How to Ship a Laptop Internationally

Of all the devices business owners send to remote workers, laptops are one of the most common. But unlike some other company devices, shipping laptops is a little trickier and requires substantial research and preparation. 

With that said, here are step-by-step instructions on how to ship a laptop internationally, including proper packaging, carrier selection, customs declaration, and more. 

1. Prepare the Laptop for International Shipping

Secure Sensitive Data on Device

Any time you ship laptops through the mail, there’s always the chance of interception, which creates immense security risks. Therefore, the first step to shipping laptops is always to secure any sensitive data. 

There are a few ways to do this. 

One is to encrypt the hard drive and require a strong password, which only your employee will have. Two, you can back up all important data onto a cloud storage platform or hard drive and perform a data wipe. 

Or three, you can use a mobile device management (MDM) to lock the device during transit. Often, this option is the easiest and most widely used by customers who have an MDM. 

Note that option two is more meticulous, but may be necessary if you have highly sensitive information and don’t want to take any chances. But in most cases, option one should be sufficient.

Also, note that if a previous employee used the laptop you’re sending, you should remove any of their personal information to protect their privacy. 

Inspect and Document Device Condition

Ideally, every laptop shipment will go smoothly, and the shipping provider will take the utmost care to ensure it doesn’t get damaged. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen, and laptop damage can occur during transit. 

That’s why you should always perform a thorough inspection and document the electronic device's condition by taking pictures from multiple angles. 

At the bare minimum, we suggest taking a picture of the top of the laptop while closed, the bottom while closed, when it’s open, as well as a shot of the original packaging. 

Make a note of any issues like dents or scratches before the shipment goes out, so you have a clear record. And if any damage happens during transit, you can use this for reference when filing a claim later on. 

2. Choose the Right Shipping Provider

The retail cost of most of today’s laptops ranges from $500 to $1,500, which is a fairly steep price tag. 

Whenever you’re shipping a high-value item like a laptop internationally, you want to know you’re in good hands with a shipping provider. 

Therefore, it’s generally best to stick with well-known, reputable carriers that have a finely-tuned international shipping process and reliable customer service if something goes wrong. 

Use Specialized Carriers for Electronics

There can be a considerable disparity in how carriers handle delicate electronics during international shipping. Because of how fragile a laptop is, you want to choose a shipping option that will protect it to ensure safe delivery. 

While it’s impossible to completely guarantee that a laptop will arrive unharmed, some carriers are better than others. 

The big three carriers that offer a specialized shipping service for laptops are USPS, UPS, and FedEx. They’re equipped to take extra precautions to keep a laptop safe during transit. So we generally recommend going with one of these. 

However, there are other options available, such as DHL Express, Royal Mail, and Aramex, which are some of the more notable carriers. 

Get Real-Time Tracking and Shipping Insurance

Any time you send a valuable electronic device such as a laptop to another country, you want maximum peace of mind that it will reach its destination. The best way to do that and protect your international shipment is to get real-time tracking and shipping insurance. 

This will provide you with ongoing status updates as the laptop makes its way to its eventual destination, so you’ll know if it’s on track. 

If there are any hiccups along the way, you’ll be notified, and the shipping insurance should protect the laptop from theft, damage, or other unforeseen issues. 

Ensure Lithium Battery Compliance

The lithium battery inside most laptops is considered to be a hazardous material because there’s the potential for a fire or explosion. Because of this, there are international shipping regulations in place for lithium batteries that you must comply with. 

For example, this can include making sure the battery is clearly marked, properly installed in the laptop, no more than 30% charged, and safely packaged in the right shipping box. 

You can find an in-depth guide to lithium battery compliance in this UPS resource. 

3. Pack Laptops for Safety

As we just mentioned, lithium batteries pose a potential threat during international shipping. 

So, besides securely packing laptops to avoid coming loose and being damaged during transit, it’s also important to protect the battery and other components from moving around to prevent fires and explosions. 

There are three main steps involved with this. 

Choose Protective Materials

Proper laptop packing begins with placing the device in a sturdy cardboard box with bubble wrap, foam inserts, air pillows, or a combination of the three. Everything should be snug before closing and sealing the box in its original packaging.

“Note that it’s important to ensure the laptop is not pressed directly against the cardboard packaging, as this increases the risk of damage from punctures,” explains allwhere Supply Chain and Logistics Manager, Brayden Campbell. “The device should be securely held in place within the packaging, but with sufficient cushioning or space between the laptop and the outer packaging to help absorb potential impacts.”

Before officially sending the package out, UPS recommends the following. 

“Gently shake the box to ensure it is securely packed and there is no internal sliding. If you don’t feel any sliding, close the box and tightly seal it with tape to avoid moisture getting in.”

Secure Accessories

In addition to ensuring the laptop doesn’t move around during transit, you’ll need to secure other accessories like the power adapter and cables, as it’s easy for these to move around and become damaged. 

