Troubleshooting International Orders: Resolving the "No Service" Error

The most common cause of "No Service" errors is incomplete international product data. Products require specific customs and regulatory information to ship internationally. Without this data, carriers cannot process international shipments.

Configuring International Product Data

1Navigate to Products and select the affected product.

2Scroll to the For International Shipping section.

3Complete all below fields:

• Harmonized Code – Harmonization Codes are international standards to describe goods.
• Country of Origin – Where the product was manufactured
• Manufacturer – The manufacturer's name
• Brief Description – Brief Product Description should include the Manufacturer, Color, Material, and other important details of the product

4Click Save to apply changes.

Not all carriers or fulfillment partners service every country. Some destinations have regulatory restrictions, carrier limitations, or are outside your network's coverage area.

Service Availability by Country

Not every UPS service is supported for all countries. If the selected UPS international service (e.g., Worldwide Express, Expedited) isn't offered, the system may show an error.

Address Type Restrictions

UPS does not deliver to PO Boxes (different from street addresses). Also, some military or government postal boxes (e.g., APO/FPO) aren't supported by all UPS services.

USPS Service Suspensions

USPS sometimes temporarily suspends service to some destinations. Shipping attempts to these countries may be blocked or returned. Some examples of countries are Afghanistan, Belarus, Haiti, Russia and Syria.

Address Format Issues

Sometimes the country is supported, but the shipping system can't recognize the destination due to address formatting issues (missing postal codes, unsupported characters, wrong country codes, etc.). In such cases, the system may fail to detect the country properly and show a similar error.

Learn more about Shipping to Puerto Rico & US Territories (Address Format)

Learn more about Carrier Service Area Differences: USPS vs UPS/FedEx

Each carrier has unique service capabilities, restrictions, and coverage areas. Understanding these carrier-specific limitations helps explain why you may see "No Service" for certain orders.

• DHL
• UPS
• FEDEX
• USPS

DHL

DHL Service Types

DHL provides three main international services through Cahoot:

• DHL Parcel International Direct (PLT) – Supports DDP (Delivered Duty Paid), meaning duties and taxes are prepaid at checkout
• DHL Parcel International Standard – DDU only (customer pays duties on delivery)
• DHL Packet International – DDU only (postal product)

How to Verify Whether Your DHL Account Has DDP Enabled

DHL DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) must be explicitly enabled at the account level. Not all DHL accounts support DDP by default, even if international shipping is active.

Step 1: Contact Your DHL Account Representative

Reach out to your assigned DHL sales or account representative. If you don't have a direct rep, you can contact DHL customer support and ask to be connected to your account manager.

What to Ask Your DHL Rep (Recommended Checklist)

When contacting DHL, ask for confirmation on the following items:

1. Confirm DDP Enablement

Ask: "Can you confirm whether DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) is enabled on my DHL account?"

Specifically request confirmation that:

• The account supports DDP billing
• Duties and taxes can be billed to the shipper account
• DDP is supported for international exports from my ship-from country

2. Supported DDP Services

Ask which DHL services support DDP on your account, such as:

• DHL Express Worldwide
• DHL Parcel International (if applicable)
• DHL eCommerce / Parcel Direct (if available)

Not all DHL services support DDP, even if the account itself is DDP-enabled.

Countries with DDP Restrictions

Certain countries do not support DHL's DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) service. For these destinations, only DDU options are available, which means the customer pays duties upon delivery.

Countries where DDP may not be available include:

• Israel (DDU only)
• Saudi Arabia
• Other countries with customs restrictions

If you ship to these destinations and require DDP, you'll need to use an alternative carrier.

Weight and Value Limits

DHL international services have destination-specific limits that may cause "No Service" if exceeded:

• Weight limits – Generally 44 lbs (20kg) for most destinations; some routes may have lower limits
• Declared value limits – Vary by country (e.g., $3,500 CAD for Canada, $1,000 AUD for Australia, $2,500 USD for many other destinations)

Common Reasons for DHL "No Service"

1. DDP service not available – Your account is set to DDP-only, but the destination country doesn't support it
2. Service not enabled on your DHL account – Contact your DHL representative to verify which services are enabled for specific routes
3. Package exceeds limits – Weight or declared value is above DHL's threshold for that destination
4. Address formatting issues – Some countries don't use state/province fields; work with support if you encounter address validation errors

UPS

Size and Weight Limits

UPS has universal package limits that apply across most standard parcel services (including international air/express):

• Maximum weight per package: up to 70 kg (≈ 150 lbs)
• Maximum length: 274 cm (≈ 108 in)
• Maximum size (length + girth): 400 cm (≈ 165 in)

What happens when packages exceed limits:

• Exceeds maximum weight/size limits: UPS will typically reject the shipment or return error like "No Service" in the rating/label creation stage
• Exceeds dimensional limits but within max: Shipment might still be accepted, but may incur Large Package or handling surcharges
• Incorrect or "close to limits" entries: UPS systems may refuse services or offer no available service options

Value Limits (UPS Worldwide Economy)

Within specific UPS services like Worldwide Economy, UPS imposes value limits on DDP and DDU shipments:

• Maximum value for DDP packages: ~$800 USD (or local currency equivalent)
• Maximum value for DDU packages: ~$400 USD (or local currency equivalent)

Countries with Limited or No UPS Service

While UPS supports 220+ countries and territories globally, the following places are commonly reported as not serviced or having suspended services, which can lead to "No Service" errors:

