DPU: Delivered at Place Unloaded (Incoterms® 2020)

DPU is the only Incoterms rule where the seller unloads the goods at the destination. Delivery and risk pass once the goods are unloaded at the named place.

Quick facts

TransportAny mode

Delivery and risk pass to the buyerAt the named destination, unloaded

Main freight paid bySeller

InsuranceNot required

Export clearanceSeller

Import clearance and dutiesBuyer

Unloading at destinationSeller

How to write it

DPU + the exact place of unloading + Incoterms 2020, for example: DPU Buyer's warehouse dock 3, Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai Incoterms 2020.

What the seller does

Clears the goods for export.
Contracts and pays transport to the named place.
Unloads the goods there and carries the risk until they are unloaded.
Gives the buyer the documents it needs to take delivery.

What the buyer does

Makes sure the goods can be unloaded at the named place.
Takes the risk once the goods are unloaded.
Clears the goods for import and pays duties and taxes.
Arranges onward transport from the place of delivery.

When to use it

Use DPU when the seller can arrange unloading at the destination, for example through its own agent or with a carrier that unloads. It can be any place, not only a terminal.

Common mistakes

Choosing DPU when the seller has no way to unload at the destination, such as a site without equipment.
Confusing it with DDP. DPU does not include import clearance or duties.
Still writing DAT, which no longer exists in Incoterms 2020.

DPU vs DAP

Both deliver at the destination. Under DAP the goods are delivered ready for unloading and the buyer unloads; under DPU the seller unloads and bears that risk.

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

What happened to DAT?

DAT (Delivered at Terminal) from Incoterms 2010 was renamed DPU in 2020, and the place can now be anywhere the goods can be unloaded, not only a terminal.

Does DPU include import clearance?

No. Under DPU the buyer clears the goods for import and pays duties and taxes. Only DDP puts import clearance on the seller.