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UPS France surcharges

Raquel
  • Updated

Purpose: In this article, we explain the surcharges that UPS France may apply if you do not follow their shipping requirements.

Please note: The carrier may change the shipping prices and/or surcharges mentioned below, therefore these prices may be subject to change. Even though we aim to inform you to the best of our abilities, no rights can be derived from the information provided below.

Important: When you ship with UPS using the discounted rates offered by Sendcloud, several commonly applied surcharges are already included in the label price.

Thanks to this advantage, you don’t have to worry about additional costs for:

See list here
  • Residential Surcharge
  • Extended Area
  • Remote Area
  • Fuel Surcharge
  • Electronic Return Label
  • Print Return Label
  • UK Border Fee
  • Signature Required
  • Address Correction
  • Demand Capacity Surcharge
  • Duty & Tax Forwarding Surcharge
  • Peak Season Surcharge
  • Additional Handling (Peak Season)
  • Large Package (Peak Season)
  • Over Maximum Limits (Peak Season)

Even though these surcharges may appear on the official UPS website, with Sendcloud rates you won’t be charged for them separately: more transparency and no surprises on your invoice.

Note: All international shipments using Sendcloud rates are generated under Incoterm DAP (Delivered at Place). This means that any applicable customs duties or charges are the responsibility of the recipient; if the recipient refuses to pay or accept the shipment, it will be returned to the sender, who will be liable for both the shipping and customs charges.
For the most accurate and up-to-date information on UPS surcharges and conditions, please refer to the official UPS website.

The UPS website will always be the source of truth regarding their rates and policies. 

📐 Dimension & size surcharges

Large package – €26.20 per parcel
A Large Package Surcharge will be applied to each UPS package when its length plus girth [(2 x width) + (2 x height)] combined exceeds 300 cm, but does not exceed the maximum UPS size of 400 cm.

Large Packages are subject to a minimum billable weight of 40 kg in addition to the Large Package Surcharge. An Additional Handling charge will not be assessed when a Large Package Surcharge is applied.
Over maximum limits – €106.20 per parcel
Packages with an actual weight of more than 70 kg, or that exceed 274 cm in length or a total of 400 cm in length and girth combined, as measured to determine their billable weight, are not accepted for transportation. These packages are subject to an Over Maximum Limits surcharge, in addition to all other applicable charges, if found in the UPS small package system. Packages exceeding 400 cm in length and girth combined are also subject to the Large Package Surcharge.
Oversize pallet charge – €134.55 per pallet
Depending on origin and destination, this surcharge may apply to certain UPS Worldwide Express Freight shipments. To determine if a particular origin or destination has an oversize pallet limit, please visit www.ups.com.

📦 Packaging, weight & shipment data surcharges

Additional handling service – €5.20 per parcel
Additional Handling applies to the following:
• Any article that is encased in an outside shipping container made of metal or wood
• Any cylindrical item, such as a barrel, drum, pail, or tire, that is not fully encased in a corrugated cardboard shipping container
• Any package with the longest side exceeding 100 cm or its second-longest side exceeding 76 cm
• Any import, export or domestic package with an actual weight greater than 25 kg.
• Each import, export or domestic package in a shipment where the average weight per package is greater than 25 kg and the weight for each package is not specified on the source document or the UPS automated shipping system used.

UPS also reserves the right to assess the Additional Handling Charge for any package that, in UPS's sole discretion, requires special handling. In consideration of the additional handling required on the carrier's part, and subsequent potential delays in processing these shipments, UPS does not provide a money-back guarantee for them. UPS does, therefore, not refund the shipping charges if shipments requiring additional handling are not delivered by the time normally scheduled for such shipment.
Shipping charge correction audit fee
A shipping charge correction surcharge will be applied when a discrepancy is found between declared weights and dimensions and detected weights and dimensions such that the billed cost is 25% or more greater than the declared cost. The surcharge will be calculated per customer code, based on the corrections found in the applicable billing period.

€1.50 per shipment subject to a shipping charge correction during the applicable invoice period; or 8 % of the total amount of shipping charge corrections during the applicable invoice period.
Missing package level detail fee – €4.45 per parcel
A fee will be charged when the shipper does not provide timely upload of all applicable Package Level Detail (PLD) information to UPS before pickup of those packages.

€4.45 per parcel for both domestic and international services.
Declared value for carriage
UPS automatically protects every shipment against loss or damage, up to €85, as described in their general shipping conditions (section 5). With Declared Value for Carriage, you may increase UPS’s limit of liability for proven losses by declaring a higher value for carriage on the UPS shipping documentation. The value of the goods declared shall not in any event exceed USD 50,000 or its local currency equivalent per package. 

