When a parcel from abroad has tax due, the carrier that clears it through customs usually charges its own fee for doing that work. This is separate from the duty and consumption tax you owe the government. It is easy to overlook, and it is the reason a cheap item can arrive costing more than you expected. Here is how the fee works for the main carriers into Japan.
Two different kinds of fee
The extra charge falls into two rough camps, depending on who carries your parcel.
Japan Post handles items that travel as international mail (EMS, airmail, ePacket, and similar). When tax is assessed, Japan Post adds a small clearance fee, called 通関料 (tsukanryo), of around 200 yen per item. If no tax is due, there is generally no clearance fee at all.
Couriers (DHL, FedEx, UPS) work differently. They advance the duty and consumption tax to customs on your behalf so your parcel is not held up, then bill you for it. For that service they add a handling or advancement fee, often in the region of 1,000 to 1,100 yen per shipment. The exact name (handling, advancement, or disbursement fee) and the amount vary by carrier and can change.
Rough fee comparison
| Carrier | Fee name | Typical amount | When charged |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan Post | 通関料 (clearance fee) | around 200 yen | Only when tax is due |
| DHL | Advancement / handling fee | around 1,000 yen | When it advances duty/tax |
| FedEx | Advancement / disbursement fee | around 1,000 to 1,100 yen | When it advances duty/tax |
| UPS | Brokerage / disbursement fee | around 1,000 yen | When it advances duty/tax |
These figures are estimates only. The carrier sets the amount, and each publishes its own current schedule.
How and when you pay
With Japan Post, the tax plus the clearance fee is normally collected at the door when the postal worker delivers the item (代金引換, cash on delivery), or at a post office if you pick it up. Bring cash if you are unsure, as not every route accepts cards.
Couriers give you a choice more often. In many cases the driver collects duty, tax, and the handling fee on delivery. Increasingly, though, DHL and FedEx send a payment request by email or app before delivery, and you settle it online. Paying promptly avoids the parcel being held.
Why a cheap item can still cost more
The handling fee is usually a flat amount, not a percentage. That matters most for low-value parcels. If you owe, say, 300 yen in tax but the courier adds a 1,000 yen handling fee, the fee is more than three times the tax itself. A modestly priced item can end up noticeably more expensive than the sticker price once shipping, tax, and the carrier fee are all counted. For very low-value goods that fall under the tax threshold, no tax and no fee may apply at all, so the same item can behave completely differently depending on its declared value.
Before you buy, it helps to estimate the whole landed cost. Our import cost calculator lets you add expected duty and tax so you are not surprised at the door. If you are ordering from the US, see Amazon.com to Japan for how those parcels are usually carried. And if someone is mailing you something, gifts from family abroad explains when tax and a carrier fee still apply.
The short version
Japan Post charges a small clearance fee (around 200 yen) only when tax is due. Couriers add a larger flat handling fee (often around 1,000 to 1,100 yen) on top of the duty and tax they advance for you. Factor that fee in before you order, especially for inexpensive items where it can dwarf the tax.
Verified 2026-09-07: fee ranges reflect the carriers' publicly listed clearance and handling charges at the time of writing. Amounts are estimates that change, and each carrier sets its own fee, so check the carrier's current schedule for your shipment.