Terms & Conditions

1.Customs Clearance
DHL may perform any of the following activities on Shipper’s or Receiver’s behalf in order to provide its services :
(1) complete any documents, amend product or service codes, and pay any duties, taxes or penalties required under applicable laws and regulations (“Customs Duties”), (2) act as Shipper’s forwarding agent for customs and export control purposes and as Receiver solely for the purpose of designating a customs broker to perform customs clearance and entry and (3) redirect the Shipment to Receiver’s customs broker or other address upon request by any person who DHL believes in its reasonable opinion to be authorised. 

2.Unacceptable Shipments A Shipment is deemed unacceptable if:

  • no customs declaration is made when required by applicable customs regulations,

  • it contains counterfeit goods, animals, bullion, currency, gem stones; weapons, explosives and ammunition; human remains; illegal items, such as ivory and narcotics and other goods as may be described at http://www.dhl.com/express_import_guidelines, 
  •  it is classified as hazardous material, dangerous goods, prohibited or restricted articles by IATA (International Air Transport Association), ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation), ADR (European Road Transport Regulation on dangerous goods) or other relevant organisation (“Dangerous Goods”),
  •   its address is incorrect or not properly marked or its packaging is defective or inadequate to ensure safe transportation with ordinary care in handling,
  •  it contains any other item which DHL decides cannot be carried safely or legally.

3. Deliveries & Undeliverables
Shipments cannot be delivered to PO boxes or postal codes.Shipments are delivered to the Receiver’s address given by Shipper but not necessarily to the named Receiver personally. Shipments to addresses with a central receiving area will be delivered to that area. DHL may notify Receiver of an upcoming delivery or a missed delivery. Receiver may be offered alternative delivery options such as delivery on another day, no signature required, redirection or collection at a DHL Service Point, as further described at: http://www.ondemand.dhl.com/. Shipper may exclude certain delivery options on request. If the Shipment is deemed to be unacceptable as described in Section 2, or it has been undervalued for customs purposes, or Receiver cannot be reasonably identified or located, or Receiver refuses delivery or to pay Customs Duties or other Shipment charges, DHL shall use reasonable efforts to return the Shipment to Shipper at Shipper’s cost, failing which the Shipment may be released, disposed of or sold without incurring any liability whatsoever to Shipper or anyone else, with the proceeds applied against Customs Duties, Shipment charges and related administrative costs with the balance of the proceeds of a sale to be returned to Shipper. DHL shall have the right to destroy any Shipment which any law prevents DHL from returning to Shipper as well as any Shipment of Dangerous Goods.

4. Inspection
DHL has the right to open and inspect a Shipment without notice for security or customs or other valid reasons.

5. Shipment Charges and Fees
DHL’s Shipment charges are calculated according to the higher of actual or volumetric weight per piece and any Shipment may be re-weighed and re-measured by DHL to confirm this calculation. Shipper, or the Receiver when DHL acts on Receiver’s behalf, shall pay or reimburse DHL for all Shipment or other charges due, or Customs Duties owed for services provided by DHL or incurred by DHL on Shipper’s or Receiver’s behalf. Payment of Customs Duties may be requested prior to delivery. If DHL uses its credit with the Customs Authorities or advances any Customs Duties on behalf of Shipper or Receiver, or redirects a Shipment to Receiver’s customs broker, DHL shall be entitled to assess a fee, which is further described at http://www.dhl.com/advance_payment.

6. DHL’s Liability
6.1 DHL’s liability in respect of any one Shipment transported by air (including ancillary road transport or stops en route) is limited by the Montreal Convention or the Warsaw Convention, as applicable to the lower of (i) the current market or declared value, or (ii) 22 Special Drawing Rights per kilogram (approximately $US 30.00 per kilogram). Such limits shall also apply to all other forms of transportation, except where Shipments are carried only by road, when the limits below apply. For cross border Shipments transported by road, DHL’s liability is or shall be deemed to be limited by the Convention for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR) to the lower of (i) current market value or declared value, or (ii) 8.33 Special Drawing Rights per kilogram (approximately $US 11.00 per kilogram). Such limits will also apply to national road transportation in the absence of any mandatory or lower liability limits in the applicable national transport law. If Shipper regards these limits as insufficient it must make a special declaration of value and request insurance or Document Protection as described in Section 8 or make its own insurance arrangements. DHL’s liability is strictly limited to direct loss and damage to a Shipment only and to the per kilogram limits in this Section 6. All other types of loss or damage are excluded (including but not limited to lost profits, income, interest, future business), whether such loss or damage is special or indirect, and even if the risk of such loss or damage was brought to DHL’s attention.
6.2 DHL will make every reasonable effort to deliver the Shipment according to DHL’s regular delivery schedules, but these schedules are not binding and do not form part of the contract. DHL is not liable for any damages or loss caused by delay, but for certain Shipments, Shipper may be able to claim limited delay compensation under the Money Back Guarantee terms and conditions, which are available at http://www.dhl.com/mbg.

7. Claims
Except as otherwise provided under Section 8, all claims must be submitted in writing to DHL within thirty (30) days from the date that DHL accepted the Shipment, failing which DHL shall have no liability whatsoever. Claims are limited to one claim per Shipment, settlement of which will be full and final settlement for all loss or damage in connection therewith.

8. Shipment Insurance / Document Protection
8.1Shipment Insurance. DHL may be able to arrange insurance covering the current value in respect of loss of or damage to the Shipment, provided that the Shipper so instructs DHL in writing, including by completing the insurance section on the front of the waybill or by DHL’s automated systems and pays the applicable premium. Shipment insurance does not cover indirect loss or damage, or loss or damage caused by delays. Further details can be found at http://www.dhl.com/insurance
8.2Document Protection. In relation to document Shipments, DHL offers a service option called Extended Liability covering a fixed amount of compensation in respect of loss, provided that the Shipper selects this option or requests it via DHL’s automated systems and pays the applicable fee. Further details can be found at http://www.dhl.com/document_protection.

9. Circumstances
Beyond DHL’s Control DHL is not liable for any loss or damage arising out of circumstances beyond DHL’s control. These include but are not limited to electrical or magnetic damage to, or erasure of, electronic or photographic images, data or recordings; any defect or characteristic related to the nature of the Shipment, even if known to DHL; any act or omission by a person not employed or contracted by DHL - e.g. Shipper, Receiver, third party, customs or other government official; “Force Majeure” - e.g. earthquake, or cyclone, storm, flood, fog, war, plane crash, embargo, riot, civil commotion, or industrial action.

10. Shipper’s Warranties and Indemnities
Shipper shall indemnify and hold DHL harmless for any loss or damage arising out of Shipper’s failure to comply with the following warranties and representations: 

  • all information provided by Shipper or its representatives is complete and accurate; 
  • the Shipment is acceptable for transport under Section 2 above;
  • the Shipment was prepared in secure premises by reliable persons and was protected against unauthorised interference during preparation, storage and any transportation to DHL;
  • Shipper has complied with all applicable customs, import, export, data protection laws, sanctions, embargos and other laws and regulations; and
  • Shipper has obtained all necessary consents to provide DHL with personal data including Receiver’s data as may be required for transport, customs clearance and delivery.

11. Routing
Shipper agrees to all routing and diversion, including the possibility that the Shipment may be carried via intermediate stopping places.

12. Governing Law
Any dispute arising under or in any way connected with these Terms and Conditions shall be subject, for the benefit of DHL, to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of, and governed by the law of the country of origin of the Shipment and Shipper irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, unless contrary to applicable law.

13. Severability
The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision shall not affect any other part of these Terms and Conditions.