Service Finder
Receive information from the customs administration
Service Description
Are you unsure whether you have to pay tax in Germany on a product you bought abroad? Do you have a question about vehicle tax or a user question about online customs applications?
In many cases, you can obtain information from the Central Customs Information Office.
You can also find lots of helpful information on the Customs Administration website.
You can obtain information on the following topics from the Central Customs Information Office:
- Imports to Germany
- Exports from Germany
- customs tariff
- Excise duties
- Financial control of illegal employment
- Motor vehicle tax
-
Customs online application, for example:
- Citizen and business customer portal and services offered therein
- Internet customs declarations (import, export, postal consignments)
- ATLAS (Automated Tariff and Local Customs Clearance System)
- EMCS (Excise Movement and Control System)
- goAML (online portal for suspicious activity reports on money laundering)
Please note that the Customs Administration cannot replace legal or tax advice and cannot influence the official decisions of other specialist authorities.
Information provided by the Central Customs Information Office does not establish any legal claims and refers exclusively to the provisions applicable in Germany. The customs regulations of other countries are not available to German customs.
Process flow
You can submit your inquiry on customs or tax issues in the following ways:
- by telephone,
- by e-mail,
- via chatbot or
- in writing, for example by post.
General inquiries from private individuals and companies on all areas of customs and excise law as well as on the Financial Control of Illegal Employment are answered by the Central Customs Information Desk.
The Customs Service Desk answers questions about using the customs online applications.
The Central Motor Vehicle Tax Information Desk answers general questions about motor vehicle tax. It can also reactivate a suspended SEPA direct debit upon request by e-mail or telephone.
Requirements
There are no prerequisites.
Which documents are required?
You do not need to submit any documents.
What are the fees?
none
What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?
none
Processing duration
For telephone inquiries, the hotline of the Central Information Office of the Customs Administration usually provides information immediately. The chatbots also provide information immediately. Written inquiries are usually processed within a few working days.
Legal basis
- Article 14 Union Customs Code (UCC)
- Chapter 1.1 and 8.1 of the procedural instructions of the IT procedure "Automated Tariff and Local Customs Clearance System" (ATLAS)
- Chapters 1.1 and 8 of the EMCS procedural instructions
- § Section 12b of the Disability Discrimination Act (BGG) (contact point for reports on the accessibility of customs information technology)
- Chapter 3.3 of the procedural instructions of the ATLAS IT procedure
- in connection with ATLAS Info 3670/17 (1st and 2nd level support for the EU Trader Portal)
Applications / forms
The Central Information Office of the Customs Administration of the Directorate General of Customs does not process appeals. Inquiries with corresponding content are forwarded to the responsible office.
Appeal
Forms available: No
Written form required: No
Informal application possible: Yes
Personal appearance necessary: No
Online services available: No
Further Information
Author
Generalzolldirektion (GZD)
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
- Information in the context of customs tariff/goods origin, excise and transport tax law as well as other general inquiries on customs law and technical user support for IT procedures of the customs administration (import/export/customs procedures) Issue
Remark: Display of performance in the source portal
Technically approved by
Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF)
Professionally released on
07.12.2022
Source: Zuständigkeitsfinder Thüringen (Linie6PLus)
