT portal
• Pay IGIC + carrier handling fee
• Obtain customs clearance and arrange final delivery

What if customs rejects your declaration?

Rarely, the H7 form is rejected. Possible reasons:

• NIE/NIF not in the tax register → recipient must update with Spanish police or consulate
• Goods value too high → shipment must be re-declared as DUA (over €150)
• Prohibited goods → food without permit, weapons, tobacco in large quantities → special procedures

Frequently asked questions about the H7 form

Does the H7 form cost money?
At the AEAT portal: free. With carrier self-handling: €15–60 handling fee. At ImportCanariasFacil: first form free, then €8.95 per shipment or €48.95/month unlimited.

How long does customs clearance take?
With a correctly filled H7: typically 1–3 business days between submission and parcel release. With errors or queries: can extend to 1–2 weeks.

Do I need to fill out the H7 for gifts?
Yes. C2C gift shipments under €150 also require the H7. The recipient pays IGIC on the estimated value (even if no invoice is provided).

Can someone else file the H7 for me?
Theoretically yes — a person with your authorization can submit it. In practice the NIE/NIF of the declared recipient is used, so you usually need your own ID number.

Does the H7 work for third-country shipments (UK, USA, China)?
Yes, as long as the goods value is under €150. For third-country shipments, additional customs duties (0–17%) may apply, which are factored into the H7.