Mail, Packages & Customs

Post Offices

Post offices in Italy vary in size and the services they offer. Florence’s main post office provides the widest range of services. For detailed information about sending and receiving mail in Italy, you can visit the official Poste Italiane website. Here are some post offices conveniently located for our students:

• Main Branch Office: Via Pellicceria 3 (Piazza della Repubblica), Tel: 055-27361

• Post Office 003: Piazza della Libertà 40/r, Tel: 055-553301

• Post Office 018: Via Cavour 71/a, Tel: 055-463501

• Post Office 039: Via Alamanni 14r, 16r, 18r, Tel: 055-267491 (This post office is right around the Santa Maria Novella train station!)

Stamps & Mailboxes

Postal rates in Italy are much higher than they are in the United States. You can buy stamps at Poste Italiane offices, tabaccherie (tobacco shops), or some newsstands. There are mailboxes across the city — use the red slot marked “Estero” (Abroad) for international mail. To send postcards or regular-sized envelopes (up to 20g) via Posta Prioritaria Internazionale:

• To the United States, Canada, Asia, and Africa: €2.40

• To European countries: €1.25

To send a letter or postcard, drop it into one of the red mailboxes, usually found outside tobacco shops (tabaccherie) or post offices. If you're mailing something outside of Florence, make sure to use the slot labeled “Tutte le altre destinazioni” (“All other destinations”).

Please note that the Office of Student Life does not send out student mail. However, if you have questions about sending out letters or packages, feel free to speak with a staff member.

Packages & Luggage

There are two ways to ship packages in Italy: through the Italian postal service or through private shipping companies. Couriers and the post office are very strict about what they will accept for shipping. Ask the Office of Student Life staff for advice if you’re not sure which you should choose!

Packing Personal Items for Shipment with the Italian Postal Service

• At the post office, no matter what you are sending, the combined length plus twice the width of your package cannot exceed 200 centimeters. This is a general rule without exceptions for most services, but specific limits may vary depending on the type of mail or courier service used.

• If you are packing personal items, use a box (scatola) no longer than 1 meter. Make sure to pack your belongings securely so they do not move around inside, and seal the box well with tape.

• Print the recipient’s address, your return address, and a description of the contents in large letters on the package. If you are sending personal belongings, write “nessun valore commerciale” (no commercial value) on the outside to help avoid customs fees.

• Because postal rules can change, we recommend checking the official Poste Italiane website or asking at the post office to confirm the most up-to-date regulations before sending your package.

Mailing Your Package with the Italian Postal Service

• Once your package is packed and sealed, take it to the “Prodotti Postali” window at any post office. You’ll be asked to fill out a short form describing the contents and declared value of the items inside. To help avoid extra customs charges, it's common to describe the contents as “articoli personali usati” (used personal items) or note that they have “nessun valore commerciale” (no commercial value).

• Delivery Options:

1. Standard Airmail: Packages sent through regular international mail usually arrive in the U.S. within 1 to 4 weeks, depending on the destination and service level.

2. Paccocelere Internazionale: This is an express international service for packages under 30 kg. It’s faster (typically about 2 business days), but also more expensive.

• Shipping Costs: The cost of sending a package depends on several factors, such as destination country, package size, and weight, delivery speed, whether the contents are fragile or need extra services, etc. 

Private Shipping Companies 

In Florence, you'll find different private shipping companies. Some of them are:

• DHL: DHL is an international door-to-door shipping company. Shipping packages through this company is rather expensive, but quick and reliable. You'll find a couple of central drop-off and pick-up point for DHL in the city center. Call or check their official website for more information. Tel: 199-199345.

• Federal Express (Fedex): Federal Express does not have a used/temporary export/import license to ship to Italy. As such, often, items shipped into the country will be taxed at full value as if the items were to be sold here, even if they are used and for personal use. Call or visit their official website for more information regarding rates and delivery. Tel: 199-151119

• Mail Boxes Etc.: This company offers a variety of services, including photocopying, faxing, mailing packages and documents, storage, packing, and printing. There is also an office supply and shipping supply store. NYU students get a special discount on storage and shipping. For more information, call, stop by the Florence branch, or check out their website. Their closest office for our students in Florence is located in Via San Gallo 61/r. Tel: (055) 4630418.

• UPS (United Parcel Service): Sending packages through UPS is rather expensive, but quick and reliable. They offer a door-to-door service. Call for more information, or check their official website. Tel: 02-30303039

• Be aware that five categories of items are automatically held for mandatory customs inspections, which result in fees you must pay before your package can be delivered. These clearance fees can be very expensive, so we strongly recommend thinking carefully before shipping items in the following categories:

1. 1. 1. 1. Food items: Imported food undergoes mandatory Health Department checks, which entail more fees added to your shipment. You cannot ask exemption from Customs duty for food items. There are some international markets where you might find what you are looking for!

         2. Cosmetics/personal hygiene items: Most common cosmetics and personal hygiene products can easily be bought in Florence, though the brands might be different. Both cosmetics and personal hygiene items also undergo the mandatory Health Department check and fees.

         3. Medicine: Including vitamins! When medication is sent from abroad, Italian Customs requires a form signed by an Italian doctor, confirming that the medicine cannot be purchased in Italy. In addition to significantly delaying delivery, this process also involves paying customs duties and health department fees before the package can be released. We strongly recommend that students bring any necessary medications with them whenever possible. For more information about medicine in Italy, check our Medication section, or ask for help from our campus nurse.

         4. Electronics Items: When shipping new (or even used) items, be aware that the declared value is used to calculate VAT (Value-Added Tax), which is 22% of the item’s value. This can result in very high fees upon delivery. In particular, the import of new electronic devices—especially laptops and other computers—is routinely blocked by Customs and is extremely costly to process. For this reason, we strongly advise against having new electronics or high-value items shipped to you while in Italy.

         5. New or used clothing

• Whenever possible, ask the sender to select the "free domicile" shipping option. This ensures that, if any fees apply, the recipient will only be charged customs duties, not additional transportation costs from the Italian border to Florence. Without this option, extra delivery fees may be added.

• The sender should avoid labeling packages as “gifts.” Instead, they should list the contents as “used personal items, no commercial value” whenever applicable, especially when sending clothing. Keep in mind that new items are subject to 22% VAT based on their declared value — a cost that can be quite high.

• For anything sent via the postal service, make sure the sender includes a tracking number. Without it, recovering lost or delayed items is nearly impossible. All courier services (like DHL, FedEx, UPS) automatically provide tracking, which is essential for tracing shipments.

• We strongly advise against receiving important items like airplane tickets, credit cards, or official documents through regular U.S. Postal Service mail, as it cannot be tracked outside the U.S., and delivery is typically slow.

• Customs will not separate package contents. You cannot choose to keep part of a shipment and return the rest. Each parcel is processed as a whole and must match its original contents documentation.