Why Was I Charged So Much at NamPost?
It is one of the most common — and most frustrating — experiences for Namibian online shoppers: your parcel arrives, and to collect it you are told to pay a bill that seems far too high for what you bought. It is easy to feel cheated, and a popular theory in shopping groups is that "NamRA and NamPost are sharing my VAT." Let us clear this up properly, because understanding the charge is the first step to not fearing it.
Your bill is usually TWO different things
The number you are asked to pay at collection is normally two separate charges added together:
- Taxes charged by NamRA — import VAT and, for some goods, customs duty. These go to the state.
- A handling / clearance fee charged by NamPost or the courier — a service charge for processing and delivering your parcel.
These are collected together at the counter, which is exactly why it looks like one big confusing number. Split them apart and it makes sense.
No — NamRA does not "share your VAT" with NamPost
Licensed Partner Agents
Need a NamRA-licensed agent to handle your clearance?
WalvisLink coordinates it for you — we place your file with a vetted, NamRA-licensed partner agent who handles the ASYCUDA submission and NamRA liaison, and we manage the documentation. Response within 4 business hours.
This is the myth worth killing. NamRA does not share your VAT with NamPost. NamRA collects the import taxes (VAT and duty). NamPost separately charges its own fee for the work of clearing and handling the parcel. One is tax; the other is a service charge. They are different organisations doing different things, and your VAT is not being split between them.
What the taxes actually are
- Import VAT is about 16.5% of the customs value. The customs value is the price you paid plus the shipping cost — not just the item price, which is why the base is bigger than you remember.
- Customs duty applies to some goods and not others. It depends on the item, its material, value and origin. Many electronics are duty-free; clothing and shoes tend to be higher. Goods from South Africa carry no customs duty at all (they are within the SACU customs union), though VAT still applies.
That combination — VAT on a value that includes shipping, plus duty on higher-rated items — is usually the whole explanation for a bill that felt too high.
How to check whether a charge is right
You are entitled to understand what you are paying. If a charge looks wrong:
- Ask for the breakdown of taxes versus handling fee.
- Check the duty rate for your item on the official NamRA e-Tariff.
- Estimate it yourself first next time with our import cost calculator, so you know roughly what to expect before the parcel even arrives.
What WalvisLink handles
If you keep getting stung by surprise charges, or a parcel is being held and you are not sure the bill is right, we can help. Tell us what you ordered and we will work out the correct landed cost, explain each charge, and clear it for you cleanly. We are a Walvis Bay customs-clearance platform working with NamRA-licensed partner agents.