How to Ship from the US to Romania: Complete 2026 Guide

Romania is one of the EU's most underrated e-commerce markets. With about 19 million people, a fast-growing tech sector centered in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca, and strong demand for American products that are not readily available locally, it offers real opportunity for US sellers willing to ship internationally.

As an EU member state since 2007, Romania follows the standard EU customs framework, which makes the import process predictable if you already ship to other European countries. The key difference with Romania compared to Western Europe is that the lower cost of living means shipping costs and import duties have a larger proportional impact on the total price your customer pays. Getting your shipping strategy right matters more here than it does when shipping to Germany or France.

Carrier Options

DHL Express delivers to Romania in three to five business days, routing through their central European hub network. DHL has strong coverage in Bucharest and all major Romanian cities, with reliable door-to-door delivery. Express rates for a one-pound package run 48 to 72 dollars.

FedEx International Priority takes four to six business days, and UPS Worldwide Express is similar. Both are reliable but slightly slower than DHL for this corridor. USPS Priority Mail Express International delivers in five to eight business days at lower cost — roughly 45 to 60 dollars for a one-pound package.

USPS Priority Mail International is the workhorse standard option at 35 to 52 dollars for a one-pound package, delivering in 10 to 20 business days. Posta Romana (the Romanian national postal service) handles last-mile delivery, and their service has improved significantly in recent years, especially in urban areas. Rural delivery in Romania can still be slow and inconsistent.

For lightweight economy shipments, USPS First-Class Package International starts at 12 to 16 dollars with delivery in 15 to 30 business days.

Customs and EU Rules

Romania follows EU customs regulations. The import duty threshold is EUR 150 — shipments below this value are exempt from customs duties but still subject to Romanian VAT at 19 percent (lower than the EU average). Shipments above EUR 150 face both duties and VAT, with duty rates following the EU Common Customs Tariff.

Every commercial shipment needs a customs declaration with detailed item descriptions, declared values, HS tariff codes, and country of origin. Romanian customs has modernized significantly and now processes most express carrier shipments electronically, but USPS parcels going through Posta Romana can still experience slower clearance, occasionally requiring the recipient to visit a customs office in person.

If you sell regularly to EU countries, an IOSS (Import One-Stop Shop) registration lets you collect VAT at checkout so your Romanian customers do not get surprised by VAT charges at delivery. Given that 19 percent VAT on a 50-dollar order adds about 9.50 dollars, this transparency significantly improves customer satisfaction and reduces refused deliveries.

Romania uses the Romanian Leu (RON) as its currency. While customs values are calculated in euros per EU rules, prices displayed to consumers should ideally reflect the local currency equivalent.

Prohibited Items and Practical Considerations

Standard EU prohibitions apply — no firearms, controlled substances, or counterfeit goods. Romania follows EU food safety regulations for commercial food imports. Tobacco and alcohol face heavy excise duties. Medications require documentation and should be limited to personal quantities with a physician's prescription.

Romanian postal addresses follow the European format: postal code, city, street name and number, apartment/block number. Romanian apartment buildings often use a bloc/scara/etaj/apartament format (building block, stairwell, floor, apartment) that can look confusing to American shippers. Include the address exactly as the recipient provides it, and always include a Romanian phone number for the recipient.

Romanian delivery services — both Posta Romana and private carriers — rely heavily on phone contact for delivery coordination. A package without a recipient phone number is more likely to experience delivery delays, especially to apartment buildings where buzzer systems may not work reliably.

For businesses shipping to Romania regularly, consider the EU-wide fulfillment center strategy. Shipping in bulk to a warehouse in Germany or the Netherlands and distributing within the EU eliminates per-package customs clearance and reduces transit times to Romanian customers to one to three business days.

Platforms like atoship simplify Romania shipments by comparing carrier rates, generating EU-compliant customs documentation, and providing consolidated tracking across carriers.