Customs Duties, Import Taxes, and Clearance Fees (For International Customers)
For International Customers
Introduction
KOTOPOTTER ships products from Japan to customers overseas.
For international shipments, additional charges such as customs duties, import taxes, and carrier handling or clearance fees may apply, separate from our product prices and shipping fees.
We sincerely regret that these additional costs may be required despite your order. However, these charges are determined by the regulations of each country and the policies of the carrier, and unfortunately they cannot be avoided or controlled by our store.
Thank you very much for your understanding.
What kind of charges may apply
For international shipments, the following charges may be applied:
- Customs duties, import taxes, and value-added tax (VAT), etc., imposed by the destination country
- Customs clearance fees, handling fees, or advance payment fees charged by the carrier
These charges are not included in your order total (product price or shipping fee).
About these charges
These charges are determined and collected by:
- The customs authorities of the destination country
- The local delivery carrier
KOTOPOTTER does not collect or receive these fees.
They are usually paid directly to the carrier upon delivery or based on the carrier’s instructions.
About the amount
The amount and details of these charges vary depending on:
- The destination country or region
- The order value
- The contents of the shipment
- The shipping method and carrier arranged by our store
In addition to actual taxes, the carrier may also charge its own customs clearance or handling fees.
For this reason, we are unable to calculate or guarantee the exact amount in advance. Thank you for your understanding.
About “Shipping Fee” and “Free Shipping”
The “shipping fee” shown on KOTOPOTTER refers to the international shipping cost from Japan to your destination.
Please note that it does NOT include the following:
- Customs duties
- Import taxes
- Carrier customs clearance or handling fees
Therefore, even if an item is marked as Free Shipping, these additional charges may still apply and must be paid by the customer.
Why we cannot determine the amount in advance
These charges are determined by the customs authorities and the carrier’s rules in each country.
Therefore, we cannot control them or calculate the exact amount in advance.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.
If payment is difficult
If the additional charges cannot be paid, the package may be returned based on the carrier’s decision.
In such cases, the return shipping cost and related fees may be deducted from the refund, or in some situations, a refund may not be possible.
To avoid such situations, please feel free to contact us before placing your order if you have any concerns.
If you are unsure
Rules regarding import taxes and fees vary greatly by country.
We recommend that you check your country’s import regulations before placing your order.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
About gifts and direct shipping
If you send an item as a gift directly to someone overseas, the recipient may be charged customs duties, import taxes, or handling fees depending on the destination country.
We sincerely regret that such charges may apply even though it is a gift.
Depending on the destination and the carrier, it may be possible in some cases for the sender to prepay these charges.
If you are considering sending a gift, we would appreciate it if you could contact us in advance so we can advise you on the available options.
Shipping to the United States (As of January 26, 2026)
Due to recent changes in customs regulations, orders over a certain value can no longer be shipped to the United States using EMS (Japan Post), which we previously used.
For such orders, we currently ship using courier services such as UPS.
When a courier service is used, in addition to customs duties and import taxes, the carrier may charge its own customs clearance or handling fees.
We sincerely regret that these additional charges may apply despite your order, and we appreciate your understanding.
