Many carriers also effectively stopped honouring DAP Incoterm. If consumer doesn't pay the tariff within 2 months or so, they charge the shipper.
See FedEx for instance:
14.6 Regardless of any payment instructions to the contrary, the Sender is ultimately responsible for payment of duties and taxes and all fees and surcharges related to FedEx’s disbursement of duties and taxes if payment is not received. If a Recipient or a third party from which reimbursement confirmation is required refuses to pay the duties and taxes upon request, FedEx may contact the Sender, for the same. If the Sender refuses to make satisfactory arrangements to reimburse FedEx, the Shipment may be returned to the Sender (in which case, Sender will be responsible both for original and return charges) or placed into a temporary storage, general order warehouse or a customs-bonded warehouse or considered undeliverable. If Transportation Charges for a Shipment are billed to a credit card, FedEx reserves the right to also settle uncollected duties and taxes charges associated with that Shipment to the credit card account.
I just got a DHL shipment from the UK. They indicated I (the receiver) needed to pay the tariff or the shipment would be returned to the sender within 1 week.
It sure sounds like they aren't going to charge the shipper. And I can't blame them for not wanting to be left empty-handed.
Not exactly. The most significant change in the 2025 language is the explicit right for FedEx to automatically settle uncollected duties and taxes against the credit card used for the initial transportation charges. Previously, FedEx would typically issue a separate invoice for duties and taxes and attempt to collect it via standard billing cycles.
In short, they now often release shipments without attempting to collect payment from the recipient and charge the shipper.
This is from their terms in 2006. The last line permits FedEx to charge the sender's credit card for duties it advanced:
> Duties and taxes may generally be billed to the sender, the recipient or a third party. If the sender fails to designate a payer on the air waybill, duties and taxes will automatically be billed to the recipient where allowed. Bill Sender Duties and Taxes and Bill Third Party Duties and Taxes are options available only for deliveries to specified locations. REGARDLESS OF ANY PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CONTRARY, THE SENDER IS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT OF DUTIES AND TAXES IF PAYMENT IS NOT RECEIVED. If transportation charges for a shipment are billed to a credit card, FedEx reserves the right to also settle uncollected duties and taxes charges associated with that shipment to the credit card account.
See FedEx for instance:
14.6 Regardless of any payment instructions to the contrary, the Sender is ultimately responsible for payment of duties and taxes and all fees and surcharges related to FedEx’s disbursement of duties and taxes if payment is not received. If a Recipient or a third party from which reimbursement confirmation is required refuses to pay the duties and taxes upon request, FedEx may contact the Sender, for the same. If the Sender refuses to make satisfactory arrangements to reimburse FedEx, the Shipment may be returned to the Sender (in which case, Sender will be responsible both for original and return charges) or placed into a temporary storage, general order warehouse or a customs-bonded warehouse or considered undeliverable. If Transportation Charges for a Shipment are billed to a credit card, FedEx reserves the right to also settle uncollected duties and taxes charges associated with that Shipment to the credit card account.