Shipping to Spain: the complete guide

Expand your reach by shipping to Spain and enjoy the sunny side of international e-commerce. This guide brings together the key information you need: why it's worth shipping there, how to address your parcels correctly, what shipping to Spain costs, and the delivery times you can expect, along with customs rules and packaging tips.

E-commerce in Spain: what makes it so attractive?

The Kingdom of Spain, with around 47 million inhabitants, is an EU member and a very interesting market for your online business. For shipping to Spain, apart from Spain's territories outside the EU customs area, you don't need to worry about customs restrictions. And the figures show that e-commerce in Spain has grown enormously, with average revenue per online shopper estimated at around €670.

The main carriers for shipping to Spain

Shipping parcels to EU countries is easy. Whether DHL, UPS, DPD, or GLS, Sendcloud works with Europe's leading carriers, and they all handle your shipping to Spain securely, reliably, affordably, and on time.

How is delivery organized in Spain?

Parcels are typically handed over to Spain's national delivery partner, Correos, which usually makes one delivery attempt, Monday to Friday (Saturdays too in some areas). If the parcel isn't received, the recipient can collect it from a Correos branch.

DHL

DHL is one of the most popular and reliable carriers, and DHL Express can move parcels to Spain at record speed. General parcel limits: minimum 15 x 11 x 1 cm, maximum 120 x 60 x 60 cm, girth (L + 2×W + 2×H) up to 300 cm, and weight up to 30 kg (up to 31.5 kg with DHL Express).

DPD

If you want to offer customer-friendly shipping, include the carriers your customers prefer, and DPD belongs in the mix. You can use standard (DPD Classic) or express. Parcel sizes range from XS (up to 35 cm) to XL (up to 300 cm girth), each up to 31.5 kg.

GLS

GLS gives you one of the densest shipping networks in Europe, with standard (EuroBusinessParcel) and express (EuroExpressParcel) options. Maximum dimensions are 200 x 80 x 60 cm with a girth up to 300 cm; weight up to 40 kg by standard, or up to 50 kg by express, ideal for heavier goods.

UPS

UPS lets you choose between standard and express and handles larger, heavier goods well: length up to 274 cm, girth up to 400 cm, and weight up to 70 kg. Services range from UPS Standard and UPS Express to UPS Express Saver and UPS Worldwide Express Freight for B2B. Note that some UPS services aren't available for Ceuta, Melilla, or the Canary Islands, while UPS Express Saver is available for all Spanish regions.

How to address a parcel to Spain

There are a few simple things to keep in mind. Write the destination country in capitals, in English (SPAIN) or another language. Structure the address like this:

Sofia Martinez
Calle Lirio 29, 3º
28300 ARANJUEZ (MADRID)
SPAIN

Two more tips:

1. Add the recipient's phone number or email address, so the carrier can get in touch if needed.

2. On the Canary Islands, front doors often don't display names. When shipping there, describe the recipient's apartment in a multi-unit building as precisely as possible, adding an "i" for the left-hand apartment (Spanish "izquierda") or a "d" for the right-hand apartment ("derecha").

What customs documents do you need for Spain?

Spain is part of the European Union, which makes shipping there very easy: you can generally send a parcel to Spain without customs documents. But exceptions prove the rule. Spain has territories that officially belong to Spain but are not part of the EU customs area. For these, various customs documents and full electronic data transmission are mandatory when shipping.

Spain's territories outside the EU customs area are:

• Ceuta

• Melilla

• The Canary Islands

Shipping to Spain's outlying territories: customs

When shipping to these territories, you'll generally need a commercial invoice, and you should attach a CN22 or CN23 customs declaration to the outside of the parcel to tell customs what's inside. With a CN23, don't forget the accompanying CP71 dispatch note, which acts as the shipment's address label for the outlying territories.

On the Canary Islands, the usual VAT doesn't apply; instead there's the Impuesto General Indirecto Canario (IGIC). There are generally no duties on the value of the goods, but import taxes and possibly excise duties can be levied. Our tip: keep things transparent and let customers know in advance that customs fees may apply when shipping to Spain's outlying territories.