One percent of the value of the goods declared for carriage or a minimum of €10.00 if the value of the goods exceeds €85 (international shipment)

📮 Delivery, pick-up & service options

UPS Express - Saturday delivery

For urgent packages, UPS offers a UPS Express delivery service on Saturdays before noon. For detailed information and availability, use the time and cost calculator at www.ups.com.

 

  • €24.25 per domestic delivery
  • €79.50 per international delivery
UPS Standard - Saturday delivery – €4.00 per shipment

Benefit from the convenience of a Saturday delivery by the end of the day with UPS’s new Standard Saturday delivery service. 

This service is available from Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom to eight selected destinations: Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Poland, and Belgium.

UPS Worldwide Express Freight - Saturday delivery – €240.45 per shipment
For urgent shipments, UPS offers a convenient Saturday delivery service. Delivery times vary depending on the shipping service you choose and the origin and destination of your shipment. For information on service availability, contact UPS Customer Service at 0 821 233 877 (Service €0.12/min + call charge).
Saturday Delivery Surcharge – €4,00
A surcharge applies for all shipping methods that include Saturday delivery.
Adult signature required – €4.00 per shipment
Use "Adult Signature Required" to prevent minors from accepting deliveries of goods for legal or other reasons. This may apply to alcoholic
beverages and tobacco products, but also to goods that you prefer an adult to receive.
Direct delivery only – €2.95 per parcel
"Direct Delivery Only" ensures a package is delivered to the address on the shipping label. Packages shipped with Direct Delivery Only may not be rerouted, redirected or delivered to an alternate address. Direct Delivery Only packages are eligible for Driver release (delivery to the recipient's premises without requiring a signature upon delivery) or Letter box release (a secure service that allows a service provider to leave certain packages destined for residential addresses in a secure mailbox without a signature) at the labelled address. Direct Delivery Only is available for residential and commercial packages.
Weekly service charge – €12.10 per week
A UPS driver will visit you every business day to collect any shipments. A weekly service charge will apply.
On-call collection – €3.20

You can have your shipment picked up from your home or office by scheduling a collection service online at ups.com or by calling toll-free 800 877 877 (service €0.12/min + call cost). UPS will pick up all packages with a single collection service request. A collection service may be scheduled for the same day or a future day. On-call collection service charge applies for Electronic Return Label, Print Return Label, and regular or alternate address pickup. Cash payments are available for on-call collection service.

Charges differ based on the collection service request type:

  • Same Day by Phone
  • Same Day on the Web
  • Future Day by Phone
  • Future Day on the Web

This charge does not apply to:

  • Return package collections included in the UPS 1 Attempt and UPS 3 Attempts Returns Plus services. If a UPS 1 Attempt Returns Plus
    collection is unsuccessful, all subsequent collections will incur the fee.
  • Collections containing international shipments to destinations outside the European Union within the pickup stop.
Special handling of undeliverable shipments – €8.10 per shipment, in addition to the shipping costs
For all shipments within the EU and for all domestic shipments, when UPS has made every effort to deliver the shipment but has been unable to do so, it will return the goods to the sender using UPS Standard service (where available).
Return charges, which include transportation and fuel costs, will be charged to the sender, except for domestic shipments that cannot be delivered, in which case the charges will be billed to the party who paid for the initial shipment.
For all destinations outside the EU, UPS will contact the sender and proceed with the return according to their instructions. The sender will be charged the shipping costs and an administrative fee for each of these undeliverable shipments.
Collect on Delivery (C.O.D.)

UPS will attempt to collect payment for your shipment either online prior to delivery or at the time of delivery by cash, cheque, or card payment.

Cost: 1% of the value of the goods or a minimum of €11.20, whichever is higher.

Service Fee – €0.50 per shipment
Effective January 2, 2026, a Service Fee of €0.50 per shipment applies to all UPS shipments. The Service Fee is automatically applied and charged in addition to applicable transportation charges and other surcharges.

🧮 Administrative & billing surcharges

Currency conversion rate
Charges to a payer’s account in a foreign currency will be converted to the payer’s currency using a weekly exchange rate secured through
Major Money Centre Banks.

One percent of the amount converted
Report fee – €58.05 per hour
UPS will charge a report fee for every report or data set sent to the customer upon customer's request.
Admin fee – €28.00 per task
UPS will charge an admin fee for every extraordinary brokerage task performed upon customer's request.
Posting SAD fee – €5.85 per task
UPS will charge a fee for every SAD document sent to the customer upon customer's request.

