In plain English
The seller arranges and pays for the transport right to the buyer’s door (or other named place), and is responsible for the goods until the vehicle arrives there. The buyer unloads, clears the goods through import customs and pays duties and taxes.
DAP replaced the older DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid) in Incoterms 2010. If the seller should also unload, use DPU. If the seller should pay duties too, use DDP.
Why it matters when you ship
For the buyer, DAP is the easiest to budget for: the freight is in the price. The catch is import duties and taxes, which arrive as a separate bill, so the landed cost can be higher than the quote suggested.
For the seller, it means carrying transit risk, so insure the shipment and use a carrier that handles claims well.
Example
A seller in Ohio ships to a buyer in Ontario under “DAP Toronto”. The seller pays the trucking and bears the risk to the buyer’s dock. The buyer pays Canadian duties and taxes.
Related terms
- DDP (Delivered Duty Paid)
- DPU (Delivered at Place Unloaded)
- CPT (Carriage Paid To)
- Incoterms
- Freight prepaid
DAP (Delivered at Place): common questions
Who pays freight on DAP terms?
The seller pays the transportation to the named place. The buyer pays import duties, taxes and unloading.
What is the difference between DAP and DDP?
Under DAP the buyer pays import duties and taxes. Under DDP the seller pays them as well, so the buyer receives the goods with everything paid.
What happened to DDU?
Delivered Duty Unpaid was removed in Incoterms 2010 and effectively replaced by DAP.
Cite this page
Cite as: Transportli, “DAP: Delivered at Place Meaning in Shipping”, https://transportli.com/glossary/dap/, updated November 11, 2026.
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