maybe someone here can help me out:
just got a phone call from DHL. they told me they received an order and would like to know if it’s an electric scooter. i explained to them that it’s an electric skateboard. next they wanted to know how fast it is? i played it down a little and said 30kmh. their response was that anything above 20kmh is a vehicle and needs a chassis number (Vehicle Identification Numbers, VINS?). i told them that a skateboard does not have a chassis number. they said i could explain this to the customs but it’s uncertain if they would accept this and if not they would sent it back to australia… wtf… i’m going crazy here… any tricks or legit ways to get through this? they already made me pay twice for the battery 
surely you could just tell them its a motorized skateboard that does under 20km/h
after telling them that it goes 30kmh? they also want to know brand, type, and model. if they check that info wouldn’t that screw me over?
what Country are you in? (and I thought Australia was bad) surely you could just say its for personal use on private property and doesn’t require registration.
and isn’t it up to customs to decide what you can and cannot import? not DHL? isn’t it DHL’s job to just ship you your property? this sounds dodgy
i’m from Switzerland. i think in order to get it through the customs, DHL has to coordinate. i actually don’t know the details i just know i might be screwed trying to get in contact with the customs now to see what options i have
No it doesn’t sound dodgy. Its common practice.
DHL has to declare the shipment to customs. If customs require additional info, DHL contacts recipient and requests the additional info. If that doesn’t suffice, DHL will put the recipient directly into contact with customs. It’s customs’ responsibility to ensure the goods comply with local regulations.
If they don’t, for example if you’re in the EU and the goods don’t have a CE certification, customs can confiscate the goods. You could even get fined.
Long story short: if the board doesn’t comply with local regulations and customs find out, you’re screwed.
any idea’s what i can do instead of what i have to fear? 
its probably a bit late now, but if you were to ship the parts separate and then assemble the board in country there shouldn’t be any problem.
thanks, this is what i will do if everything fails now
You’re in Switzerland so you don’t need the CE-marking, which is good news. There’s no way around it, customs won’t release the goods until you’ve satisfied them. Get the n° for customs and call them, explain. Maybe a few white lies. Ask them about your options.
Worst case scenario: have it shipped back to Enertion and ask @onloop to ship it in parts. Different boxes.
can i get the n°? they want the Vehicle Identification Number. i assume onloop wouldn’t be able to provide this isn’t he?
I meant the telephone number. Explain to them it’s a toy for your son/nephew/whatever and that it doesn’t have a VIN because it only goes like 10kph. Ask them what your options are.
thanks for splitting the post, sorry for taking the original thread off-topic. i have to provide brand, name, tape etc. the DHL guy said, i could tell the customs anything but if they look it up and find out i’ve been lying they might fine me or even seize the skateboard… i already told the DHL guy it’s 30kmh anyway. he is the one handling my issue so i can’t tell him something else now i guess
I gotta admit. I don’t know laws in Switzerland. But I don’t see how they could seize the shipment. like in Australia I can ship a car over from America that would be unregisterable and illegal to drive on Australian roads. but they can’t stop me from owning it. I’m just not allowed to drive it anywhere. it seems unreasonable that they can seize something you own so long as its not like a weapon or something.
I tried searching for information on what you can and cant import, but all I could find was this: http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_privat/04392/04393/04397/index.html?lang=en which isn’t particularly helpful.
thank you very much for checking this lowGuido. i want to be really sure what to say the next time i contact DHL or the Customs to not make it worse again.
Hii it’s too bad too hear from your side. This is my opinion since I am currently dealing with the vehicle registration company in the Netherlands to get my eboard legal to use on the street.
So Okay you need VIN number, pretty sure @onloop wouldn’t have this, otherwise he would put a sticker or note on the board to declare the VIN. VIN it’s self a special number for special vehicle type. You can get this from a vehicle test facility (in which I am trying to get one as well). So you could mention to DHL / customs this is a research vehicle, a prototype so there’s no VIN on it, but “we” are planning to get this board checked by a vehicle test facility to be street legal in EU.
Good morning… sorry to hear of this.
Do you think they will research the product? Maybe I can make a dummy Web page with specs saying it does 15km/hr.
Also in future. I suggest just call it a “skateboard” It doesn’t have a battery inside it so it’s not electric. Yet.
thanks onloop, the idea of a fake website crossed my mind but i would have never thought this would actually be an option (offered) 
.
i explained that it’s an electric skateboard because they assumed it’s an electric scooter. but i highlighted that it’s “just a skateboard” right now and not powered.
we’ll see if i get a callback from the customs tomorrow otherwise i might have to come back to your offer 
ok, i hope you get good news.