U.S. Import Duties & DHL Fees Guide

Last updated: July 7, 2026

Quick Summary

⚠️ U.S. import duties and DHL fees are separate charges.

The estimated 15–20% applies only to import duty. It does not include DHL’s separate customs, processing, or other import-related service fees.

DHL fees are added separately and may represent a substantial additional cost, especially on lower-value orders. The total amount requested by DHL may therefore be considerably higher than 15–20% of the purchase price.

Although DHL publishes general information about its customs services, Heiwa Slipper cannot determine which DHL fees will apply to an individual shipment or confirm the recipient’s final charge before customs clearance.

All import-related charges must be paid directly to DHL before delivery. These charges are not collected by Heiwa Slipper and cannot be refunded by our store.

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Table of Contents

• Important Notice for U.S. Customers
• Why Am I Being Charged?
• 1. U.S. Import Duties
• 2. Separate DHL Fees
• Why the Total Percentage Can Look Much Higher
• Who Collects These Charges?
• Why Isn’t the Exact Total Shown at Checkout?
• DDP Prepaid-Duty Shipping
• Payment and Delivery
• Refusing Delivery Does Not Cancel the Charges
• What to Do If You Believe the Amount Is Incorrect
• Before Placing Your Order

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Important Notice for U.S. Customers

Orders shipped from Japan to the United States by DHL Express are subject to U.S. import duties plus separate DHL customs and processing fees.

The estimated 15–20% shown on our shipping information refers only to the estimated import duty. It does not include DHL’s separate fees.

DHL fees are not necessarily calculated as a simple percentage of the order value. Some fees may be fixed, minimum, service-based, or dependent on the customs-clearance process. For this reason, they can represent a significant additional cost in relation to a lower-value order.

Please read this guide carefully before placing an order.

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Why Am I Being Charged?

Effective August 29, 2025, the United States suspended duty-free de minimis treatment for low-value shipments valued at $800 or less from all countries. As a result, low-value international purchases that may previously have entered the United States without import duty are now subject to customs entry and applicable import charges.

The amount requested when a parcel enters the United States may include several different charges:

1. U.S. import duties, tariffs, or other government charges
2. Separate customs-processing or import-service fees charged by DHL

These are separate charges and should not be interpreted as one single import-duty rate.

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1. U.S. Import Duties

Import duties are government charges assessed when goods enter the United States.

The amount may depend on factors including:

• The type and customs classification of the product
• The declared customs value
• The country of origin
• The tariff rules in effect when the parcel enters the United States
• The customs-entry and clearance method used

The applicable duty is determined through the U.S. customs process. Heiwa Slipper does not set, collect, or control the duty rate.

For our products, we currently provide an estimated import-duty range of approximately 15–20%. This is an estimate only and is not a guaranteed final rate. Tariff policies and customs treatment may change, and the final assessment is made during the import-clearance process.

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2. Separate DHL Fees

In addition to import duty, DHL may add separate fees for customs clearance, processing government charges, import administration, payment handling, compliance work, storage, or other services required during the import process.

These DHL fees are not included in the estimated 15–20% import duty.

DHL explains that customs-related surcharges and fees are service charges covering operational, processing, and compliance activities performed by DHL at the time of import. They are not the same as government-imposed import duties.

We Cannot Confirm the Final DHL Charge in Advance

Heiwa Slipper is located in Japan and does not receive the recipient’s final U.S. DHL invoice before the parcel is shipped.

Although DHL provides general information about customs services and related fees, we cannot determine in advance exactly which services or charges will apply to each shipment. We therefore cannot provide a fixed DHL fee or guarantee the final amount requested from the recipient.

The exact charge may depend on factors such as:

• The customs-clearance procedure used for the parcel
• The import duty and other government charges assessed
• The payment and processing services performed by DHL
• Additional customs documentation or intervention
• Storage, correction, or other special handling, if required

Customers should expect DHL fees in addition to import duty and should not assume that these fees will be inexpensive.

Because some fees may not be based solely on a percentage of the purchase price, they may be particularly noticeable on lower-value orders.

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Why the Total Percentage Can Look Much Higher

Import duty and DHL fees are calculated separately.

For example, import duty may be calculated as a percentage of the customs value, while DHL may add a separate fixed, minimum, or service-based processing fee.

As a result, the total amount requested by DHL may represent a much higher percentage of a lower-value purchase than the import-duty rate alone.

