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AustraliaDDP Shipping from China — one all-in price, delivered to your door.
Door-to-door with customs, duties and delivery all included.
Get a Free QuoteAll-Inclusive DDP Pricing
One quoted price covering freight, customs clearance and duties on the agreed terms.
Full Door-to-Door Delivery
From supplier pickup in China to your address, warehouse or Amazon fulfillment center.
Air, Sea, Rail & Truck
Four DDP modes matched to your cargo, budget and deadline.
Customs Handled at Both Ends
Export paperwork, import clearance and duty settlement managed by our team.
Quick Answer: DDP Shipping from China — Costs & Delivery Times
DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) shipping from China is door-to-door freight on one all-in price: we collect the cargo from your supplier, move it by air, sea, rail or truck, clear customs at destination, settle the duties and taxes per the agreed terms and deliver to the address you name. DDP air usually runs 5–9 days door to door and DDP sea 18–45 days, depending on the route.
Reference DDP rates to the USA start at $7.57/kg by air at +100 kg and $1.28/kg by sea at +300 kg, with a destination delivery fee where it applies. Every other market is quoted in the same all-in structure. The final figure depends on cargo type, chargeable weight or CBM, HS code, destination VAT rate and the exact delivery address — and on whether the delivery point is a port, a warehouse or an Amazon fulfillment center.
What Is DDP Shipping from China?
DDP stands for Delivered Duty Paid. In practice it means one party — us — takes responsibility from your supplier’s door in China to the delivery point you name, with the customs entry and the duties settled as part of the agreed price.
That one sentence hides most of the work. Under DDP the seller or forwarder has to arrange transport, handle export clearance, deal with import clearance, pay the duties and taxes, and deliver to the named place. For most importers the value is not that DDP is automatically cheaper than buying each piece separately — it is that the number is known before the cargo moves, and there is one party to call when something changes.
The named destination matters more than people expect. DDP Los Angeles port is not the same as DDP your warehouse, and DDP your warehouse is not the same as DDP to four Amazon fulfillment centers. When a quote does not state the exact destination, the Incoterm is not doing its job — ours always names the delivery point.
Here is how the work is divided, and what changes if you ship under FOB or EXW instead.
| What has to be done | Under our DDP service | Under FOB or EXW |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier pickup in China | Ours — collected from the factory or warehouse | Yours |
| Export clearance in China | Ours | Yours, or your supplier’s agent |
| Main transport by air, sea, rail or truck | Ours, booked on a confirmed schedule | Yours — you book and pay the freight |
| Import clearance at destination | Ours, usually under our own customs structure | Yours — you need a broker and an importer of record |
| Duties, VAT and other import taxes | Included per the agreed terms | Yours, invoiced directly to you |
| Final delivery to your address | Ours | Yours |
| Entry documentation (for example the entry summary) | Available on request | Yours, since you file the entry |
* Reference rates for planning only — final quotes depend on weight, volume, season and exact route. Contact us for today's rates.
What Is Included in the DDP Price — and What Is Not
Every quote we send breaks the price into what sits inside it. If a cost is not in the list below, ask — it is better to know before the cargo sails than after it lands.
Included in a DDP quote:
- Pickup from your supplier anywhere in China, or receipt into our Shenzhen and Shanghai export warehouses
- Export declaration and export documentation in China
- Main freight by air, sea LCL, sea FCL, rail or truck
- Import customs clearance at destination, including the entry filing
- Duties and import VAT or GST, settled per the agreed terms
- Final delivery to the address named in the quote — warehouse, business address or Amazon fulfillment center
- Shipment tracking updates and proof of delivery
Not included unless your quote says otherwise:
- Customs inspection, examination and storage charges raised by the destination authority
- Demurrage and detention — US ports typically allow 3–5 days of free time, after which charges run about $100–300 per container per day
- Product certifications specific to your goods, such as CE, EPR packaging registration, SABER, CTN or PVoC
- Destination duties under a DAP or DDU arrangement, where you act as importer of record
- Amazon-related fees such as inbound placement fees, returns processing or removal orders
- Cargo insurance, unless you ask us to arrange it
* Reference rates for planning only — final quotes depend on weight, volume, season and exact route. Contact us for today's rates.
