ovrseasDAP: Delivered at Place
D-group rule · any mode of transport · Incoterms® 2020
DAP (Delivered at Place) means the seller carries the goods to the named place of destination and delivers them on the arriving vehicle, ready for unloading. Risk passes there; unloading, import clearance and duties are the buyer’s.
- Risk passes
- At the named destination, with the goods still on the arriving vehicle.
- Main freight
- Paid by the seller
- Insurance
- Neither side is obliged to insure — agree who does
- Customs
- Export: Seller · Import: Buyer
Who pays what under DAP
| Export clearance | Seller |
|---|---|
| Carriage to port / terminal | Seller |
| Loading onto main carriage | Seller |
| Main carriage (freight) | Seller |
| Insurance | Neither obliged |
| Unloading at destination | Buyer Unless unloading is included in the seller’s carriage contract (liner terms, door-to-door rates) — then the seller pays it and cannot charge it on. |
| Import clearance | Buyer |
| Duties and import taxes | Buyer |
How to write DAP on your documents
The rule is only complete with its named place. The destination address — the buyer’s warehouse, a terminal or another agreed point.
DAP Buyer’s warehouse, 2200 Logistics Dr, Dallas, TX, USA — Incoterms® 2020
Write it the same way on the quotation, the proforma, the commercial invoice and the shipping instructions — a different place on one document is a different deal.
Use DAP when
- The seller controls the whole transport to the door but the buyer handles import.
- Any mode of transport, including door-to-door container and courier shipments.
Think twice when
- The buyer is slow with import clearance — the goods wait on the seller’s carriage contract and the seller may be charged for it. Agree who pays waiting time.
- The seller expects the buyer to pay destination terminal charges that are part of the seller’s carriage contract — say so explicitly.
If the buyer is slow to clear customs, the goods sit and the demurrage lands on the seller, who still controls the carriage contract.
Questions about DAP
- What does DAP mean in shipping?
- DAP (Delivered at Place) means the seller carries the goods to the named place of destination and delivers them on the arriving vehicle, ready for unloading. Risk passes there; unloading, import clearance and duties are the buyer’s.
- Where does risk pass under DAP?
- At the named destination, with the goods still on the arriving vehicle.
- Who pays the freight under DAP?
- The seller pays the main carriage.
- Who pays import duties under DAP?
- The buyer. Import clearance, duties and taxes are the buyer’s under every rule except DDP.
- Can DAP be used for containers or air freight?
- Yes. DAP works for any mode of transport, including containers, air, road and rail.
The documents where DAP is written
- Commercial invoice template
Customs and the buyer’s bank read the Incoterm here; it decides which costs belong in the invoice value.
- Proforma invoice template
The buyer opens a letter of credit or pays a deposit on these terms — the same rule must follow through.
- Quotation template
A price means nothing without its rule: «USD 12.50 FOB Busan» and «USD 12.50 DAP Dallas» are different offers.
Compare DAP with
Incoterms® is a registered trademark of the International Chamber of Commerce. This page is an independent summary of how costs and risk are allocated and is not affiliated with or endorsed by ICC. For contract drafting, use the official Incoterms® 2020 rules published by ICC.