UPS says that it’s best to first wrap these accessories in bubble wrap and then tie them in place with cable ties until they’re snug. Just be sure not to fasten the cable ties too tightly because it could cause fraying or other damage. 

Label for Compliance and Safety

Again, any time you ship laptops to another country, there are certain compliance and safety standards you must adhere to. Otherwise, you run the risk of delays, seizures, and other issues. 

Part of handling this correctly is providing the proper labeling, which is done by attaching the shipping label and any customs clearance forms to your laptop box. 

If there’s a lithium battery, as there often is when shipping a laptop, be sure to include safety information like a UN number that’s compliant with International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations. 

This indicates that a shipment contains hazardous materials, such as a flammable lithium battery. According to GWP Group, the UN number for lithium batteries contained in equipment or packed with equipment is UN 3481.

4. Handle Customs and Compliance

Domestic shipping is fairly straightforward, and the logistics aren’t usually overwhelming. However, international shipping comes with significantly more complexities, where multiple steps have to be taken to ensure a laptop reaches its destination by its intended delivery time. 

There are three main steps involved with customs and compliance that you’ll need to follow.

Prepare Accurate Documentation

Whenever an international shipment passes through customs, a few pieces of information must typically be provided. 

One of the most critical parts of documentation is the commercial invoice (customs invoice), which must have the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS Code). “The HTS Code is important because it’s vital for customs clearance, as it helps foreign customs authorities classify the product correctly and assess applicable duties and taxes,” writes Campbell. 

“This is integral to avoiding delays because omitting it can lead to shipment delays, fines, or incorrect duty assessments. It’s also important for accuracy and compliance because including the HTS code ensures regulatory compliance and accurate reporting. Note that the HTS Code for laptops is 8471.30.0100.”

To simplify, each commercial invoice should contain the following information:

• Reason for expert (e.g., sale, warranty return, repair, personal use, gift)
• Full description (e.g., “Apple MacBook Air 13”, M2 chip, 256GB SSD”)
• Quantity
• Unit value (USD or other selected currency)
• Total item value
• Currency (must be stated, e.g., USD)
• Country of Origin: China (if manufactured there)
• HTS Code: 8471.30.0100 (always used for laptops)

Besides that, you need:

• The laptop’s serial number
• A clear label of what’s included inside the box (e.g., laptop computer)
• The country where the goods were manufactured (an Apple laptop shipping from the US to the UK, for instance, would have China as the country of origin)
• Your contact information
• Shipper’s Tax ID, or EIN (this is optional, but helpful)
• Receiver’s VAT Number (strongly recommended for businesses) or EORI Number (mandatory for EU imports of commercial goods)

Failing to provide detailed documentation like this could result in customs issues, which brings us to our next point.

Avoid Customs Delays

First, be thorough and include all of the documentation just mentioned.

Second, perform detailed research on the rules, regulations, and restrictions of your destination country regarding receiving electronics. 

Third, check to see if there are any customs duties for delivery to your destination country. 

To accelerate the process and prevent delays, it’s wise to pre-pay customs fees and taxes ahead of time. And if you have any questions, contact the customer service department of your shipping carrier before initiating your international shipment.

Understand Regional Regulations

Know that every country has specific regulations for importing electronics like laptops. Therefore, you need to familiarize yourself with the nuances before laptop shipping. 

For example, China has additional certification requirements for receiving electronic shipments. To ship a laptop to China, a parcel must have a China Compulsory Certification (CCC) mark. 

And other countries may have limits on the value of goods they can receive from an international shipment. So be diligent in your research here. 

How Much Does it Cost to Ship a Laptop Internationally?

The shipping cost can vary considerably and depends on several factors, like: 

• The destination country
• Your carrier
• The shipping time
• Package weight
• Package dimensions
• Shipping insurance coverage

That said, you can usually expect to pay around $75 on the low end, and up to $300 on the high end. 

In a real-life example of shipping rates, the current cost to ship a five-pound laptop from New York to the UK for Priority Mail Express International through the US Postal Service is $91, according to Easyship. 

Effortless Overseas Laptop Shipping with allwhere

As we’ve learned, there’s a lot involved with international laptop shipping. It’s certainly something most business owners are capable of handling, but there are considerable complexities to be aware of. 

And with so many regional restrictions and ever-changing regulations, hiccups are common. 

That’s why many companies choose to use a third-party professional like allwhere to ship laptops for them. 

At allwhere, we handle the international shipping process start-to-finish, where we quickly deploy a laptop to wherever your global destination may be. 

We choose the optimal shipping method, provide original packaging, cover end-to-end logistics, deal with customs, provide ongoing communication, and more. 

That way, you can save time and money and don’t have to worry about the headaches of international shipping. Learn more about allwhere’s global procurement services and how we can help your business.