Important Notice for US Customers — Duties & DDP Shipping

Important information for customers in the United States. Please read carefully before placing your order.

1. DDU (Duty Unpaid) Shipping Is No Longer Available

Effective August 29, 2025, the United States eliminated the de minimis exemption (formerly allowing duty-free entry for shipments valued under USD 800) for all countries of origin. As a result, every shipment from Japan to the US — regardless of value — is now subject to formal customs entry and applicable US duties and taxes.

Due to operational changes at major carriers (FedEx, DHL, UPS, and Japan Post), we are currently unable to ship to the US on a DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid) basis. You will not be asked to pay duties at your door — but duties must be settled in advance, as described below.

2. How Your Order Is Processed (DDP Shipping)

All orders to the United States are shipped DDP (Delivered Duty Paid). There will be no surprise customs bill upon delivery.

  1. Place your order and complete payment as usual on our store.
  2. After your order is received, we calculate the applicable US import duty based on the HS code, country of origin, and declared value, and add the carrier's DDP disbursement fee.
  3. We then send you an email with the additional amount and a secure payment link.
  4. Once the additional payment is confirmed, we ship your order via DDP.

If we do not receive the additional payment within 7 days, we may cancel the order and issue a full refund of your original payment.

3. Estimated Additional Charges

The additional amount consists of US import duty plus the carrier's DDP disbursement fee. As a rough guide, expect the following on top of the product price (declared value in USD):

  • Products of Japanese origin: approximately 10–20% of the product value. Under the July 2025 US–Japan framework agreement, most Japanese-origin goods are subject to a 15% reciprocal tariff.
  • Products of Chinese origin: approximately 30–40%, and in some cases higher, due to Section 301 tariffs and IEEPA-related tariffs stacking on top of the standard duty.
  • Products from other countries of origin: calculated individually based on the HS code and origin.

These figures are estimates only. The final amount depends on the HS code, materials, the latest executive orders, and any applicable state or local taxes. The exact amount will be provided in the email we send after your order.

The carrier's DDP disbursement fee is typically around USD 15 plus 2–3% of the duty amount, depending on the carrier.

4. Why Duties Now Apply (Background)

Following Executive Order 14257 (April 2, 2025) and a subsequent executive order signed on July 30, 2025, the US suspended the de minimis duty-free treatment for all countries effective August 29, 2025. Even low-value parcels now require formal customs entry and payment of applicable duties. This is a change in US policy and is outside our control. We appreciate your understanding.

5. Cancellations and Returns

  • If you do not wish to proceed after seeing the additional duty quote, you may cancel for a full refund as long as the additional payment has not been made.
  • If a shipment is refused after dispatch and returned to us, we will refund the order minus round-trip shipping, prepaid duties, and any return handling fees.
  • If additional charges arise at US customs due to incorrect address details or recipient unavailability, those charges are the customer's responsibility.

6. Delivery Times

Once the duty quote is paid, orders typically ship within 2–3 business days. Transit time after dispatch is generally 3–7 business days via FedEx or DHL, though customs clearance may cause occasional delays.

7. Gifts, Multiple Orders, and Special Destinations

  • Gifts: Marking a shipment as a "gift" does not exempt it from duties. All shipments are dutiable regardless of purpose.
  • Combining orders: We can consolidate multiple orders shipping to the same address on request, which may reduce shipping costs. Total duty payable will remain roughly the same.
  • Puerto Rico, Guam, US Virgin Islands, APO/FPO addresses: Customs procedures differ from the mainland US. Please contact us before ordering.
  • Business / resale customers: If you require Formal Entry, an EIN, or wish to be the Importer of Record, please contact us before placing your order.

8. Currency and Tracking

US duties are calculated in USD based on the declared value at the time of export. Minor variations from the JPY price at checkout may occur due to exchange rates. A tracking number will be provided by email once your order ships.

9. Contact

If you have any questions, or would like an estimated duty quote before ordering, please email us at support@snowoptics.jp with the product name, quantity, and destination ZIP code.

This page reflects information as of April 2026. US tariff policy is subject to change, and we may update this page without prior notice.