DAP: Delivered at Place (Incoterms® 2020)
Under DAP the seller delivers when the goods arrive at the named destination, still on the truck or container and ready for unloading. Import clearance and duties stay with the buyer.
Quick facts
How to write it
DAP + the full destination address + Incoterms 2020, for example: DAP Buyer's warehouse, Plot 5, Industrial Area, Nairobi, Kenya Incoterms 2020.
What the seller does
- Clears the goods for export and arranges transit through third countries.
- Contracts and pays transport to the named destination.
- Carries the risk of loss or damage until the goods arrive there.
- Gives the buyer the documents it needs to take delivery.
What the buyer does
- Unloads the goods at the destination.
- Clears the goods for import and pays duties and taxes.
- Takes the risk once the goods are at its disposal, ready for unloading.
- Pays the extra costs if import clearance is late and delays delivery.
When to use it
DAP suits sellers who want to quote a delivered price while leaving import formalities to the buyer, who knows its own customs. It is common for trucking, courier and door-to-door container deliveries.
Common mistakes
- A vague destination such as a city name, which leads to extra delivery charges and disputes. Give the full address.
- Not agreeing who pays demurrage and storage if the buyer's import clearance is slow.
- The seller forgetting that it carries the transit risk and leaving the goods uninsured.
DAP vs DDP
The only difference is import clearance. Under DDP the seller also clears the goods for import and pays the duties and taxes; under DAP those stay with the buyer.
A plain-language summary of Incoterms® 2020 for everyday use. The full rules are published by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and your contract wording decides. Incoterms® is a registered trademark of the ICC.
All 11 Incoterms 2020 rules
Common questions
Who pays import duties under DAP?
The buyer. Under DAP the seller delivers to the destination, but import clearance, duties and taxes are the buyer's responsibility.
Who unloads the goods under DAP?
The buyer. The seller's delivery is complete when the goods are at the destination ready for unloading. If the seller should unload, use DPU instead.