Freight
The ocean, air, or rail leg from origin to destination, including origin handling and export clearance.
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Solutions · DDP shipping
DDP shipping from China, with the duty line written down before you agree to it.
Delivered Duty Paid means one number covers freight, customs entry, duty, taxes, and delivery to your door. It only works honestly when every one of those components is named — so we itemise them rather than hiding a thin margin inside a round figure.
All-induty and taxes included
Itemisedcomponents named
US · EU · UK · AUcore markets
24hquote turnaround
1
Number covering the landed cost
Itemised
Duty and tax shown separately
Air / sea
Both quoted DDP
IOR
Confirmed before booking
What DDP covers
Five things inside one number.
A DDP quote that will not break these out is asking you to trust a round figure. Ours names each component so you can compare it against a FOB quote properly.
Customs entry
Classification, the import entry, and the broker work at destination.
Duty and taxes
Import duty at your product's classification, plus VAT, GST, or the destination's equivalent, and market-specific fees.
Final-mile delivery
Drayage and delivery to the door, distribution centre, or fulfilment centre appointment.
Where DDP goes wrong
The DDP quotes you should walk away from.
A round number with no breakdown
If duty is not itemised, you cannot tell whether it was calculated from your classification or guessed. Guessed duty becomes a supplementary invoice later, or a misdeclaration.
Nobody named as importer of record
Someone has to be legally responsible for the entry. If the quote does not say who, the answer is usually nobody — which is a problem discovered at the border.
Under-declared value
Cheap DDP is sometimes cheap because the declared value is wrong. That exposure sits with the importer, not the forwarder who quoted it.
Incoterms compared
DDP against the terms you are probably comparing it with.
The difference is where responsibility transfers and who carries the customs risk. There is no universally correct choice, only the one that matches your capability at the destination.
| Term | You are responsible for | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| EXW | Everything from the supplier's door onward | You have a forwarder and full control at origin |
| FOB | Freight, insurance, and destination import | You have a customs broker and an import entity |
| DAP | Import duty, taxes, and clearance at destination | You want freight handled but will file your own entry |
| DDP | Receive at the named place; confirm any unloading scope | The seller can arrange destination import clearance and a delivered-cost quote |
Plan your shipment
Make the next shipping decision.
Use the Incoterms guide to define buyer and seller responsibilities, and prepare product details for customs clearance review. For a DDP shipping quote, ask which duties, taxes, and destination charges are included.
For Amazon deliveries, review the FBA preparation workflow. For other receiving locations, define the door-to-door delivery scope as part of your e-commerce logistics plan.
Planning more than one destination? Start with the guides for the USA, Germany, and Australia, or browse all country guides before preparing a lane-specific brief.
How it works
Classify, quote, move, deliver.
01 — Classify
Get the HS code right
Duty is calculated from classification, so the code is settled first. A DDP number built on a wrong code is wrong in whichever direction you find out later.
02 — Quote
Itemise the landed cost
Freight, entry, duty, taxes, and delivery are shown separately and totalled, along with who is importer of record.
03 — Move
Ship and file
Cargo moves on the agreed mode while the entry documents are prepared to the destination's deadlines.
04 — Deliver
Cleared, paid, delivered
Duty and taxes are settled under the agreed import arrangement, and the cargo is delivered to the named place. Any exceptional charges follow the written quote terms.
Official references
Check the rules behind the shipment plan.
These primary sources support the trade-term, customs, marketplace, or carrier guidance above. Product and destination requirements still need a shipment review.
International Chamber of Commerce: Incoterms 2020 DDP guidance
ICC explains the import-clearance responsibilities under DDP and why local rules must be checked before choosing it.
Open official sourceWhat does DDP shipping mean?
Under Incoterms 2020, Delivered Duty Paid places delivery and destination import-clearance responsibilities on the seller, including applicable duty and taxes. A freight forwarder may coordinate the work but does not automatically become the seller or importer. Check who can legally complete import formalities in the destination country, then name the delivery place and included charges in the contract and quote.
What is the difference between DDP and DAP?
Under DAP the cargo is delivered to your address but import duty, taxes, and clearance remain yours to arrange and pay. Under DDP those are included. DAP suits importers with their own broker and entity who want the freight handled; DDP suits importers who want a fixed landed cost and no customs work at all.
Is DDP shipping cheaper than FOB?
Usually not, and it is not meant to be. DDP bundles duty, taxes, brokerage, and delivery that you would otherwise pay separately under FOB, plus the cost of carrying that risk. It is worth paying for when it removes work you cannot do well, and worth avoiding when you already have a broker and can file entries more cheaply yourself. Compare a DDP quote against FOB plus your own realistic duty and clearance costs, not against the FOB freight line alone.
Who is the importer of record on a DDP shipment?
Identify the importer and any customs representative before booking. The seller's DDP obligation does not by itself make the freight forwarder the importer of record; local rules determine who can complete the entry. If the seller cannot arrange destination import clearance, ask whether DAP with a buyer-arranged importer is the workable alternative.
Can you ship DDP to Amazon FBA?
Yes, where the product, importer arrangement, and destination qualify. FBA is a common DDP use case because Amazon will not act as importer of record, so the alternative is arranging your own entry. We spell out the duty, tax, brokerage, and delivery responsibilities so DDP into FBA is an operating decision rather than a vague assurance.
How can I get a DDP quote with taxes included?
Send the product description or HS code, declared value, packed dimensions, origin, and named delivery place. Ask for a written total that itemises freight, import clearance, duty, taxes, delivery, and exclusions, and identifies who can complete the destination import formalities. DDP availability depends on the product and destination; confirm it before booking.
Who is the importer of record on an international shipment?
The importer of record is the party legally responsible for the import entry and related compliance. It may be the buyer, seller, or another authorized entity depending on the country and structure. Identify that party before booking; a delivery address or marketplace warehouse does not automatically become the importer.
What should an all-in freight quote include?
An all-in quote should name the origin charges, main freight, destination handling, customs scope, duty and tax treatment, and final delivery. It should also list exclusions such as inspections, storage, demurrage, or address corrections. Compare the scope and assumptions, not only the total printed at the bottom.
DDP quote
Get an itemised landed cost, not a round number.
Send the product, value, volume, and destination. One agent replies with freight, entry, duty, taxes, and delivery shown separately — and names the importer of record.