Duties & Taxes for International Shipments

When shipping internationally, customs authorities in the destination country may charge duties, taxes, and import fees. Understanding and correctly configuring these charges is essential to avoid delivery delays, unexpected costs, and package rejections.

What are Duties and Taxes?

Customs duties and taxes are charges applied by customs authorities when products enter a country. These charges are calculated based on:

• Product type (category or HS code classification)
• Declared value
• Destination country regulations
• Selected carrier and route

For the shipment to be delivered, these charges must be paid. Depending on the option you select, charges can be paid:

• In advance (prepaid) — at checkout
• At delivery — by the recipient
• After delivery — billed to the sender

Payment Options

Envia.com offers three options for handling duties and taxes. Available options depend on the carrier, route, and destination country.

1. Envia Guaranteed (Recommended)

Pay now. Duties and taxes are prepaid and the amount is guaranteed.

With Envia Guaranteed:

• Charges are calculated upfront
• Payment is made during checkout
• The displayed amount is final

The recipient:

• Receives the package with no additional payments
• Has no surprise charges at delivery

This option significantly reduces:

• Delivery delays
• Failed deliveries
• Rejections due to unexpected charges

This option corresponds to DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) with guaranteed landed cost calculation.

API Value: envia_guaranteed

{
  "customsSettings": {
    "dutiesPaymentEntity": "envia_guaranteed",
    "exportReason": "sale"
  }
}

2. Sender (DDP - Delivered Duty Paid)

Sender pays. Duties and taxes are billed to the sender's account after delivery.

With this option:

• No upfront payment for duties
• Charges are billed to your account after the shipment is delivered
• Final amount may vary from the estimate

This option is for specific operational needs or legacy configurations.

API Value: sender

{
  "customsSettings": {
    "dutiesPaymentEntity": "sender",
    "exportReason": "sale"
  }
}

3. Recipient (DAP - Delivered At Place)

Recipient pays. The recipient covers customs charges at delivery.

With this option:

• No charges are paid upfront
• Customs calculates the final amount when the shipment arrives
• The recipient must pay before receiving the package

Important considerations:

• Final amount is not known at checkout
• Customer may reject the package
• Higher risk of delays or failed deliveries

API Value: recipient

{
  "customsSettings": {
    "dutiesPaymentEntity": "recipient",
    "exportReason": "sale"
  }
}

Comparison Table

Rate Request Example with Envia Guaranteed

When requesting rates for international shipments, include customsSettings to get accurate pricing with duties and taxes included:

{
  "origin": {
    "postalCode": "45110",
    "country": "MX"
  },
  "destination": {
    "postalCode": "33480",
    "country": "US"
  },
  "packages": [
    {
      "content": "Clothing",
      "weight": 5,
      "dimensions": {
        "length": 30,
        "width": 20,
        "height": 15
      },
      "declaredValue": 150,
      "items": [
        {
          "description": "Cotton dress",
          "hsCode": "6104.42",
          "quantity": 2,
          "price": 75,
          "countryOfManufacture": "MX"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "shipment": {
    "carrier": "dhl",
    "type": 1
  },
  "customsSettings": {
    "dutiesPaymentEntity": "envia_guaranteed"
  }
}

Generate Label Example with Envia Guaranteed

{
  "origin": {
    "name": "John Doe",
    "company": "My Company",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "phone": "5551234567",
    "street": "Av Naciones Unidas 5560",
    "postalCode": "45110",
    "city": "Zapopan",
    "state": "JA",
    "country": "MX"
  },
  "destination": {
    "name": "Jane Smith",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "phone": "3478432918",
    "street": "105 North County Road",
    "number": "Suite 200",
    "postalCode": "33480",
    "city": "Palm Beach",
    "state": "FL",
    "country": "US"
  },
  "packages": [
    {
      "content": "Clothing",
      "weight": 5,
      "dimensions": {
        "length": 30,
        "width": 20,
        "height": 15
      },
      "declaredValue": 150,
      "items": [
        {
          "description": "Cotton dress",
          "hsCode": "6104.42",
          "quantity": 2,
          "price": 75,
          "countryOfManufacture": "MX"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "shipment": {
    "carrier": "dhl",
    "service": "int_express",
    "type": 1
  },
  "customsSettings": {
    "dutiesPaymentEntity": "envia_guaranteed",
    "exportReason": "sale"
  }
}

Envia Guaranteed Availability

Envia Guaranteed is not available for all carriers or destinations.

• If the option appears during checkout, it means the carrier and route support prepaid and guaranteed duties and taxes
• If it doesn't appear, the route does not allow guaranteed customs calculations

No additional configuration is required. The system will automatically show available options based on carrier and route.

Best Practices

1. Use Envia Guaranteed for e-commerce — Provides the best customer experience with no surprise charges
2. Always include HS codes — Accurate HS codes ensure correct duty calculations
3. Declare accurate values — Incorrect declared values can cause customs issues
4. Include item details — Description, quantity, price, and country of manufacture are important for customs