DHL or EMS? Which Has Lower Customs Fees?/ Why U.S. Customs Requires Your ID (SSN or EIN) for High-Value Shipments

Dear Customers,

We understand the wish to lower the declared value,
but unfortunately, we are required to declare the full and accurate amount.

As a registered business with a resale license issued by the Japanese government,
we must follow strict reporting laws.
Since October 2023, Japanese regulations require us
to submit annual sales records that must match every declared value.

Our sincere apologies that we can’t assist with lowering the amount.

However, some locations have a duty-free threshold,
and if the item’s value exceeds this, customs fees may apply.
Since the duty-free limit differs by location,
we recommend checking with your country’s customs office.

Here’s what we do to help minimize customs duties:

Declared for “Personal Use Only”
– This classification typically has the lowest tax rate.

Marked as “Used Clothing” with HS Code: 6309.00.0000
– This code specifically indicates “Used Clothing” in DHL Japan,
which usually results in a lower duty.

Packaging kept as compact as possible
– Smaller packages are less likely to be held by customs.

【DHL or EMS 】

Please review the information below and choose your preferred method.

If you have already selected and paid for DHL shipping,
you may switch to EMS for an additional fee of 4,000 yen.

DHL Shipping

・Flat rate:  7900 yen ( =about US$ 59)
・takes 3~7 days to reach
・Can pay the custom tax by Credit card

EMS Shipping

EMS (Express Mail Service) is an international express postal service offered by postal-administration.

・Flat rate:  12900 yen ( =about US$ 99)
・takes 6~16 days to reach
・Can NOT pay the custom tax by Credit card, Cash only at the door.

【Q: Which custom duties is cheaper, DHL or EMS?】

Many of our Canadian customers, as well as those in some other countries,
often request shipping via EMS instead of DHL,
as customs duties through DHL Canada can be higher than those for EMS.

However, please note that we cannot guarantee this,
as customs fees are ultimately determined by customs staff
and may vary.

If you agree and prefer EMS, kindly let us know,
and we’ll be happy to arrange EMS shipping for you.

 

【Why DHL needs me to provide ID? 】

 

For high-value items, the shipping carrier (DHL/USPS)
may request additional identification information.
This is often due to U.S. Customs requiring a tax ID,
such as a Social Security Number (SSN) or
an Employer Identification Number (EIN),
or sometimes a passport number.

Please ensure that both the name and address
registered with the provided ID match exactly
with the name and address on the invoice.
If they do not match, U.S. Customs will not accept it.

(Be sure to submit matching information.
If this is not possible, please consult the relevant authority in advance.)

Please submit this information to DHL promptly.
If U.S. Customs does not receive the required details in time,
the carrier cannot complete customs processing,
and the item will be returned to Japan.

In such cases, we kindly ask that you cover any return
and re-shipping fees.

 

【About the custom tax】


 【eBay does not charge the custom tax? 】

 

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【 海外のお住まいの方へ 】
DHLとEMSのどちらかをお選びいただけます

すでにDHLを選択されている場合は
5000円の追加料金にてEMSで発送させていただきます

DHLの方が比較的早く到着します

【Q: どちらの方が 関税が安いですか 】

お国によっては、EMSの方が関税が安く済むと
おっしゃるお客様もいらっしゃいます。

 例えば、関税が高いとされているカナダへの配送については
DHLを利用すると関税が約20%かかることがある一方で
EMSでは若干安くなるケースもあるようです。

 確定的な情報ではございませんが、
参考までにお知らせいたします。

当方では確定的なご案内が難しいため、
ご利用の税関に必ず事前にお問い合わせいただければ幸いです。

（なお、eBayではDHLのみの発送オプションとなっております。）

 

【申告額についてのご注意 】
いずれの発送方法をお選びいただいた場合でも
当店ではお客様から低額申告のお申し出がありましても
残念ながらお支払額と同額の申告を
させていただかなければなりませんので
ご了承いただきますようお願いいたします。