For choosing the carriers shipping to US
FedEx International Connect Plus (FICP) includes basic routine customs brokerage fees in its core shipping rate. [1, 2]
Because it is a service designed specifically for B2C e-commerce, FedEx acts as the customs broker to streamline clearance. [1, 2]
⚠️ Important Distinctions
While the administrative paperwork fee (brokerage entry preparation) is covered, this does not mean the shipment is entirely free from border costs. You must still account for: [1, 2]
- Duties and Taxes (Tariffs): Government-mandated tariffs, VAT, or local sales taxes are not included in the base price. These will be billed depending on whether you ship via Delivery Duty Paid (DDP) or Delivery Duty Unpaid (DDU). [1, 2, 3]
- Ancillary Fees: If your shipment requires complex clearance (such as FDA prior notices, hazardous materials, or multiple distinct types of items requiring extra tariff classification lines), FedEx will charge secondary ancillary fees. [1, 2]
- Disbursement/Advancement Fees: If FedEx pays the duties and taxes to the government upfront on your behalf, they will charge a processing fee (usually a small percentage of the duty amount or a flat fee) to recover that money. [1]
The specific fees you will pay when importing items into the U.S. depend entirely on how you ship the package, what the item is, and its value. Because the $800 de minimis exemption is suspended, every package sent from Canada to the U.S. is now assessed by customs and subject to fees. [1, 2, 3]
Your total import cost will generally be a combination of the following charges:
1. Base Customs Duties (Varies)
The U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) rate applies to all items. [1]
- CUSMA/USMCA Eligible Items: Goods strictly manufactured in Canada often qualify for preferential 0% base duty. However, you must provide proper proof of origin. [1, 2]
- Standard HTS Rates: If the item does not qualify under CUSMA, the duty rate ranges from 0% to over 25% depending on the specific product category. [1]
2. Emergency & Sectoral Tariffs (Up to 50%)
The U.S. has active trade tariffs that apply on top of base duties, even if an item normally qualifies for CUSMA: [1]
- Section 338 Tariffs: A strict 50% tariff applies to a broad list of Canadian-made products. [1, 2]
- Section 232 Tariffs: If you are importing raw metals or derivative products, steel, aluminum, and copper face additional tariffs ranging from 15% to 50%. [1]
- Non-Canadian Goods: If you are shipping an item from Canada that was originally manufactured in China, it is hit with an International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariff rate of 34%. [1]
3. Customs Processing Fees
- Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF): For informal entries (shipments valued under $2,500), the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) charges a flat fee of $2.69 for electronic filing or $8.06 for manual filing.
- Postal Handling Fees: If shipping via Canada Post, low-value mail shipments are subject to a standard postal entry assessment process. [1, 2]
4. Courier Brokerage Fees (Private Carriers Only)
If you use a private courier like UPS, FedEx, or DHL, they will charge a brokerage fee to clear the package through U.S. customs on your behalf. For low-value items, brokerage fees can sometimes cost more than the item itself if not prepaid. [1, 2]
How to Check Your Exact Fees
To avoid unexpected charges at the border, you can estimate your totals before shipping:
- For Private Carriers: Use tools like the UPS International Shipping Guide to calculate landed costs.
- For Postal Shipments: Canada Post requires you to declare item details, origin, and value through the Zonos Prepay app to clear U.S. customs and receive a mandatory Declaration ID before they will accept your package.
1. In-House Customs vs. Third-Party Delays
DHL operates a closed, internal express customs brokerage system known as DHL "Cleared in Air" (CIA). [1, 2]
- While the plane is flying: DHL’s in-house customs specialists process the commercial invoice and transmit the digital FDA Prior Notice data straight to U.S. Customs. [1]
- The Result: The food filing is completed completely behind the scenes before the plane even lands. Because they do not halt your package or text you for information, it appears as though the FDA requirement was skipped.
2. Upfront Fee Bundling (No Hidden FDA Line Item)
When you ship via DHL Express, the carrier bundles routine government agency processing into the shipper's upfront label cost or their standard international service fee.
- UPS breaks out their invoice aggressively, listing a separate $25 "PGA/FDA Fee" right on your bill.
- DHL absorbs the submission workflow internally or wraps it into a general "Clearance Processing" fee. You do not see a specific line item explicitly screaming "FDA Charge," even though the clearance was legally performed.
3. Personal Use Exemptions (B2C Shipments)
If your roasted coffee was purchased online for personal consumption (and the seller labeled it correctly as a consumer purchase), the FDA allows a streamlined declaration process for individual imports. DHL’s software automatically processes these low-risk, personal-use coffee bags under a bulk manifest system. This means the system skips the rigid, multi-page data entry prompts that a manual UPS broker might try to charge you for.
⚠️ A Crucial Surcharging Distinction
The biggest reason you noticed a difference is transactional: DHL does not charge the heavy "doorstep penalties" that UPS does.
UPS regularly adds a $6.00 to $12.00 "Import Collect" fee if you do not pay them online before delivery. DHL typically texts you a clean payment link while the package is in transit, avoiding localized collection penalties entirely and keeping the final cost much lower.
UPS regularly adds a $6.00 to $12.00 "Import Collect" fee if you do not pay them online before delivery. DHL typically texts you a clean payment link while the package is in transit, avoiding localized collection penalties entirely and keeping the final cost much lower.