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The short answer
When a DHL Express parcel from Nigeria arrives in Canada, the amount you are asked to pay can combine two different things: duties and taxes assessed under CBSA rules (charged on parcels above $20 in value for duty), and DHL's own fees for clearing the goods. Government charges are questioned through the CBSA's processes; DHL's own fees are a matter between you and DHL under its terms.
DHL Express is a common way for families and small businesses to send documents and goods from Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt to Canada. When the parcel lands, a payment request often follows. Understanding what each line is lets you pay the right amount and challenge the wrong one.
Two kinds of charge
- Duties
- Set by the Customs Tariff according to what the goods are. Government money, collected on the CBSA's behalf.
- Taxes
- GST, or the federal part of HST, on imported goods. Also government money.
- Clearance or brokerage fee
- DHL's own charge for acting as customs broker for your parcel. A private fee set by DHL.
- Other courier fees
- Any other charge DHL lists for its services, such as disbursement or storage. Also private.
The CBSA's guide to preparing to import explains the broker's role: customs brokers obtain release, pay duties, prepare documents and keep records; they set their own fee with you, and they are private agents, not federal employees. A courier clearing your parcel is doing this job. We could not open DHL's Canadian customs support pages for this guide, so check DHL's own invoice and terms for its fee names and amounts.
When duties and taxes apply
The CBSA's low value shipment page (modified 25 November 2025) says courier shipments from countries other than the US and Mexico are duty and tax free up to $20 in value for duty; above $20, duties and taxes apply. So most DHL parcels of goods from Nigeria worth more than $20 will carry government charges. Documents of no commercial value are a different case from goods; ask DHL how it treats a document envelope.
How to check a bill
- Ask for the breakdown: duty, tax and each DHL fee on separate lines.
- Check the declared value and description against what was actually sent. A wrong value or a vague description ("goods") is the most common cause of a bad assessment.
- Check the tariff classification if duty looks high for what the goods are; see finding the tariff rate.
- Ask DHL for a copy of the customs accounting document it filed for you.
How to dispute
If the government charge is wrong
Duty and tax are assessed under CBSA rules, so a correction of value, classification or origin is a CBSA matter, even when the courier filed the entry. Start by asking DHL, as the broker that filed it, to correct the entry; if that fails, contact the CBSA. The CBSA's guide reminds importers that they remain ultimately responsible for the accounting documents, duties, taxes and corrections, even when a broker acts for them.
If DHL's own fee is the problem
Clearance and handling fees are DHL's terms, not CBSA's. Raise them with DHL's customer service, quoting the waybill number. If the sender in Nigeria paid for "duties and taxes paid" delivery, show that, because the charge should then sit with the sender's account.
Business importers
A business receiving stock by DHL is importing commercially. Register a CRA business number with an RM account and set up CARM; the CBSA's CARM page says both are needed before importing. If you are a GST/HST registrant, the CRA's input tax credit page says GST paid on importation can support an input tax credit, so keep the courier's customs paperwork with your books. For food, CFIA licensing applies regardless of the courier; see what happens when CBSA holds a food shipment. For the thresholds in full, see duty-free limits on parcels from Nigeria.
Keeping costs down next time
- Ask the sender to put a precise description and true value on the waybill.
- Combine purchases into fewer, properly documented parcels rather than many small ones.
- For regular commercial volumes, compare courier clearance with using your own customs broker.
Worked example
Example only, with assumed figures. A parcel of fabric declared at $120 arrives. DHL's request shows duty of $21.60 (an assumed 18% rate), tax on the duty-paid value, and a clearance fee. The receiver checks the invoice and finds the sender declared $120 for fabric that cost $60: she asks DHL to correct the entry with the real invoice. Separately, she checks DHL's fee against its published terms. Two questions, two different places to ask.
Where Pryme fits
Paying the sender in Nigeria with a dated record helps when a value is questioned. A Pryme account can send naira from Canada, the app shows the rate and fee before you approve, and a verifiable receipt shows what you actually paid.
Questions people ask
Why did DHL charge me duty on a parcel from Nigeria?
The CBSA says courier parcels from countries other than the US and Mexico above $20 in value for duty attract duties and taxes. DHL collects them as part of clearing the parcel.
What is the DHL brokerage fee in Canada?
It is DHL's own charge for clearing the goods, set under its terms. We could not open DHL's Canadian fee pages; check your invoice and DHL's terms.
How do I dispute a DHL duty charge?
Ask DHL for the breakdown and the customs entry. If the value, classification or origin is wrong, ask DHL to correct the entry and contact the CBSA if needed. Fee disputes go to DHL.
Can the sender in Nigeria pay the duty?
Some courier services let the sender pay duties and taxes. Ask the sender to choose that option when booking, and confirm with DHL.
Sources
- CBSA: Low value shipments (modified 25 Nov 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- CBSA: Step-by-step guide to importing commercial goods, preparing to import (archived page) · accessed Oct 2026
- CBSA: CARM, the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management system (undated) · accessed Oct 2026
- CRA: Input tax credits (modified 14 Oct 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.