Customs fees and duty payment procedures
The shipping method does not change the customs amount, but the customs fees and payment procedures do.
Conclusion
[Customs Clearance Fees]
・Under 200,000 yen: Postal 200 yen, DHL 1,980 yen, UPS free ・Over 200,000 yen: Postal 6,600 yen, DHL 1,980 yen, UPS free
[Payment Procedure]
If the taxable price is over 200,000 yen, it is relatively easy to use international courier services such as DHL and UPS. Since it is complicated, please check the following article for details.
A. Taxable value of 200,000 yen or less and customs duty of 10,000 yen or less
(1) Mail arrives in Japan
(2) Present the postal item to customs
(3) The customs office will notify you of the tax amount.
(4) An International Mail Tax Notice, payment slip and receipt will be delivered together with your mail. The customs clearance fee is 200 yen.
B. The taxable price is 200,000 yen or less and the tax is more than 10,000 yen but less than 300,000 yen
Numbers 1 to 3 are the same as A. However, numbers 4 and onwards change.
The phone rings.
- Choose to have it delivered or to collect it yourself at the designated post office.
If you would like it delivered, it is the same as A.
C. When the taxable price is 200,000 yen or more
The handling will change significantly. It will become somewhat complicated. And the biggest change will be that the handling fee will increase when you ask Japan Post to handle the customs clearance procedure.
As the law stipulates that import (tax payment) declaration procedures are, in principle, carried out by the importer, the mail is stored at the customs clearance office and the following four items are sent to the importer.
・Arrival notification ・Customs clearance power of attorney ・Customs clearance regulations ・Return envelope
It is possible to do it yourself, but since it is a heavy burden, it is usually delegated to Japan Post.
Once you return the power of attorney, Japan Post will make the import declaration on your behalf.
Once the declaration is completed, you will be sent a tax return, payment slip, and an invoice for customs clearance fees.
Once these payments have been completed, your package will be delivered via the delivery office.
This agency fee is expensive.
Up to two items cost 6,600 yen, up to six items cost 9,300 yen, and seven or more items cost 12,000 yen.
Even if the shipping fee is cheap, the agency fees are very high.
However, once you have delegated it, there is no need to worry.
2. International courier services such as DHL and UPS
In principle, the recipient pays customs duties, import consumption tax, agency fees, etc. in cash when the parcel is delivered to their home. This is the most hassle-free method for the recipient.
It is also fast and the delivery time is very short. Here are some reasons why:
When a package is accepted in the sending country, the international courier company immediately sends the data necessary for customs clearance to the destination country. Then, before the package arrives, they make a "preliminary import declaration" and pay the customs duties in advance. In other words, all customs clearance procedures that can be processed are completed before the package arrives. This is an image of the numbering order above.
This allows customs to issue import permits almost immediately after the package arrives.
This is why it's quick.
DHL's handling fee is 1,980 yen, but UPS's is free as of April 2024.