Why the Canaries aren't part of Spain for tax purposes
The Canaries are in the EU but not in the EU VAT union. That's the whole trick. There is no 21% IVA here as on the mainland; instead there is a separate tax system: IGIC (Impuesto General Indirecto Canario) and, in some cases, AIEM (Arbitrio sobre Importaciones y Entregas de Mercancías).
IGIC sits at 7% for most goods — clearly lower than the Spanish VAT of 21%. Sounds like a good deal, and sometimes it is. But: every parcel coming from the mainland or from the rest of the EU counts as an import for customs purposes. It needs to be cleared. That's where it starts to get complicated.
The AIEM only hits certain product categories that are also produced locally on the Canaries — tobacco, beer, some foods, building materials, a few cosmetics. Anyone ordering a PlayStation or a speaker just pays IGIC. Anyone ordering a box of cheese may run into the AIEM.
On top of that comes the DUA (Documento Único Administrativo) — the formal import declaration. It's mandatory for any parcel above €150 in declared value. Below €150 the simplified procedure applies, which speeds things up considerably. The threshold is the single most important number in the whole system. People who know it plan their orders around it.
Amazon, the €150 threshold and the DUA
Amazon does deliver to the Canaries — both Amazon.es and via the Amazon Global Store. But the checkout behaves differently than on the mainland. Two things stand out immediately.
First: at payment Amazon asks for the recipient's NIE (or NIF). Without it, nothing moves, because customs needs that number for the import clearance. Anyone without a NIE yet won't get the parcel delivered — see Relocate #8 on registration.
Second: in the cart, the VAT deduction is shown explicitly. The price drops by the Spanish VAT of 21%. That isn't the final price. On top of the net price IGIC is added at shipping — usually 7%, plus a DUA fee if the order is over €150. With Amazon Global Express, Amazon charges an "Import Fees Deposit" directly to the card. If the real bill comes in lower, Amazon refunds the difference.
The Bose box at €249: 249 minus 21% IVA = €205.79 net. Add 7% IGIC = €14.40 plus DUA fee (usually around €15 to €20). Final price somewhere near €235. That's cheaper than on the mainland — if you factor in the wait and the risk.
The €150 threshold is the key. Splitting an order into two parcels at €80 each saves the DUA fee twice — but means two separate shipments with two waiting periods. Putting in a single big order over €200 means one DUA, one parcel. Pragmatic rule of thumb: for individual items under €150 the split is worth it, beyond that it isn't.
What Prime actually means here
Amazon Prime on the Canaries is not Amazon Prime on the mainland. It's "free standard shipping" — which here means 5 to 10 working days, not "tomorrow". Same-day or next-day delivery doesn't exist. Films and music run as everywhere, that works fine.
If you really need something fast, you have two options: Amazon Global Express costs extra, arrives in 2 to 4 working days, with Amazon handling customs entirely. Or local retailers — on Gran Canaria that mostly means El Corte Inglés in Las Palmas, MediaMarkt at Centro Comercial 7 Palmas, or specialist shops like Pccomponentes.com (warehouse on the Canaries) for electronics.
The most common disappointment among newcomers in the first three months: they order something "urgent" on Sunday evening from Amazon, where it doesn't say "delivery tomorrow", and are then puzzled on Wednesday why it isn't there yet. Wednesday is day three. Day ten is the upper end.
Other online shops — what works, what doesn't
The bad news first: many European online shops either exclude the Canaries explicitly or charge moon prices. Zalando delivers, but more slowly and with customs handling. IKEA only via expensive freight partners — anyone wanting to order a sofa is better off going to IKEA Las Palmas (there's one in San Cristóbal de La Laguna on Tenerife and one in Telde on Gran Canaria). MediaMarkt.es delivers, but check the shipping charge in the cart carefully.
Pccomponentes.com has its own warehouse on the Canaries — anyone needing computer parts or electronics can sometimes get them in 24 to 48 hours, no IGIC surprise at checkout because it's already included. El Corte Inglés online works the same way, with island delivery.
International retailers from outside Spain often don't ship to the Canaries at all, or do so at prices that wipe out any saving. Anyone needing something specific from back home is better off having a friend bring it on the next trip — or ordering it on their home-country Amazon site (Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com) to a home address and picking it up on the next visit. Really.
Apple delivers directly to the Canaries with its own logistics and tax handling. Prices are about the same as on the mainland minus 14%. Anyone ordering a MacBook gets it in 5 to 8 working days.
Correos — letters and parcels from abroad
Spain's national post (Correos) is the main channel for letters and parcels from friends or family. Anything posted from outside Spain goes through Correos and through customs.