Which goods are excluded from shipping to Spain?

As a retailer, you're responsible for the parcel you send to Spain, so be sure to check which goods aren't permitted. When in doubt, especially about the strictly regulated export of alcohol, check with the carrier or the relevant customs authority. The following goods are generally excluded from trade:

• Hides and furs of wild animals

• Goods of particular value (such as antiques, art, gemstones, gold, and silver)

• Dangerous goods such as fireworks and asbestos

• Firearms and ammunition

• Ivory and ivory products

• Animals and plants

• Cash

• Narcotics

• Perishable goods

• Pornographic material

• Seeds

• Tobacco and tobacco products

Tracking your parcels to Spain

Give your customers a clear view of where their goods are with Sendcloud's convenient tracking. The benefits:

• Your own tracking page that customers can access

• Customers stay with you instead of visiting the carrier's site

• You score points for transparency and keep customers informed

• A personalized tracking service that builds trust

• Repeated contact with customers, from your tracking page to automated status emails

• Emails you can personalize to match your store's design

• Extra promotional power: run your own campaigns on the tracking page, for example featuring your Instagram feed

How much does shipping to Spain cost?

Your shipping costs to Spain depend on:

• The carrier you choose

• Any added services, such as tracking

• The delivery time you want

• The parcel weight

• The length, width, and height of the parcel

How long does delivery to Spain take?

Delivery time can vary and depends on the carrier, the service, the exact destination, any customs clearance, and other factors. As a rough guide:

Good to know: on many Spanish islands, siesta begins at 2 p.m. If a parcel hasn't been delivered by then, it's delivered the following day.

Watch out for public holidays

Deliveries can slow down around Spanish public holidays, so plan ahead. Spain's national public holidays include New Year's Day (January 1), Epiphany (January 6), Good Friday, Labour Day (May 1), Assumption Day (August 15), National Day (October 12), All Saints' Day (November 1), Constitution Day (December 6), Immaculate Conception (December 8), and Christmas Day (December 25). Regional holidays vary across Spain, and the movable holidays around Easter shift each year, so check the calendar before peak periods.

Top 10 packaging tips for shipping to Spain

Even within Europe, your goods have a long journey ahead, and you'll want them to arrive safely while packing as cost-effectively as possible, since size and weight drive your shipping costs.

1. Choose the smallest packaging size: as little room as possible, as much as necessary, leaving space for cushioning.

2. Distribute weight well: heavy items at the bottom, light items on top, delicate items in the middle, evenly balanced across the base.

3. Avoid voids: pack snugly without squeezing, since gaps let the box get crushed.

4. No contact: delicate or fragile goods shouldn't touch the box wall or each other; create a protective buffer all around.

5. Cushion to match the weight: soft material like bubble wrap for light goods, firm material like crumpled kraft paper for heavy ones.

6. Keep it upright: goods like bottles are made to travel upright and absorb pressure and impact better that way.

7. Protect against leaks: seal anything that could leak, such as cosmetics.

8. Protect corners and edges: reinforce them, for example with crumpled kraft paper.

9. Seal to match the weight: up to 12 kg, at least a simple seal on the bottom and top seams; up to 25 kg, reinforce the seams or use a double-L seal; above 25 kg, tape the vertical edges too.

10. Mind the customs rules: check which goods are excluded and what customs rules apply for the EU-exception territories.

How Sendcloud helps you ship to Spain

Having a strong partner at your side matters. Sendcloud supports your shipping to Spain with a wide range of options, from smart shipping rules to a customer-friendly returns portal, and together with leading carriers like DHL, UPS, DPD, and GLS, makes sure your parcels arrive safely in Spain. Whether it's Spain, Italy, Sweden, or France, one Sendcloud account lets you ship flexibly across Europe and worldwide. Questions about shipping to Spain? Get in touch with us.