This does not necessarily mean that the entire amount is import duty. Part of the total may consist of separate DHL customs-processing or service fees.

The estimated 15–20% should therefore not be used to calculate the complete amount that may be payable to DHL.

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Who Collects These Charges?

Import duties and DHL fees are not included in the product price or shipping fee paid to Heiwa Slipper.

They are assessed and collected separately through the U.S. import and DHL clearance process. DHL will normally request payment before completing delivery.

Heiwa Slipper does not receive or retain any portion of these charges.

For this reason, Heiwa Slipper cannot:

• Set, change, reduce, or waive the charges
• Confirm the final amount before customs clearance
• Refund money paid to DHL or U.S. Customs
• Reimburse a customer because the final DHL charge was higher than expected

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Why Isn’t the Exact Total Shown at Checkout?

The final recipient-side import charge is not available to Heiwa Slipper when an order is placed.

The amount may depend on the customs classification, customs value, tariff rules in effect at the time of entry, and the services used by DHL during the clearance process.

The amount paid at our checkout covers only:

• The products purchased from Heiwa Slipper
• The shipping fee displayed at checkout, when applicable

It does not include U.S. import duties or recipient-side DHL customs and processing fees.

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DDP Prepaid-Duty Shipping

Our DDP or prepaid-duty shipping option is currently unavailable.

This means that U.S. import duties and DHL fees are not prepaid through our checkout. The recipient must pay the amount requested directly to DHL before delivery.

We will update our shipping information if a reliable prepaid-duty option becomes available again.

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Payment and Delivery

DHL may contact the recipient by email, text message, telephone, or through an official DHL delivery-management service when payment or additional customs information is required.

Please respond promptly and make payment only through an official DHL payment channel.

Failure to respond, provide information, or make payment may result in:

• Customs or delivery delays
• Storage, handling, or administration fees
• The parcel being returned to Japan
• The parcel being abandoned or disposed of when return is unavailable or uneconomical
• Additional international return and customs-processing costs

Please make sure that the telephone number and email address entered with your order are correct.

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Refusing Delivery Does Not Cancel the Charges

Please do not refuse a parcel solely because the import-related charges are higher than expected.

Refusing delivery does not automatically cancel duties, DHL processing fees, storage costs, or return-related expenses.

International return shipping through DHL can be extremely expensive. Additional charges may also be billed to Heiwa Slipper when a recipient refuses a parcel or fails to complete the customs-clearance process.

If a parcel is refused, unpaid, abandoned, or returned because the recipient did not complete the required import procedures, any refund will be handled according to our shipping and return policies.

Where permitted by applicable law, the following costs may be deducted from any available refund:

• The original shipping cost
• Customs-clearance or processing costs
• Storage and handling charges
• International return transportation
• Disposal or abandonment costs

In some cases, the cost of returning the parcel may exceed the value of the products.

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What to Do If You Believe the Amount Is Incorrect

Please first review the invoice or payment notice provided by DHL.

Depending on the shipment, the breakdown may include:

• Government import duty or tariff
• Other government or customs charges
• DHL customs-processing or service fees
• Storage, correction, or administrative charges

If the amount or breakdown remains unclear, please contact DHL directly and request a detailed explanation of the charges shown on its invoice. DHL is the appropriate party to explain or review fees that it has assessed.

You may also contact Heiwa Slipper and provide:

• Your Heiwa Slipper order number
• Your DHL tracking number
• A screenshot or copy of the complete DHL invoice
• The detailed breakdown of the amount requested

We will review the information and help explain it where reasonably possible. However, we cannot change or refund charges assessed or collected by DHL or U.S. Customs.

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Before Placing Your Order

By placing an order for delivery to the United States, you acknowledge and accept that:

• Applicable import duties will be charged separately
• Separate DHL customs and processing fees may be added
• The estimated 15–20% applies only to import duty and does not include DHL fees
• The final DHL charge cannot be guaranteed before customs clearance
• DHL fees may represent a significant additional cost, especially on lower-value orders
• All recipient-side import charges are the recipient’s responsibility
• Charges paid to DHL or U.S. Customs cannot be refunded by Heiwa Slipper
• Failure to pay or complete customs procedures may cause delays and substantial return-related costs

Please place your order only after understanding and accepting these conditions and allowing for a potentially significant additional charge from DHL.

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