🛡️ Security & sustainability surcharges

UPS carbon neutral

UPS carbon neutral is a more responsible way to ship. For a small flat fee per package or pallet, UPS will purchase carbon offsets to offset the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with the transportation of your shipment. The offsets purchased offset the carbon impact of your shipments by reducing emissions elsewhere through support for environmental projects.

 

  • €0.12 per package will be charged for domestic UPS, Express Plus, UPS Express, UPS Express Saver and UPS Standard shipments.
  • €0.25 per package will be charged for UPS Express Plus, UPS Express, UPS Express Saver and UPS Standard shipments destined within the EU, as well as for UPS Standard shipments to Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
  • €0.75 per package will be charged for UPS Express Plus, UPS Express, UPS Express Saver shipments destined outside of the EU, and for UPS Expedited shipments destined outside of Europe.
  • €17.85 per pallet for UPS Worldwide Express Freight shipments.
Air freight security

In accordance with the decree of October 26, 1998, and as part of the airfreight security program implemented by UPS in accordance with current regulations on airfreight security, the shipper is informed that shipments may be subject to subject to special checks and security inspections, which may include the opening of shipments and the use of X-ray equipment. The sender contributes to this program by paying a surcharge applicable to shipments within Europe and worldwide made using UPS Express Plus, UPS Express, UPS Express Saver, UPS Expedited, and UPS Worldwide Express Freight services.

 

  • €0.43 per parcel (with a maximum of €99.15 per month and per account number) if the sender is a “known customer” as defined by Article R321-5 of the Civil Aviation Code, or
  • €0.84 per parcel (with a maximum of €200 per month and per account number) if the sender is not a “known customer.”
Declared Value for Carriage

UPS automatically protects every shipment against loss or damage up to a certain value, as described in its liability terms.

With Declared Value for Carriage, you may increase UPS’s limit of liability for proven losses by declaring a higher value for carriage on the UPS shipping documentation. The value of the goods declared must not exceed USD 50,000 or its local currency equivalent per package. For more information, refer to UPS’s Terms and Conditions of Carriage.

Freight collect shipments are billed to the consignee.

Cost: 1% of the value of the goods declared for carriage, with a minimum charge of €10.20.

🌍 International & customs surcharges

Additional tariff line fee (export) – €5.60 per additional tariff line > 5
When a customs entry has more than five tariff lines, a surcharge will be applied per additional tariff line.
Other Government Agency (OGA) entry (export) – €58.25 per shipment
Some commodities have to be regulated and controlled prior to export processing by a separate Governmental Agency (like the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Heritage and Cultural Activities or Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
These types of commodities might be subject to specific clearance processes. Where this is the case, upon request by the shipper and provided that the shipper shares the required information and documentation, UPS will support exporters to expedite clearance by filing the required information (paper or electronic) with the respective Governmental Agency.
Other additional tasks – €17.50 per shipment
For any additional, non-routine customs-clearance tasks requested (e.g. creating specific reports, triangular export business – invoice swap) UPS may create a special operating process for the customer.
Outgoing export formalities – €19.25 per shipment
If the sender prepares the export declaration, UPS will, upon request, perform all subsequent operations required to cancel the export accompanying documentation (EAD) and inform the customs office of exit that all security measures have been complied with.
Special customs procedures (export) – €46.65 per shipment
When an exported shipment requires a special customs clearance procedure, such as temporary export, re-export of previously imported products, or returned shipments, UPS can perform this special procedure for an additional fee.
Warehouse storage (export) – €4.70 per parcel, per day after the third business day
In the event an export shipment is not able to be cleared within the period of time that is usual for customs clearance, a storage fee will be charged, unless a delay is due to the fault of UPS.
Post entry clearance services (export) – €58.25 per shipment
In the event of any post-entry clearance request to be submitted to customs authorities, such as export clearance information or duplicate of
export documentation, upon request, UPS will provide the shipper with expertise and administrative support.
Documents of preferential origin – €52.40 per shipment
Upon request and based on information provided by the sender, UPS will assist exporters in requesting Certificates of Origin (ATR-EUR1-SPG) to provide proof for preferential treatment of goods at the import destination.
Inspection fees (export) – €26.85 per shipment
When exports are selected for customs inspection, UPS will assist with the additional customs clearance tasks associated with that inspection. Fees will apply for this additional handling.
Entry preparation fee – €6.95 per shipment
UPS will charge a fee for every Import shipment requiring a customs formal entry.
Additional tariff line fee (import) – €12.30 per additional tariff line > 5
When a customs entry has more than five tariff lines a surcharge will be charged per additional tariff line
Other Government Agency (OGA) entry (import) – €232.85 per shipment
Certain goods from countries outside the European Union entering EU territory may be regulated, require documentation, and/or be subject to specific checks by a government agency (OGA). These agencies include the Department of Health and the Department of Agriculture.
Other services related to customs formalities
Certain specific operations are required for the importation of goods and may be carried out by UPS at the request of the importer.

