Import fees.

In plain English

Import fees are the charges for getting a shipment through customs, separate from the duties and taxes on the goods themselves. The Postal Service's International Mail Manual says they may be applied by customs brokers, customs representatives, government agencies, postal operators, customs authorities, and other service providers, and may include any fees and other charges imposed in connection with the customs processing and clearance of a mailpiece. Because they are tied to processing rather than to the value of the goods, the manual says they are based on many different factors and may apply even when duties and taxes are not applicable. It also notes that most countries collect a customs clearance and delivery fee from the recipient on top of any duties, taxes, and other charges.

01Why it matters

A package can arrive with a bill attached even when the item itself owes nothing, which surprises people who assume only expensive goods get charged. The fee usually goes to whoever handled the clearance, so it varies by carrier and by country. And under the Postal Service's procedures in force since October 19, 2026, the sender can be billed for import fees the destination side seeks to collect from the sender, with interest if that bill goes unpaid.

02The math, step by step

A small gift is worth too little to owe any duty in the country it is sent to, but the carrier that clears it through customs charges a flat processing fee before delivery. The recipient pays that fee to get the parcel, even though the duty line on the bill reads zero.

Illustrative example. The amounts here are hypothetical, chosen to show how the math works, not real quoted rates or figures.

03What this is NOT

04Receipts

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