Four DDP Modes — Air, Sea, Rail and Truck
The mode decides most of the cost and almost all of the timing. Sea splits into two products that price differently: LCL, where your cargo shares a container, and FCL, where you book the whole box.
| DDP mode | Best for | Typical door-to-door transit | Priced by | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DDP air | Launch stock, urgent replenishment, high-value cargo | 5–9 days | USD per chargeable kg | Cut-off times are strict; book early in peak season |
| DDP sea LCL | Planned replenishment from about 1 CBM | 18–45 days by route | USD per CBM, or per kg on some lanes | Consolidates with other cargo; lowest entry point by volume |
| DDP sea FCL | Full-season stock from about 20 CBM | 20–40 days port to port plus clearance and delivery | USD per container | Best per-unit cost; truck and rail ramp delivery quoted inland |
| DDP rail | Heavy cargo to Europe and Russia | 12–25 days | USD per CBM or per container | Between air cost and sea transit |
| DDP truck (road) | Cross-border to Europe, Russia and nearby Asia | 10–25 days | USD per CBM or per truck | Flexible for mixed loads and multi-drop delivery |
* Reference rates for planning only — final quotes depend on weight, volume, season and exact route. Contact us for today's rates.
DDP Rates from China (Q3 2026 Reference Bands)
These regional bands are the same model our freight cost calculator uses, and they match the rate ranges published on our destination pages. They are port-to-port freight bands — a DDP quote adds the destination duties, the clearance and the final delivery on top.
| Region | Air freight (USD/kg) | Sea LCL (USD/CBM) | 20ft FCL (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America — USA, Canada, Mexico | $3.50–$7.50 | $325–$442 | $880–$2,480 |
| Europe — UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain | $3.20–$7.50 | $110–$220 | $1,200–$2,400 |
| Middle East — UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq | $3.00–$6.50 | $80–$170 | $850–$1,820 |
| Africa — Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa | $4.50–$9.50 | $180–$380 | $1,650–$3,650 |
| South America — Brazil, Chile, Peru | $5.50–$10.50 | $430–$620 | $2,350–$3,680 |
| Oceania — Australia, New Zealand | $4.20–$8.00 | $130–$240 | $1,350–$2,500 |
| Asia — Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia | $2.20–$5.00 | $60–$120 | $700–$1,500 |
* Reference rates for planning only — final quotes depend on weight, volume, season and exact route. Contact us for today's rates.
DDP Rates by Route (Q3 2026)
Route-level references published in mid-September 2026, taken from the same data as our destination pages. Freight moves with space, equipment and fuel, so treat these as planning numbers: every rate is validated at booking against the sailing or flight actually confirmed for your shipment.
| Route | Sea LCL (USD/CBM) | 20ft FCL (USD) | Transit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai → Los Angeles | $376 | $880–$1,758 | 17–35 days |
| Ningbo → New York | $442 | $1,380–$2,240 | 25–35 days |
| Shenzhen → Houston | $398 | $2,010–$3,465 | 24–33 days |
| Qingdao → Savannah | $410 | $1,420–$2,310 | 26–38 days |
| Shanghai → Hamburg | $140–$200 | $1,150–$1,850 | 22–30 days |
| Shanghai → Felixstowe | $150–$210 | $1,250–$1,950 | 25–32 days |
| Shenzhen → Jebel Ali (Dubai) | $80–$110 | $850–$1,350 | 15–22 days |
| Ningbo → Apapa (Lagos) | $260–$320 | $2,450–$3,380 | 35–45 days |
| Shanghai → Melbourne | $150–$210 | $1,350–$2,050 | 14–19 days |
| Ningbo → Santos (Brazil) | $430–$520 | $2,350–$3,250 | 32–42 days |
* Reference rates for planning only — final quotes depend on weight, volume, season and exact route. Contact us for today's rates.
What a DDP Shipment Costs — Worked Example
Two ways of moving the same 500 kg of general cargo from a Shenzhen supplier to a US address, priced on our published reference rates. The comparison is indicative: duty depends on the HS code, and the sea option assumes a consolidated LCL load.
The gap is why planning beats rate haggling. Paying air freight on 20% of a shipment to avoid a stockout is usually cheaper than paying air freight on all of it — and the freight rate is rarely the line that decides your landed cost. Duty, VAT and the delivery leg are.
| Option | Reference rate | Indicative freight cost | Per unit at 5,000 units |
|---|---|---|---|
| DDP air, 500 kg chargeable | From $7.57/kg at +100 kg | About $3,785 all-in | About $0.76 |
| DDP sea, 3 CBM (about 600 kg chargeable) | From $1.28/kg at +300 kg | About $770, plus the destination delivery fee | About $0.15, plus the delivery fee |
* Reference rates for planning only — final quotes depend on weight, volume, season and exact route. Contact us for today's rates.
