DHL Express package stuck at customs in Canada
DHL Express won’t deliver an import until its brokerage invoice is paid. Here is how to pay it safely, what the messages mean, and what to do if the amount looks wrong.
- Paylink in DHL’s email or SMS
- Methodscard, Interac, PayPal
- Scamsthe CBSA never texts
Customs rules change — confirm with the official sources on this page or with a licensed customs broker before you ship.
DHL messages, in plain words
Typical wording for imports into Canada — your tracking may phrase it differently.
- Awaiting payment of duties and taxes
- Pay the brokerage invoice — the driver can’t deliver until it’s paid.
- Clearance processing complete
- Normal. Customs has released the goods.
- Clearance delay / further information required
- DHL needs an invoice or details. Send the commercial invoice.
- Held by another government agency
- A department such as the CFIA or Health Canada must approve the goods.
- Returned to shipper
- The invoice wasn’t paid or the goods were refused. Contact DHL now.
Two ways to get this done
Do it yourself
Everything you need is on this page, step by step, from official government sources.
Read the guideLet a broker handle it
A licensed customs broker can take over a held DHL shipment, deal with DHL and the CBSA, and clear your next ones too. Free quote, no commitment.
Get a free quoteIn short
Why DHL is holding your package
When DHL Express clears your package, it pays the duty and taxes to the CBSA for you and collects them from you before delivery, with its clearance charges. The driver cannot deliver until the brokerage invoice is paid.
Read the details
DHL sends an email or SMS with a payment link. You can pay online by credit card, debit, Interac or PayPal, or at a DHL service centre when you pick the package up.
If you import regularly, a DHL customs brokerage account avoids a separate invoice for every package.
Getting a held DHL package released
Check it’s really DHL
Track the package on dhl.com with your tracking number. DHL’s genuine payment message matches a shipment you can see there.
Pay the brokerage invoice
Pay through DHL’s link or on DHL’s site. Keep the receipt: invoice and customs entry copies can be downloaded up to 21 days after delivery.
Send missing documents
If DHL asks for more information, send the commercial invoice: what the goods are, how many, their value and where they were made.
Check the amount
If the duty or tax rate looks wrong, ask the CBSA for an adjustment after paying. DHL’s own charges are a separate matter to raise with DHL.
Importing often? Use a broker
Business importers can have their own customs broker clear DHL shipments, or open a DHL brokerage account.
A text asking you to pay is probably a scam
The CBSA never asks for payment by text, email or phone. DHL’s real payment page is on dhl.com. If a message pushes you to pay a “customs fee” through a link, don’t click it: open dhl.com yourself and track the package there.
Common questions
Why does DHL charge me before delivery?
DHL paid your duty and taxes to the CBSA when it cleared the package, and its clearance charges apply on top. Payment of the brokerage invoice is required before delivery.
How do I pay DHL duties in Canada?
Through the link in DHL’s email or SMS, or on DHL’s site, by credit card, debit, Interac or PayPal — or at a DHL service centre when you collect the package.
Can I use my own customs broker with DHL?
Yes, business importers often do. Get a broker quote.
The duty looks wrong. How do I get money back?
Pay to release the package, then ask the CBSA for an adjustment with your receipt and invoice. Requests about value, classification or origin must be made within one year of import.
Not sure what the message means?
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Keep reading
The next steps most people take from here.
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Read →Do I need a customs broker?
No law requires one. What a licensed broker does, and what importing on your own involves.
Read →Get a quote
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