Please note

Shipping Policies

How long will it take?

Processing time is how long it takes us to assemble, inspect, and pack your sword. Transit time to you is on top of that.

• In-stock katana: 3–5 business days.
• Sanmai and Tamahagane blades: up to 15 business days.
• Custom builds: 30 days to 6 months, depending on the customization and whether the fittings are hand-carved or molded from a 3D model.

Processing time is the same wherever you live. If you need your sword by a specific date, email info@moonswords.com before you order and we will tell you honestly whether it can get there in time.

How much is shipping?

Delivery within the U.S. is free. For international orders, shipping rates and delivery times vary by country and are calculated at checkout. Customs charges are separate. See International Orders below.

Where is my order?

Follow your package on our Track Your Order page. If you have a question about your order, email info@moonswords.com. We respond to all emails within 1–2 business days.

Who can receive my package?

Every shipment requires an adult (18+) signature on delivery, so we ship to a physical address where someone can sign. We do not ship to Puerto Rico, outlying U.S. territories, or P.O./APO boxes due to high shipping surcharges, transit limitations, or varying regional logistics, or to countries that ban the sale of swords.

Can I change or cancel my order?

Yes, until your order ships. Once a package has shipped, we cannot recall or redirect it. Custom items cannot be returned, and shipping is not refundable. Please double-check your address at checkout, because we are not responsible for packages sent to an incorrect address. See our Return, Exchange & Refund Policy for details.

Stock Status

Every MoonSwords Guild sword falls into one of three groups, and the group sets how long it takes to ship.

In stock

These katana are ready to go. They leave the forge in 3–5 business days after you order, once we have assembled, inspected, and packed them.

Sanmai and Tamahagane blades

Sanmai (laminated, three-layer construction) and Tamahagane (traditional smelted steel) blades take up to 15 business days. Both methods involve more forging and folding steps than a standard stock blade, so the extra time goes into the steel.

Custom and made-to-order builds

These are built for you. Custom builds take from 30 days to 6 months, depending on the customization and whether the fittings must be hand-carved or molded from a 3D model. We will give you a more specific estimate once your specification is locked in. You can change or cancel a custom order until it ships, but custom items cannot be returned.

International Orders

We ship to many countries. Rates and delivery times are calculated at checkout, and every international order ships with a commercial invoice and a Certificate of Authenticity.

Where we ship

Not sure whether we can ship to you? Email info@moonswords.com before ordering.

Shipping to the United Kingdom

Yes, we ship our hand-forged, full-tang katanas to the United Kingdom. The UK’s Offensive Weapons Act 2019 restricts curved swords with a blade of 50 cm or longer, but it exempts swords made before 1954 or made at any time using traditional hand-forging methods. That exemption is why we build our katanas the way we do.

• Every UK order ships with a Declaration of Exemption, a Certificate of Authenticity naming the smith and method, and a commercial invoice, the paperwork Border Force looks for.
• UK law bans selling bladed items to anyone under 18, so we require an 18+ confirmation at checkout.
• We ship Mid-Range and High-End katanas to the UK. Entry-level katanas are not offered to UK addresses, because UK customs normally stops them even though they meet the requirements.
• If UK customs confiscates a shipment, we cannot refund shipping costs or duties paid. We will still work with you on the sword itself.

Basis: Offensive Weapons Act 2019 and Home Office import-controls guidance on curved swords. Confirm current rules with the UK government before you order.

Australia

Federally, a standard sword is not a controlled import and needs no national permit. Australia has no single sword law, though, and each state regulates ownership separately.

• South Australia reclassified swords as prohibited weapons in mid-2025, so ownership now needs a specific exemption.
• Victoria requires a Chief Commissioner’s Approval, or membership in an exempted collector or re-enactment organization.
• Other states allow ownership but have recently tightened sale-to-minors rules and public-carry penalties.

We ship to Australia, but for Victoria and South Australia we ask buyers to confirm they hold the relevant state exemption first.

Basis: Australian Border Force guidance and state weapons legislation as amended 2024–2026. Confirm current rules with your state registry, as this moves fast.

Canada

The Canada Border Services Agency does not classify traditional, non-concealed swords as restricted or prohibited imports. Declared honestly on the commercial invoice, a hand-forged katana or dao typically clears without incident. Anything with a concealed or spring-loaded mechanism does get flagged, which is not a concern for any MoonSwords Guild piece. Some provinces have their own transport rules, such as keeping a sword secured and inaccessible in a vehicle, which apply after delivery and not at the border.

Basis: CBSA import guidance on weapons and devices.

European Union

The EU does not have one weapons law. It is a patchwork by member state. Germany and the Netherlands are relatively permissive for collector swords. Belgium restricts remote and online sales of certain edged weapon categories, and Denmark effectively requires a permit before certain bladed items can be imported. We recommend EU customers check their national customs site rather than assuming EU-wide rules apply uniformly.

Basis: national customs and weapons-law summaries current as of 2025–2026. Verify against your own country’s authority.

UAE, mainland China, and Japan

These destinations block the import outright. UAE customs seizes bladed weapons on entry, Chinese customs confiscates sword imports as prohibited goods, and Japan requires a government import approval plus a prefectural possession permit before a blade can legally cross its border. That is not practical to arrange for each order.

Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Russia

These countries, plus the Russian-occupied Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, are under active U.S. trade sanctions. As a U.S. business, we are legally barred from shipping there regardless of what is in the package. This is not specific to swords.

Customs, duties, and taxes

Orders under $800 USD generally clear without duties or fees. Orders over $800 USD may be subject to duties, taxes, or fees set by your country. These are the buyer’s responsibility, and we cannot prepay them or include them on your invoice. We cannot lower the declared value on customs forms, because that is illegal. If customs holds your package, they will contact you directly about how to clear it. Read our Customs Information & Charges page for details.

Shipping insurance

Optional shipping insurance is available at checkout for an added cost, and we recommend it for higher-value pieces.

Lost, delayed, or seized packages

Weather, holidays, and customs delays can push delivery past the carrier’s estimate, and transit times are never guaranteed. Once tracking shows delivered, we are not responsible for a package that is lost, stolen, or left unattended. We cannot issue refunds for shipments that are lost, stolen, or withheld by customs, so please confirm your country’s rules before you order.

Holiday Shipping 2026

Can I get it for Christmas?

The following cut-off dates are for orders of in-stock swords shipped to addresses in the U.S., excluding Hawaii and Alaska.

• In-stock swords: cut-off is Thursday, December 10.

Sanmai, Tamahagane, and custom orders have longer processing times (see Stock Status above), so order those earlier. Once your order ships, you can follow it on our Track Your Order page. After that, we are relying on the carrier to deliver on time.

We’re here to help

Email info@moonswords.com or visit our contact page. We respond to all emails within 1–2 business days.

This page is a guide, not legal advice. Import laws are set by your country and they change.