The DDP Shipping Process from China (10 Steps)
1. Quote — send the product, weight or CBM, pickup city, delivery address and your deadline; we price the all-in DDP service and name the delivery point in writing.
2. Pickup or delivery into our warehouse — we collect from your supplier, or your supplier delivers to our Shenzhen or Shanghai export warehouse.
3. Cargo check and consolidation — counts, carton condition and dimensions verified against your documents, and cargo from several suppliers combined into one shipment.
4. Export clearance in China — export declaration, commercial invoice and packing list prepared by our team.
5. Booking — air, sea, rail or truck space confirmed on a named schedule.
6. Departure documents — for US ocean shipments the ISF is filed at least 24 hours before the vessel departs; the HS classification and duty rate are confirmed at the quote stage rather than at the port.
7. Arrival and import clearance — the entry is filed and cleared at destination, under DDP usually with us as the customs party.
8. Duty and tax settlement — duties and import VAT or GST paid per the agreed terms.
9. Final delivery — truck delivery to your address, warehouse or Amazon fulfillment center, with a receiving appointment booked where the destination requires one.
10. Proof of delivery — POD and delivery confirmation sent to you, with the entry documentation available on request.
* Reference rates for planning only — final quotes depend on weight, volume, season and exact route. Contact us for today's rates.
Documents We Prepare for a DDP Shipment
We prepare and file:
- Export declaration and Chinese export documentation
- Commercial invoice and packing list, checked against the cargo we actually received
- Bill of lading or air waybill
- ISF filing for US ocean shipments, plus the import entry documentation
- Duty and tax calculation, settled per the agreed terms
- Delivery appointment coordination, delivery confirmation and proof of delivery
What we need from you:
- Product description, and the HS code if you already have one
- Declared value and the currency it is invoiced in
- Pickup address in China and the delivery address at destination
- Product certificates the destination requires, such as CE, EPR, SABER, CTN, PVoC or FDA registration
- Handling instructions — fragile, stackable limits, temperature, dangerous goods
* Reference rates for planning only — final quotes depend on weight, volume, season and exact route. Contact us for today's rates.
Duty, VAT and Importer of Record
Under DDP we pay the duties and import taxes as part of the agreed price. What that does not do is remove the legal reality of the entry: a customs entry exists, and a named importer of record is accountable for it — for the classification, the declared value, the country of origin and the duty paid. Amazon is never the importer of record for FBA inventory and will not pay duties on your behalf.
On the US lane we clear as the importer of record under our own customs structure and bond; on the UK lane we clear under our UK EORI. If you would rather hold that role yourself — because you have your own entity, bond and broker — tell us at the quote stage and we will price the shipment as DAP instead, with the entry filed in your name and the entry summary going to you.
Every destination runs its own system, tax rate and paperwork. These are the ones our DDP lanes clear through:
| Market | Clearance system | Import tax | Extra requirements we handle |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA | CBP via ACE | Duty by HS code, no import VAT; MPF and HMF apply | ISF filed 24 hours before departure, HTS classification, customs bond |
| Canada | CBSA | GST and duties per agreement | Commercial invoice data, carrier release |
| Mexico | Mexican customs (pedimento) | IVA 16% | Pedimento filing, importer tax details |
| United Kingdom | CDS | VAT 20% | EORI registration, post-Brexit entry |
| Germany | Zoll via ATLAS | Import VAT 19% | EORI, CE marking, EPR packaging registration |
| France | DELTA | TVA 20% | SIREN or SIRET tax number |
| Netherlands | Dutch customs via Rotterdam | VAT 21% | Bonded and free-zone routing for wider EU distribution |
| Spain | Spanish customs via Algeciras | IVA 21% | Transshipment options for Latin America and Africa |
| UAE | Dubai Customs | VAT 5% | Bonded transit for re-export to Africa and the Middle East |
| Saudi Arabia | Saudi customs | VAT 15% | SABER registration, SASO and ESMA compliance |
| Nigeria | Nigeria Customs Service | Duty plus levies on the current schedule | Form M, PAAR, valuation support |
| Kenya | KRA iCustoms | VAT 16% plus IDF 3.5% | KRA PIN, pre-verification, bonded trucking onward to Uganda, Rwanda and DRC |
| Australia | ICS with importer ABN | GST 10% | DAFF biosecurity inspection, ISPM15 timber packaging |
| Brazil | DI and DUIMP | ICMS, IPI and II per agreement | Import licence for many goods, strict invoice rules |
* Reference rates for planning only — final quotes depend on weight, volume, season and exact route. Contact us for today's rates.
