"Customs clearance is included with every FedEx Express international shipment, "
https://www.fedex.com/en-ca/shipping-services/service-options/international-broker-select.html
Daveismissing and the group,
I would be careful with this option. Fedex will clear the packages through customs, by providing brokerage services, but there is a reasonable charge for them doing this. On low value shipments, this charge seems disproportionate to the value of the shipment and the taxes collected. There is very little info on the Fedex website regarding these brokerage charges. I wouldn't be surprised if brokerage charges are a big profit center for Fedex.
The only safe way, is if they says 'DDP'.
Digikey, when you order from Digikey.ca, ships DDP from their warehouse in the USA. They have worked out a special rate with Fedex. They do it right.
I am just about to order from JLCPCB for the first time. I am ordering multiple boards and I will use the DDP option.
Regards,
Jay_Diddy_B
FedEx services on the FedEx Express 'network' (which includes International Priority) include the brokerage and its fee. You will be billed COD for any tax/duty that is due as well as at least the Disbursement Fee (min $10, 2.5% of owed tax/duties) for lending you the money. Be careful if your order has a lot of line items. I find this is usually cheaper and much more likely to be available than a DDP service, but you do take on a bit more risk. All of the fees are outlined here:
https://www.fedex.com/en-ca/ancillary-clearance-service.htmlYou must still be very careful though as there are other FedEx services that don't include this, and it's not always clear in the shipping options exactly which service is meant or whether it is FedEx Express or not. I have also had shippers claim they will use one service, and substitute a different one that then charges. UPS and DHL are both pretty bad with the fees, FedEx isn't too bad as long as it's an Express service. It's very frustrating how opaque they make this though, I also think that while assessing the duty/tax in every situation is unreasonable to expect, they should know the declared value up front, and thus should be able to include most of the 'fees' up front too.
The safest option is either a DDP service or something that is delivered by the regular mail (e.g. ePacket). At least in Canada, Canada Post usually doesn't bother to charge the taxes at all, and when they do, the fees are reasonable.
Only DHL has ever tried to collect anything from me on an exempt shipment (<$20 CAD, except from NAFTA countries <$40 CAD).