Cannot print without agreeing to pay customer duties - DDP is NOT enabled, and I do not want it

Hello @info301!

Thank you for reaching out. I see you were able to connect with support and work through some of your questions. I wanted to post for other community members as well. I understand the concern around DDP appearing when creating labels, and I’m happy to help clarify what you might be seeing.

It appears that a recent update may have altered the Duty & Tax settings in your account. To turn this off, you can update your settings by following the steps below:

How to Disable DDP (Pre-Paid Duties & Taxes):

1. Go to Settings
2. Select Shipping
3. Click International Settings
4. Uncheck “Duties and Taxes”
5. Click Save Changes
6. Here’s a visual guide for reference: https://share.zight.com/DOu7wo52

I sincerely apologize for any confusion or frustration this update may have caused. Even with this new setting in place, please rest assured that if a carrier doesn’t support DDP, it will not be applied to your shipment. You may also find these articles helpful for additional context:
• Pre-Paid Duties and Taxes (DDP) Guaranteed
• Carriers that Support DDP

Regarding the banner that appears when you click Create + Print, this is part of the new DDP experience. I know you prefer not to use DDP, so I want to reassure you:
✅ The banner is informational only
✅ Clicking “Accept” does not automatically apply DDP
✅ As long as the setting is unchecked in International Settings, DDP will not be added to your labels

If you’d like to double-check any order details, you can open the Cost Review section before purchasing a label. If DDP is enabled for a shipment, you will see an Additional Charge labeled “Duties and Taxes (Guaranteed).

If you have any additional questions, please don't hesitate to reach out here or to support@shipstation.com.

Happy Shipping!

-Cara

I have a real issue with this.  You are forcing us to agree to something that we don't agree to.  These Terms and Conditions are legal documents.  The pop-up continues to appear for every order, even if DDP is involved or not.

We have disabled DDP per the instructions above and the pop-up still continues with every Create & Print label.  This needs to be removed immediately.

We are currently on hold with our shipments because we refuse to agree to a legal document that states we will pay those duties and taxes.  Telling us to go ahead and agree, even if we don't, is illegal.

Same. We are putting these orders on hold, or shipping them outside of ShipStation if this isn't resolved. We can't click a box saying we legally agree to this if we don't agree. 

Same here! Not cool SS.

@info301 howdy, yes this is a bit unusual as appears ShipStation made this feature an Opt-Out vs Opt-In for all users. A bit strange to assume that DDP is something more people want vs a choice to opt into if you want. 

Given that, in addition to being forced to accept the terms of the new DDP - be sure you go into your Settings > Shipping > International Shipping and uncheck the box that has: Bill duties and taxes to payor of shipping charges.

In fairness offering DDP is great for some businesses as a customer service item, but if you don't realize you're paying that and don't have your online store configured to either collect that cost by increasing item price or adding it at checkout (or knowingly cover that cost) - you're going to see your shipping charges increase w/o realizing you are by default opting into DDP based on the way ShipStation rolled this out. Additionally, if you're a 3PL and running ShipStation, you need to be super careful about this b/c some of your customers may or may not want their stuff going DDP. 

I have not accepted these terms yet on our account either - will wait to see what happens. 

For some reason, the "Duties & Taxes" section in settings does not appear at all on my account.

Same, there is not a Duties & Taxes section showing. How do we get out of this.

To be honest - I think they may have just rolled this back or hid this setting while they sort it out. It's now gone from my acct settings as well... 

Yes, it mysteriously disappeared now, though it was there before. Which hopefully means they are working on a fix for this, though support is still telling me to just do it and all will be well. A bit of a gaslight, there.
I understand they say that checking this off will not result in charges if we have it toggled off in settings. But the popup that happens when we try to create labels is not just "informational" as they are telling me. It is requesting an electronic acknowledgement of a binding legal agreement that we agree to enable DDP and accept their terms and conditions. Seems off and probably illegal to force accepting that on someone not even using it. If the only way to print a label is to accept terms and conditions for an add-on I never intend to use and do not accept terms of, then I need to seek other solutions, as I'm not going to be gaslighted into just clicking to sign something legally binding just because I am told I won't be charged if I do it a certain way. They have already demonstrated that an update enabled that setting as "on" so I'm sure it could happen again. Anyway, seems like they are working on it, even if the rep I am emailing with won't even admit it is an issue that should be addressed.

Just FYI for everybody, when you are printing an international label, there is a checkbox that is still checked by default that says the payor of shipping pays duties and taxes. So make sure you uncheck that before creating the label if you don't want to pay duties and taxes. I will take a screen shot on the next order to show you.

Yes, please do share a screenshot of that so we can know where it is, and thank you! 