DDP vs DAP vs FOB — What You Are Actually Choosing
The three terms differ in who files the entry, who pays the duty and how far the seller’s responsibility reaches. The freight is often the smallest difference between them.
DDP is the wrong answer for some importers, and it is worth saying so. If you already run your own customs entity, bond and broker, FOB or DAP gives you the entry in your own name, classification you control and a freight cost you can negotiate directly — usually cheaper on full containers. What you take on is the customs work at the other end. Where DDP earns its place is the shipment that has to arrive without you managing a supplier, a broker and a trucker at the same time.
| Item | DDP | DAP | FOB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Import clearance | We file it | We deliver, you clear it | You file it |
| Duties and import taxes | Included per the agreed terms | You pay customs directly | You pay customs directly |
| Importer of record | Usually us, under our customs structure | You | You |
| Main freight booked by | Us | Us | You — the supplier loads, you own the movement from there |
| Delivery point | Your named address, warehouse or FBA center | The named destination only | The port of loading |
| Best for | Importers without a customs setup and sellers who want one known price | Importers with their own bond and broker who want entry visibility | Buyers with established import operations and volume to negotiate freight |
* Reference rates for planning only — final quotes depend on weight, volume, season and exact route. Contact us for today's rates.
What We Can and Cannot Ship Under DDP
Moves on our DDP lanes as standard cargo:
- Consumer goods, apparel and textiles
- Homeware, furniture and building materials
- Machinery, spare parts and auto parts
- Approved electronics, including goods with built-in batteries declared in advance
- Promotional and printed materials
- Non-perishable food in retail packaging, where destination labelling is already in place
Needs extra documentation or a specific route:
- Lithium batteries above the small-battery thresholds, and power banks
- Liquids, aerosols and cosmetics
- Powders — we need the CAS number and a safety data sheet
- Branded and IP-sensitive goods — send the brand authorisation with the booking
- Food supplements and products needing destination registration
- Wood packaging, which must be ISPM15 heat-treated
- Products under certification schemes such as CE, SABER, SASO or PVoC
Counterfeit or unlicensed branded goods, controlled substances, weapons and ammunition, and wildlife products are not shipped under any documentation — that is a line we do not move.
* Reference rates for planning only — final quotes depend on weight, volume, season and exact route. Contact us for today's rates.
What Can Delay a DDP Shipment
Almost every delay we see lands in one of six places — and five of them are cheaper to prevent in China than to fix at the destination:
- Customs inspection or examination — physical exams add days and storage charges; the fix is an accurate invoice and a correct HS code at the quote stage, not at the port
- Peak-season space — air and ocean space tighten from September, and the surcharges follow the space
- Documentation mismatches — a supplier invoice that does not match the packing list is the most common avoidable delay we handle
- Destination holidays and system downtime — Chinese New Year on the origin side, plus public holidays and customs system outages at destination
- Consignee readiness — cargo that clears but cannot be collected starts the demurrage clock, typically free for 3–5 days at US ports and then about $100–300 per container per day
- Re-routing after booking — changing the delivery address or the destination fulfillment center mid-transit is possible, but often repriced
* Reference rates for planning only — final quotes depend on weight, volume, season and exact route. Contact us for today's rates.
What Is Moving Rates in Q3 2026
Three things decide what a DDP shipment costs this quarter, and only one of them is the headline freight rate:
- Peak-season surcharges — ocean carriers typically add $300–$1,000 per container between September and December on top of the base rate
- Space and equipment — Q4 volume builds from August, so the cheapest sailings are the ones booked earliest; equipment shortages hurt 40ft and 40HQ the most
- Destination capacity — fulfilment centers and ports slow down from late November, which moves the constraint from the vessel to the delivery appointment
- Chinese New Year — factories close for about two weeks and the fortnight before it is the busiest of the year; January replenishment should be booked in December
How to read these numbers: our published rates are planning bands cut off in mid-September 2026, not a price list. A quote is validated at booking against the sailing or flight actually confirmed, the equipment available on your route, and the duty rate that applies to your HS code on the day of entry. Where a figure depends on the destination authority rather than on us, the quote says so.
* Reference rates for planning only — final quotes depend on weight, volume, season and exact route. Contact us for today's rates.
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