What surcharges can be added to a shipment?

If you need to pay additional fees, there are three types of extra charges you could be billed for: duties and taxes, processing fees and carrier surcharges.

Let’s take a closer look at each of them.

Duties and taxes are fees related to import and export regulations. They can be added to the total price at checkout or charged by customs when your parcel enters a country.

Here's how it works: Your carrier will prepay the fees and will ask the sender or the receiver to reimburse the costs. Some carriers will send a payment request to be paid before they deliver the goods. For online purchases, the seller's website or checkout page usually mentions who needs to cover these costs.

If your carrier takes care of customs clearance and the initial payment of duties and taxes, all you'll have to do is pay the bill when it comes. A fee for doing the work on your behalf will appear on the same invoice as the duties and taxes for your shipment.

Carrier surcharges are also sometimes called service costs or administration charges. They cover anything that falls outside of the standard shipping price. Usually, these costs are charged to the sender. These are the five most common ones.
 

Fuel surcharge
Oil prices fluctuate continuously and that affects fuel prices. The fuel surcharge is a fee, added on top of the basic shipping price that helps your carrier cover these changing costs.

Special handling
When you’re shipping goods that are fragile, oddly shaped, or exceed your carrier’s standard dimensions, they’ll need to be handled separately. It’s a bit like getting extra legroom for your goods – so expect to pay more. 

Dangerous goods
If you need to ship goods that potentially pose a risk to a person or other shipments, they’ll be handled as dangerous goods and will also incur additional charges. 

Delivery to remote areas
Planning to send something to a remote island? If your carrier doesn’t have a regular service to that territory, they may still be able to deliver your package. Keep in mind that you may be charged an extra fee for that extra mile.

Address correction
Typos can be pricey, especially when your carrier needs to adjust the paperwork for you. Luckily, you can easily avoid this surcharge. Just check, check and double-check.

Depending on the country of origin and destination, carriers will usually offer a range of standard and express service times. The service names may vary per carrier, but the time frames usually fit into these three categories.

• Time-specific deliveries that deliver packages in precise time slots
• Express deliveries including overnight and next day services
  
• Standard delivery times usually ranging between two to seven working days, depending on the distance the shipment has to cover
  

Surcharges are extra costs added to a base rate. It’s important to be aware of them and understand which ones apply to your shipment. Extra charges and ancillary fees (for import shipments) may be applied if the shipment requires more paperwork, effort or time. Anything that falls outside standard shipping and handling will affect the shipping price. 

See how the most common types of surcharge impact the shipping price:
 

Fuel surcharge
This is the most common surcharge and it covers the fluctuating price of oil. It’s calculated as a percentage of the shipment price and is usually adjusted on a weekly basis.

Oversized or odd-sized packages surcharge
You may be charged extra for non-stackable or cylindrical shipments as well as for packages that measure greater than your carrier’s standard format.

Extended area service for remote territories
There is an additional fee for delivering packages to remote areas.

Dangerous goods
Any dangerous goods shipment that potentially poses a risk to a person or other shipments will also incur additional charges. 

Address correction
If your carrier needs to adjust paperwork for you, you may be charged correction fees.