Well...the popup is back even though the "Duties and Taxes" option appeared in settings and we unchecked it. 

FYI - I figured out the easiest workaround right now, fill in all of the shipment info on the computer, then open the shipment on the phone app and get label from there, if you refresh the shipment on the pc, you can then print the label... you can use this as a temporary fix until they fix it or you find another vendor who doesn't force these things needlessly 

Well, the disappeared Duties tickbox/button in International Shipping settings is now back, and unchecked in my system. But the pop-up telling me I must agree to the DDP thing the tickbox controls remains. I wish the mods would give an update on if this is going to be fixed, and what is going on. As it can't remain like this. It makes no sense. Does anyone know anything more? 

Well this is truly unfortunate. It seems so nonsensical of a way to implement this that it truly seemed like a bug in the new offering; I thought I was offering you useful feedback by reporting it to support as it comes across as a programming mistake. This prompt isn't just letting us know about it, as you also mention, it is changing T & C. You say it is optional, yet the prompt forces us to agree to enable it and accept its terms, even to print a label that does not use it. That just does not make sense. We may not be required to use it, but we are required to enable it?

It's a lousy way to treat long-term customers. Things that change T&C like this update should be explained in full in advance to people before rolling them out. Maybe there are larger companies who want to use DDP, but there are many who don't; I'm certainly not at all excited. Not being able to opt out of agreeing to it just feels wrong, and very much like something dire and costly could go wrong with the flip of an update that toggles this on again without our knowledge, just like this update did. Plus, it is extremely confusing to the end users as to just what we are agreeing to, and moreover, why.

This leaves me setting a goal to seek alternatives either now or in the new year. Depending on circumstances I may be stuck here for now due to pre-orders in the que that can't ship yet, but I am now thinking that I shouldn't stay here forever. And maybe I'll find a way to move them out; if not once they are done, maybe its time to move on, as annoying as that can be. It's too bad, I overall think it mostly works well enough for my needs, but this feels like some weird strong-arm compliance technique. This was a lousy experience.

These duties and tax estimates aren't even close to accurate.  Why make this change if it hasn't been thoroughly tested? Baffling.

@CaraAdmin Any update on the questions in the reply to you above? 

Not sure what "Wallet" vs "Bring your own account" is, but I must have one of those as it worked for me for both domestic and international DDU. Thank you for the update!

I suggest all you folks that are holding off on shipping until this gets reversed to stay there.  I SERIOUSLY got hosed and STILL am by this wonderful feature.  First off making such a consequential software on a shipping program as we head into Black Friday and the Holiday rush was  not smart.  Like you I was faced what that roadblock that I HAD to agree to before I could print a label, just and I had a rush domestic shipment that had to be shipped NOW. I agreend to the terms and saved them to read on another tab.  I too in NO WAY would want to agree to pay mo customers import duties and fee.  That is their responsibility and up to them.  Anyway I went back and read what the terms were and I did not agree to paying the DDP so in went in to the settings and unchecked the box and went about my business.  Then the day before Thanksgiving statements from FedEx started coming in billing me for the Import VAT and duties from all over the world!  I have my own account with FedEx that I have had for over 20 years and is a much better rate than SS offers.   I got invoices for shipments to France, Italy, Israel, Australia and more.   My annual black Friday sale had already started and about 1/3 of my business is international.  This is a big problem to say the least.   So I relented and I checked the box that says I will pay the DDP, I had SS calculate the VAT and sent an second invoice on to my customers stating I was now required to pre pay them.   I thought well this is a pain and likely a short term fix until I could sort this out.   Well yesterday I got a invoice from FedEx on one of these that I billed the customer DDP.  SS said It was $71, but the customs bill was actually $97!!  I called Fedex and they said well the prepaid DDP is only an estimate because often local customs offices has local fees for storage and handling and other charges... 

This is an absolute nightmare and needs to be completely rolled back.  I read through all the posts below and I can tell you CaraAdmin is worng and giving misinformation and I suggest everyone stop shipping until this is rolled back.

1) CaraAdmin said if you uncheck the Duties a& Taxes box , and uncheck the box "Bill  duties and taxes to payor of shipping..."  That is NOT true.  I got bit hard on that to over $$$$.

2) CaraAdmin said that if you agree to pay them that is the guaranteed amount.  That is NOT true either with the local customs charges for "Storage and Handling"

I am UBER upset if you can not tell.  I am already getting nailed with all these new tariffs and fees on both foreign and domestic materials I need for manufacturing.  Fees I absolutely refuse to pass on to my customers and I am just eating them.  NOW this!!! If ShipStation can not fix this pronto I will start looking for another shipper.  I am already upset that they added an ne fee and now charge me a fee to bring my own shipper.  When does this stop?  

Curtis