DPU Incoterms: Seller and Buyer Responsibilities at the Named Place
DPU Incoterms means Delivered at Place Unloaded. The seller books transport to the agreed destination and is responsible for getting the cargo off the arriving vehicle. Delivery, and the risk transfer that comes with it, happens only when the unloaded goods are at the buyer's disposal at the named place or point. The buyer handles import clearance.
A truck can be parked outside the buyer's warehouse and the seller can still be carrying the risk. If the cargo is on the trailer, DPU delivery is not finished. The forklift, crane, appointment window and receiving bay are part of the delivery plan, not an afterthought.
The DPU handoff in one minute
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What does DPU stand for? | Delivered at Place Unloaded. |
| Who arranges the main transport? | The seller. |
| Who unloads at the destination? | The seller arranges and bears the responsibility for unloading. |
| When does risk transfer? | After the goods are unloaded at the named place or agreed point and placed at the buyer’s disposal. |
| Who handles import clearance? | The buyer. |
| Which transport modes can be used? | Any mode, including multimodal transport. |
What DPU means in practice
DPU is one of the 11 Incoterms® 2020 rules issued by the International Chamber of Commerce. It works with a single mode or a multimodal move. It replaced DAT, or Delivered at Terminal.
In practice, the DPU Incoterms meaning is broader than the old DAT wording suggested. When a contract uses the Incoterm DPU, delivery can take place at a warehouse, project site, depot or exhibition venue instead of being restricted to a terminal. The parties still need to name the place precisely, and the seller must be able to unload there. The ICC Incoterms® 2020 overview explains the change from DAT to DPU.
Delivery finishes on the ground, not on the truck
"Unloaded" is the operative word. The seller remains responsible while the cargo is coming off the arriving vehicle. If it is damaged before the goods are at the buyer's disposal, the loss stays on the seller's side of the DPU risk allocation.
DAP stops one step earlier. Under DAP, the seller delivers on the arriving vehicle, ready for the buyer to unload. That distinction is simple on paper and easy to miss at a busy receiving site.
The dock matters more than the city name
"DPU, buyer's warehouse, Chicago" leaves too much open. A better entry gives the full address and, where possible, the receiving dock, yard, bay or other handover point. Large or restricted sites need that extra precision.
The wording also has to work on the ground. A warehouse may accept a standard truck but have no suitable crane, forklift or authorized operator. Calling the shipment DPU does not remove those limits.
Risk passes after unloading
The DPU risk transfer occurs after the seller has unloaded the goods at the named place or agreed point and placed them at the buyer's disposal.
Picture a load of crated machinery moving from China to the buyer's warehouse. The truck reaches the gate. Receiving asks for an appointment, the warehouse forklift cannot lift the crates, and nobody booked the outside crane.
The truck has arrived, but the cargo has not been delivered under DPU. It is still on the trailer, so the seller still carries the transport risk. The parties may now be facing waiting time, a second delivery attempt or storage that nobody planned for.
Now suppose the truck reaches the agreed bay and the booked crane puts the crates down safely. Once the goods are at the buyer's disposal, delivery is complete and the risk passes. A city name alone is not enough to review that job.
Who does what under DPU
DPU seller responsibilities continue through unloading. DPU buyer responsibilities begin with import clearance and taking delivery once the goods are down and available. The matrix is a working summary; local rules and the sales contract may add shipment-specific tasks.
| Responsibility | Seller | Buyer | Operational point to confirm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goods and commercial documents | Supplies the goods and the commercial invoice or agreed evidence of conformity. | Pays under the sales contract and provides information needed for receipt. | Document format, consignee details, and destination instructions. |
| Export and transit formalities | Handles the export formalities and applicable transit formalities assigned by DPU. | Assists with information or documents when reasonably required. | Exporter details, permits, routing countries, and document deadlines. |
| Main and destination transport | Contracts and pays for carriage to the named destination. | Provides access and receiving information for the agreed location. | Full address, vehicle limits, appointment, delivery hours, and route constraints. |
| Unloading | Arranges unloading from the arriving means of transport and bears the risk until it is complete. | Makes the agreed point available and coordinates site access. | Equipment, lifting capacity, operator, method statement, and site safety rules. |
| Import formalities | Provides available shipment documents and assistance as required by the rule. | Handles import clearance and the import-side obligations assigned to the buyer. | Importer details, product classification, permits, broker instructions, and release timing. |
| Risk | Carries risk until the goods are unloaded and placed at the buyer’s disposal. | Carries risk after DPU delivery is completed. | Evidence of arrival, unloading completion, damage, and handover. |
The ICC Academy article Incoterms® 2020: DPU or DAP? describes the same split. The seller unloads under DPU, while the buyer is responsible for import formalities.
