Germany's automotive aftermarket is one of Europe's largest, and Porto-based suppliers regularly ship car and motorcycle parts to German buyers. Whether a part ships as standard cargo or dangerous goods depends entirely on whether it's dry and non-hazardous or contains fluids, batteries or pyrotechnics.
DHL Express and UPS accept most automotive parts including batteries and fluids with full DGR documentation. DPD and GLS road services are cost-effective for dry, non-hazardous parts (filters, sensors, trims, suspension components) but do not accept flammable liquids or batteries on standard service.
Drain any residual engine oil, brake fluid or coolant completely and double-bag with absorbent material before boxing — even small residual amounts of flammable liquid reclassify the whole shipment as dangerous goods. Wrap machined surfaces (cylinder heads, brake discs) in VCI paper to prevent rust in transit.
No customs paperwork required — both Portugal and Germany are EU members. EU import duty doesn't apply within the bloc; only German VAT (19%) is relevant, typically handled B2B via reverse charge. For non-hazardous dry parts, GLS or DPD road service is usually the cheapest option.
Yes, as long as they've been completely drained of oil and cleaned — declare them as 'used automotive components, drained and cleaned'. Residual oil reclassifies the shipment as flammable liquid dangerous goods, so drain thoroughly and pack machined parts in VCI paper to prevent rust.
For dry, non-hazardous parts (filters, sensors, body panels, suspension components), DPD or GLS road service is typically the most cost-effective within the EU. Parts containing fluids or batteries need DHL Express or UPS with DGR documentation instead.
No — Portugal and Germany are both EU and single-market members, so no customs declaration or import duty applies. Only standard German VAT is relevant, usually settled B2B via reverse charge.
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