• Bhutan
• Cook Islands
• East Timor (Timor-Leste)
• Fiji
• French Polynesia
• Kiribati
• Marshall Islands
• Palau
• Papua New Guinea
• Solomon Islands
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu
• Wallis and Futuna

Common Reasons for UPS "No Service"

1. Package exceeds size/weight limits – Dimensions or weight exceed UPS standard parcel limits
2. Declared value exceeds service limits – Value exceeds $800 (DDP) or $400 (DDU) for Worldwide Economy service
3. Destination not serviced – Shipping to a country with limited or suspended UPS service
4. Embargoed or restricted destination – Destination is under international embargo or has special restrictions
5. Prohibited item detection – Shipment contains items that cannot be shipped internationally

Additional Considerations

• Limited liability: UPS limits liability to $100, so purchase additional insurance for higher-value items
• Honest declaration required: Always declare contents honestly, as mislabeling can result in account suspension or termination

FedEx

Size and Weight Limits

For most FedEx international parcel services (e.g., International Priority, International Economy) the general limits are:

• Maximum length: ~274 cm / ~108 in
• Maximum combined length + girth: ~330 cm (girth = 2×width + 2×height)
• Maximum weight: ~68 kg (~150 lbs) per individual parcel

Declared Value Limits

Standard declared value caps for most FedEx international services:

• Standard parcel/express: USD $50,000 per shipment
• Freight services: USD $100,000 per shipment
• FedEx Envelope / FedEx Pak: USD $100 per shipment
• Certain unique or high-value categories: USD $1,000 per shipment without special programs

Countries FedEx Does Not Service

FedEx publishes coverage exclusions — countries and territories where FedEx does not serve international express services. Attempting to create a shipment to these destinations will typically produce no eligible services — effectively a "No Service" condition:

• Comoros
• Cuba
• Falkland Islands
• Iran
• Johnston Island
• Korea, North
• Kiribati
• Nauru
• Niue
• St. Helena
• St. Pierre & Miquelon
• Sao Tome & Principe
• Solomon Islands
• Sudan
• Tajikistan
• Tokelau Islands
• Tuvalu
• Wake Islands

Common Reasons for FedEx "No Service"

1. Package exceeds size/weight limits – Dimensions or weight exceed FedEx standard parcel limits
2. Declared value exceeds service limits – Value exceeds allowed limits for the selected service type
3. Destination not serviced – Shipping to a country with no FedEx international express service
4. Prohibited item detection – Shipment contains items that cannot be shipped internationally
5. Export compliance issues – Items require special licenses or documentation not provided

Additional Requirements

FedEx international shipments must comply with the following requirements:

• EEI filing: Shipments over $2,500 require Electronic Export Information (EEI) filing
• Customs documentation: Customs documents must be completed for all international shipments
• Dangerous goods packaging: Dangerous goods cannot be shipped in FedEx packaging (with limited exceptions)
• Export licenses: Export licenses may be required depending on contents and destination

USPS

Weight & Size Limits by Service

USPS does not use a single destination-specific cutoff for most markets — instead, each service and country's rules (published in the USPS International Mail Manual) define limits.

📦 First-Class Package International Service (FCPIS)

• Max weight: 4 lbs (64 oz)
• Max length: 24″ (longest side)
• Max combined length + height + depth: 36″
• Rolls/Tubes: Max length 36″; max length + 2×diameter 42″

📦 Priority Mail International (PMI)

• Max weight (by weight pricing): 70 lbs
• Flat rate: max 4 lbs for small flat rate; 20 lbs for medium/large flat rate boxes
• Max combined length + girth: ~108″

📦 Priority Mail Express International (PMEI)

• Max weight: 70 lbs
• Flat rate envelope: 4 lbs
• Max combined length + girth: ~108″

DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) Availability

USPS offers Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) on select international shipments. This lets the sender prepay import duties and taxes so recipients are not charged at delivery — but:

• DDP is not available for all services; USPS DDP works only with:
  • Priority Mail Express International
  • Priority Mail International
  • First-Class Package International Service
• DDP is available only to select foreign countries (e.g., Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom are cited as supported, with more in individual country lists)
• DDP is not available for: First-Class Mail International (letters/flats), International Priority Airmail, M-bag services, and any the destination's country rules disallow

Declared Value vs. Insurance

USPS allows packages to have a declared value (used to determine carrier liability). The specific liability coverage depends on service and extra services purchased:

• USPS indemnity (liability) coverage: Through declared value on international shipments can go up to $5,000 maximum
• Extra insurance coverage: You can also purchase extra insurance coverage up to $5,000 where supported, in addition to or based on declared value

Country-Specific Restrictions

USPS international shipping is subject to destination country regulations and U.S. government restrictions:

• Sanctioned countries: USPS cannot ship to countries sanctioned by OFAC without special permits
• Import laws: Each destination country has its own import laws and prohibited items
• Country listings: Check the Individual Country Listings on USPS.com for specific restrictions before shipping

Common Reasons for USPS "No Service"

1. Package exceeds service limits – Weight or dimensions exceed limits for the selected USPS service
2. Country-specific limits exceeded – Destination country has lower limits than general USPS service limits
3. DDP not available – Account configured for DDP-only, but destination or service doesn't support it
4. Sanctioned destination – Destination is under OFAC sanctions without proper permits
5. Prohibited item detection – Shipment contains items that cannot be shipped internationally

Additional Requirements

• Customs forms: All international packages require detailed customs forms
• Accurate declaration: Accurate declaration of contents is mandatory
• Domestic prohibitions apply: Items prohibited domestically cannot be shipped internationally