Royal Mail is making major changes to its shipping options to the USA with an extensive list of services being suspended, and new Postal Delivered Duties Paid (PDDP) services introduced in their place.
If you're selling to the US, these updates could affect how you ship orders, manage costs, and get orders to customers.
Here's a quick guide outlining the services that are being suspended and the new services.
These Royal Mail PDDP services will all be available to ship with from Zenstores
Zenstores, an approved Royal Mail partner, is perfectly positioned to help UK ecommerce businesses navigate Royal Mail's US DDP changes.
From automating customs data, to shipping rules to make your business is sending orders on the correct Royal Mail service, the Zenstores platform helps thousands of ecommerce businesses to ship here in the UK and around the world.
Ready to find out more about Zenstores?
- Understand the Royal Mail US DDP Changes
Royal Mail is making major changes to its shipping options to the USA. A large number of existing DDU (Delivered Duties Unpaid) services are being suspended, and new Postal Delivered Duties Paid (PDDP) services are being introduced in their place. If you're selling to the US, these updates could affect how you ship orders, manage costs, and get orders to customers.
- Review the New PDDP Service Codes
Royal Mail is introducing the following new service codes for shipping Postal Delivered Duties Paid (PDDP) to the USA: MTV, MPR, DE6, BZY, BZV, BZX, BZU, BZW, BYD, and BYH. These new PDDP services ensure that duties are paid upfront, providing a smoother delivery experience for your US customers and reducing the risk of parcels being held at customs.
- Check Which DDU Services Are Being Suspended
A large number of DDU service codes are being suspended for all formats to the US. The suspended codes include: BPI, BXB, BXC, BXF, DE4, DG4, DW1, ETA, ETB, ETC, ETD, ETE, ETF, ETG, ETH, ETI, ETJ, IE1, IG1, ISB, ISC, IT0, IT2, IT3, IT4, IT5, IT6, IT7, IT8, IT9, LLG, LLH, LLJ, LLK, LLM, LLN, MP1, MP4, MP7, MP8, MQ1, MQ2, MTA, MTB, MTE, MTF, MTK, TIA, TIB, TIE, TIF, WE1, WG4, HVK, HVL, MTG, DEI, DEJ, and DEM. Review this list carefully against the service codes you currently use.
- Check Suspended Large Letter, Parcel and Printed Paper Services
In addition to the general DDU suspensions, the following Large Letter, Parcel and Printed Paper format services are also being suspended to the US: OLA, OLS, OTA, OTB, OTC, and OTD. If you currently use any of these format-specific services for US shipments, you will need to migrate to one of the new PDDP alternatives.
- Switch to the New PDDP Services via Zenstores
All of the new Royal Mail PDDP services will be available to ship with from Zenstores, an approved Royal Mail partner. Zenstores can help you automate customs data, set up shipping rules to ensure orders are sent on the correct Royal Mail service, and manage your US shipments compliantly. You can book a demo or start a free trial to get set up with the new services quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between DDU and PDDP services?
DDU (Delivered Duties Unpaid) means the recipient is responsible for paying import duties and taxes upon delivery. PDDP (Postal Delivered Duties Paid) means the sender pays the duties upfront at the point of shipping. Switching to PDDP provides a better customer experience as US buyers won't face unexpected charges at the door.
When are the DDU service suspensions taking effect?
Royal Mail has announced these changes as part of its 2025 US shipping updates. You should check Royal Mail's official communications for the exact suspension dates and plan your migration to the new PDDP services ahead of time to avoid any disruption to your US shipments.
Will I need to update my shipping rules in Zenstores?
Yes. If you currently have shipping rules or default services configured to use any of the suspended DDU service codes, you will need to update them to use one of the new PDDP service codes. Zenstores makes it straightforward to update your shipping rules so orders are automatically routed to the correct new service.
Are all the new PDDP services available in Zenstores?
Yes. All of the new Royal Mail PDDP service codes (MTV, MPR, DE6, BZY, BZV, BZX, BZU, BZW, BYD, and BYH) will be available to ship with from Zenstores. As an approved Royal Mail partner, Zenstores is updated to support new services as they are introduced.
What happens if I continue using a suspended service code?
If you attempt to book a shipment using a suspended service code after the suspension date, the booking will fail. It's important to update your service selections and shipping rules before the suspension takes effect to avoid delays in fulfilling your US orders.