Letters (up to 50 grams) are simple, costing roughly €1.50 to €4 from outside Spain depending on origin and class, arriving in 5 to 10 days. For packages over €150 in declared value, DUA handling kicks in: Correos sends a letter or SMS, the parcel waits in the central post office, IGIC plus fee need to be paid, then delivery follows. Processing happens online via the Correos app or via correosaduanas.es — both work.
Within the Canaries the post is normal: a parcel up to 250 grams from Las Palmas to Tenerife costs €4.86, up to 2 kg €10.15. Fast, no fuss.
Mainland to the Canaries is more expensive and slower: a parcel up to 1 kg costs €24.71 via Correos, up to 5 kg €35.01. Plus DUA handling if the declared value is over €150. The sea-versus-air choice makes the difference: sea transport (departures from the mainland on Thursdays, 48–72-hour transit) is cheaper, air is 1–2 days but roughly 50% more expensive.
What many overlook: packages under €150 in declared value don't need DUA. That makes small shipments — a book, a pair of glasses, vitamin D tablets from your favourite pharmacy — relatively painless. Anyone with family who "just sends something now and then" should communicate the €150 threshold as a gift limit.
SEUR, MRW, GLS, DHL — the private couriers
For faster or larger parcels, the private couriers are the next stop. Active on the Canaries:
SEUR and Correos Express are the two big ones. SEUR delivers with its own island infrastructure, standard transit times 3 to 5 working days from the mainland. Tracking is good, service reliable. Often used by online shops as their default carrier.
MRW is the Spanish alternative, similar pricing and speed. A bit more trouble with island offices in smaller towns — anyone in Maspalomas or Costa Adeje is fine. Anyone in Agüimes should check beforehand whether the courier delivers there directly.
GLS and DHL both operate, but DHL is not the market leader here — SEUR and MRW dominate the local courier scene. Parcels arriving from outside Spain mostly come through Correos to customs. Anyone expecting same-day-style courier service is sometimes surprised by the wait — international DHL Express works, but starts at €50 for a normal package.
Logista and Tipsa are industry alternatives for commercial senders. More relevant to private use: anyone looking for a courier compares via Packlink or Sendago — both platforms run prices and delivery times across multiple carriers.
The most common mistakes
Forgetting the NIE. No NIE, no delivery. Anyone still in the registration phase can have parcels temporarily sent to someone with a NIE — a friend, a colleague, a language school. But not permanently.
Ignoring the €150 threshold. A €149 parcel saves real money and waiting time compared to €151. On borderline orders it pays to drop an item or pick a cheaper alternative.
Missing the VAT deduction on Amazon. Prices in the Amazon cart look "too cheap" at first glance — the 21% VAT is already gone. But IGIC plus DUA is added on shipment. The final bill is usually 5 to 10% below mainland, not 21.
Putting everything on express. Standard usually does. Anyone with patience saves €15 to €30 per order. Anyone who really needs something fast drives to the Centro Comercial and buys there — prices are competitive.
Waiting for overseas retailers. Waiting another month for a parcel from abroad, when it could have been here in two days from a Canarian retailer, is a classic. Local supply chains are better than most newcomers expect — the island is small, logistics tight.
Trusting "delivery tomorrow". There is no "tomorrow" on Amazon Canaries. Anyone planning birthdays and deadlines orders a week ahead. With buffer.
Q&A
I need a new phone — order on Amazon or buy at MediaMarkt?
MediaMarkt at Centro Comercial 7 Palmas or online at Pccomponentes.com is often competitive and ships in 24–48 hours. Anyone needing a specific model not stocked here goes via Amazon — with 5–10 days transit.
Does Amazon Prime work here, or should I cancel?
Films, music, free standard shipping all work. Same-Day, Next-Day, Prime Now do not. Anyone with Prime mainly for the speed can consider cancelling. Anyone using it for films keeps it.
My father wants to send me vitamins from abroad — what does he need to know?
Packages under €150 declared value pass through the simplified procedure. Declare the contents clearly, state the value honestly, and don't write the recipient's NIE on the parcel — provide it when registering the parcel in the customs procedure. That happens online via the Correos app once the parcel has arrived.
Is it worth registering an international letter to the Canaries?
For plain letters, rarely. For important documents (contracts, certifications), yes — registered mail with return slip works and is trackable.
How do I post something back to the mainland?
Via Correos: Tarifa Plana to the mainland starts at €11.50 up to 250 grams. For online returns: the seller usually covers it, but check the return label — some online shops issue labels valid only from the mainland. In doubt, contact the seller and ask for a Canaries label.
Which address do I give online shops — the island address or a mainland one?
The real one. Attempts to give a mainland address and forward the parcel cost more in the end and take more time than direct delivery. Exception: anyone who's regularly in Madrid or Barcelona with family there — bringing small parcels under €150 yourself is legitimate and saves time.