For further information or to check the current rates, please contact UPS on 0821 233 877 (Service €0.12/min + call charge).
Special customs procedures (import) – €46.65
Certain imports will be subject to special customs declarations and will require specific official procedures. Live entry pre-declarations, temporary import and export declarations (not offered by UPS SNC), re-imports, temporary customs clearance, and any other additional customs services (such as labeling, inventory, etc.) fall into this category.
Transit declaration – €76.95
UPS can create a transit document to transport a shipment under customs control to a free trade zone under its bank guarantee. Fees will apply.
Always contact on customer request (import) – €1.25 per shipment
When implemented, UPS will always contact the importer for clearance instruction.
Customs clearance fees for alcoholic beverages – €116.50 per shipment
UPS will charge a fee for clearing any alcoholic beverage imports through customs.
Disbursement fee
Import shipments are subject to duties and taxes. If UPS initially pays the cost of duties, taxes, and other government charges on behalf of the payer, a fee will be charged based on the intrinsic value of the goods shipped and the amount advanced.

€8.40 per shipment having an intrinsic value lower or equal to €22.00, €17.50 minimum or
3.05% of the advanced amount when the intrinsic value of the goods exceed €22.00
Cost of handling for customers without a customer code
A cost charged when UPS prepays customs duties and initiates customs clearance on behalf of customers who do not have a regular customer number. This cost covers additional handling and processing fees.

A minimum of €17.50 or 3.05% of the amount advanced
Warehouse storage (import)
Charges are applied to goods entering the warehouse under customs bond.

After three working days, €4.70 per 25 kg per day will be charged, with a minimum charge of €19.90.
Post entry clearance services (import) – €139.75 per shipment
A fee will be charged for any request for modification in order to obtain a refund or additional settlement of customs duties and/or taxes.
Additional general services – €46.65 per hour
When additional, non-standard activities are required upon arrival of goods, UPS can perform certain services at the request of the importer. Please contact our Customs department for more information or pricing.
Inspection fees (import) – €26.85 per shipment
During customs clearance, goods may be subject to customs inspections. If a shipment is selected for inspection, inspection fees will be charged.
Reimportation – €46.65 per shipment
The importation of goods into a country triggers additional customs clearance when the goods were previously exported from that country. A fee will be charged for each re-import declaration.
New International Collect on Delivery (ICOD) Fee – $12 USD

Parcels that require payment of duties, taxes, or other government-related charges must be paid before delivery. If these duties are not paid in advance, the recipient in the U.S. will be asked to pay them upon delivery.

To avoid this, recipients can pay the required duties electronically before the parcel arrives. This can be done through the UPS Import Payment Processing Application (IPPA) using Apple Pay, Google Pay, or a credit card (Visa, Mastercard, or Discover).

Shippers can help ensure the recipient receives a prepayment notification by including their name, phone number, and email address on all export shipments. In addition to the email or SMS notification, the payment link will also appear in the tracking information on UPS.com, allowing recipients to pay in advance and avoid paying upon delivery.

$12 USD fee for recipient if duties unpaid at delivery

Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF)

Covers the calculation of the Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF), a charge imposed by U.S. Customs based on the shipment’s value. Applies to both formal and informal entries. The MPF calculation is included in the base price.

Formal: 0.3464% / value (min $31.67, max $614.35)

Informal: $2.53 per entry

Warehouse Fee – $132.50

Surcharge charged when an importer requests UPS to file a warehouse entry. These entries are non-routine and must be specifically requested through UPS Supply Chain Solutions.

Warehouse Storage Fee

Charged when shipments stay in a UPS warehouse beyond the first two free days.

$25 min + $0.05/lb/day after 2 days

$0.10/lb/day after 7 days

Where can I see these surcharges on my invoice?

Surcharges are applied by the carrier after the shipment has been processed and may not be visible when you create the label.

You can find these charges in your Sendcloud account via Account > Billing, where you can download your invoice in PDF or CSV format:

  • PDF invoice: Shows a summary of your total costs, including surcharges.
  • CSV invoice: Shows a detailed breakdown per shipment, including the tracking number, shipping cost, and any applied surcharges.

💡 Tip: Use the tracking number in the CSV to identify which shipment a surcharge applies to.

For a full explanation of how shipping costs and surcharges are invoiced and how to read them, see Shipment invoicing.

To avoid the above-mentioned surcharges, please carefully read the shipping conditions, make sure you stay well within the permitted dimensions and, of course, select the right network for your package.

UPS France shipping conditions