DPU vs DAP vs DDP: settle unloading and import
The choice usually turns on two questions: who can control unloading at the destination, and who can handle import clearance?
| Rule | Delivery and risk transfer | Unloading for delivery | Import clearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| DPU | After unloading at the named place. | Seller. | Buyer. |
| DAP | On the arriving vehicle, ready for unloading at the named place. | Buyer. | Buyer. |
| DDP | On the arriving vehicle, ready for unloading at the named place. | Buyer. | Seller. |
Our guide to DDP shipping responsibilities covers the seller's import role in more detail. Under DPU, the buyer may need its own broker or other customs clearance support at destination.
When DPU matches the delivery plan
DPU works best when the seller can control transport all the way to the unloading point and has a firm plan for the equipment and operator. It can suit project cargo when one party is already coordinating the lift.
It is a poor fit when the seller cannot check the site or must rely entirely on the buyer's equipment. The contract may then promise more than the logistics plan can deliver.
If the buyer controls the dock, look at DAP
If the buyer operates the destination facility, has the right equipment, and routinely unloads incoming cargo, DAP may reflect the actual workflow more closely. The seller still arranges carriage to the named place, but delivery occurs with the goods ready for unloading on the arriving vehicle.
DPU vs DDP starts with import clearance
DDP moves import-clearance responsibility to the seller. Delivery still occurs before the buyer unloads. A seller may face practical or legal barriers to acting on the import side in the destination country, so this question needs its own review.
What DPU does not decide
An Incoterms® rule allocates selected delivery obligations, costs and risk between seller and buyer. It does not replace the sales contract or set title, payment terms, product compliance, remedies for breach or governing law. The ICC Digital Library Incoterms® 2020 Q&A explains these limits.
Before DPU goes into the contract
Write down the delivery point and unloading plan before DPU goes into the sales contract or a request reaches the forwarder.
- Exact delivery point: full address plus the dock, bay, yard, floor, or handover area where unloading will finish.
- Access and appointment: receiving hours, notice period, booking reference, vehicle restrictions, security procedure, and waiting rules.
- Unloading resources: crane, forklift, tail lift, labor, lifting accessories, operator, and the party responsible for booking each item.
- Cargo handling data: package count, dimensions, gross weight, center of gravity, lifting points, stackability, and handling restrictions.
- Handover evidence: who signs, what proves unloading is complete, and how visible damage or shortage will be recorded.
- Import release timing: who will file the entry and what happens if the cargo cannot proceed to the named place because import formalities are incomplete.
- Plan for disruption: contact people, failed-delivery instructions, storage options, and authority to approve changes.
A standard pallet at a freight terminal rarely creates the same problem as a machine crate at a jobsite. DPU cannot supply a lifting plan or make a narrow gate wider.
What the forwarder needs
"Door delivery" is too vague for a DPU review. Send the route and the physical cargo facts together:
- origin pickup address and cargo-ready date;
- destination address and exact unloading point;
- commodity description, cargo value, and HS code if available;
- package count, dimensions, weight, and photographs;
- loading and unloading equipment available at each end;
- buyer, consignee, and importer details;
- known permits, inspection requirements, or handling restrictions; and
- the intended Incoterm written with its named place and “Incoterms® 2020.”
When you ask ZBAO about freight forwarding from China, these details show whether the route reaches the named point, whether unloading belongs in the transport scope, and what the buyer still needs to arrange.
A scope check before booking
ZBAO Logistics can use those details to review a proposed DPU movement from China. The review checks the route, receiving site, unloading arrangement and import handoff for gaps before booking.
The Incoterm belongs in the sales agreement between seller and buyer. Our role is narrower: check whether the freight plan can support that agreement and state which transport and destination tasks are included in the quotation.
FAQ about DPU Incoterms
Is DPU the same as the former DAT Incoterm?
Yes. Incoterms® 2020 renamed DAT as DPU because the delivery point can be any agreed place rather than being restricted to a terminal. The seller still completes delivery after unloading there.
Can DPU be used for sea, air, road, or multimodal transport?
Yes. DPU can be used for one transport mode or a multimodal route. The route still has to reach the agreed point and support the unloading plan.
Who handles import duties and customs formalities under DPU?
DPU import clearance is the buyer's responsibility. The buyer also bears the applicable import duties and taxes allocated under the rule. The seller handles export clearance and any necessary transit customs procedures. Amounts and document requirements depend on the product and destination.
Can the named DPU place be the buyer’s warehouse?
Yes, if the contract identifies the warehouse and the delivery point precisely, and the seller can arrange safe unloading there. Confirm the dock, appointment, vehicle restrictions, equipment and operator before booking.
Does DPU require the seller to buy cargo insurance?
No. DPU does not require the seller to buy cargo insurance for the buyer. The seller carries the transport risk until the cargo has been unloaded at the named place, so the seller may still choose insurance to protect its own interest.
Need to check whether DPU fits your shipment?
Send the product name, package count and dimensions, gross weight, ready date, origin, exact unloading point, site rules, available equipment and importer details. We can review the transport scope and point out what still needs to be settled before booking.
