Yes — tariffs are included in DDP
The short answer is yes. Delivered Duty Paid means exactly that: the seller delivers the goods with the import duty and taxes already paid. You are not billed for tariffs after the fact, which is the defining feature of the term and the reason importers choose it.
For a standard shipment the quote includes the duty, so no separate tariff bill arrives weeks later. The exceptions are listed further down, and they are all avoidable or product-specific rather than normal.
What DDP covers at the border
The duty piece bundles several border steps. These are the items a DDP rate is built to include for a normal shipment.
Customs clearance
The entry is filed and the goods are released by the destination authority as part of the service, through a licensed broker at that end. You do not file or pay for the entry separately.
Routine clearance handling and brokerage are in the rate. This is what removes the arrival paperwork that DAP and FOB leave to the buyer.
Import duty
The tariff charged on the goods by the destination country is paid by us, not by you. The amount follows the HS code, the destination schedule, and the declared value.
Where trade measures such as US Section 301 additional duties apply to the product, those are assessed and included in the quote before shipment rather than billed to you on arrival.
VAT or GST where applicable
In markets that charge import VAT or GST, that tax is also paid within the DDP rate rather than invoiced to you. The rate is calculated on the specific destination and product, not a flat assumed percentage.
Into the EU and UK this is the import VAT on the landed base; into other VAT markets the same principle applies per their rules.
What DDP does not cover
A few edge costs sit outside a normal DDP rate, and stating them honestly is part of a usable quote.
Storage from late or wrong documents
If paperwork is missing or the HS code is wrong and the goods sit, the resulting storage is typically on the importer, because it was avoidable. Clean documents before sailing prevent it.
This is the main avoidable cost under DDP, and it is why we confirm documents and codes up front rather than at the border.
Fees for regulated or permitted products
Products needing special permits, inspections, or agency filings (for example FDA line entries for regulated US categories, or product-specific certifications) may carry fees outside a standard clearance.
These are quoted transparently when the product requires them, rather than hidden in a flat DDP number that cannot cover every regulated category.
Remote-area delivery surcharges
Very remote inland addresses can add a last-mile surcharge even under DDP, because the local carrier cost exceeds the standard delivery zone.
We flag a remote surcharge before booking so the quote stays honest instead of being revised after the goods are already moving.
DDP vs DAP on tariffs
This is the cleanest way to see the difference on the duty question alone.
Under DDP we pay
Duty and import tax are settled by us and built into the quote, as explained in our DDP service. You receive the goods cleared, with no customs bill to follow.
The duty is known and paid before delivery, which is what makes the landed cost fixed.
Under DAP you pay
With DAP the goods arrive but you clear them and pay the duty yourself, so the tariff is your cost settled after arrival. The DAP vs DDP split shows the full trade-off, not just the duty.
Because the duty is unknown at booking under DAP, your true landed cost is not fixed until the entry is assessed.
How the duty portion is calculated
The math is straightforward and worth knowing, because it shows why the duty in a DDP quote is stable rather than guessed.
Duty equals customs value times tariff rate
Duty is the customs value multiplied by the HS-code tariff rate for the destination market. The rate comes from the published schedule for that code, not from negotiation.
Two products with different HS codes can owe very different duty on the same value, which is why the code drives the number.
VAT or GST on the landed base
Where VAT or GST applies, it is charged on the goods value plus duty and often the freight, so it is assessed on the landed base rather than the factory price alone.
Because the base includes duty and freight, the VAT moves with both, and the quote reflects that rather than a simplified estimate.
Frequently asked questions
Are tariffs really zero surprise with DDP?
For a standard shipment, yes: the quote includes the duty, so no separate tariff bill arrives. The exceptions are avoidable storage from late documents, special-permit fees for regulated products, and remote-area surcharges, all of which we flag before booking.
What if the duty is reassessed higher?
If customs reclassifies the goods to a higher rate, the difference is settled per the agreed terms and flagged to you rather than billed silently. A correct HS code up front is what prevents most reassessments.
Do you handle anti-dumping duties?
Where a product is subject to anti-dumping measures, those duties are assessed and quoted transparently before shipment. They are not assumed into a flat rate, because they are product-specific and only apply to certain lines.