Cross-border selling · USD 800 exemption · all countries · all modes
US de minimis suspension
The USD 800 duty-free threshold is suspended for all countries and transport modes. Low-price parcels now carry a customs step.
Key facts
| Status | The USD 800 de minimis exemption is suspended for all countries and all transport modes |
|---|---|
| Enforcement | CBP began enforcing the suspension on 2025-08-29; guidance was updated through 2026 |
| Effect | Duty applies from the first dollar, and an entry plus carrier or broker handling fee usually applies |
| Postal shipments | International postal shipments are covered; postal processing rules were updated in 2026 |
| Who is exposed | Direct-to-consumer sellers, especially low-price SKUs where handling is a large share of value |
| Official source | CBP e-commerce FAQs and Federal Register notices |
The USD 800 assumption is gone
Price lists built on the old assumption treat a small parcel as duty-free and ignore the entry cost. After the suspension, the same parcel needs a customs step: duty from the first dollar, plus the carrier or broker fee that comes with an entry. The fee is largely fixed per shipment, so it hurts cheap products far more than expensive ones.
Ask your carrier or broker for a landed-cost quote on a representative parcel, including the entry fee, rather than estimating duty alone. The difference between a USD 12 item and a USD 120 item is not the duty percentage; it is how much of the fixed handling cost each unit has to absorb.
Reprice or re-bundle the low-value SKUs
There are three honest responses: raise the price to cover the new landed cost, bundle low-value items into a shipment where the fixed cost is spread, or stop selling the SKU direct-to-consumer. What does not work is keeping the old price and discovering the gap in the first settlement.
Model the change per unit using the landed-cost calculator with the duty rate for the HTS code and the actual freight. Add the entry or broker fee as a separate line, then compare the old and new contribution before changing the listing.
Frequently asked questions
Is there still a duty-free threshold for US imports?
No. The USD 800 de minimis is suspended for all countries and modes, so duty applies from the first dollar. Check current CBP and Federal Register notices for scope and any exclusions.
Does the suspension apply to postal shipments?
Yes. International postal shipments are covered, and CBP updated postal processing rules in 2026. Confirm the current procedure with your carrier.
Is there import VAT in the US?
No federal VAT. Sales tax is set by states and collected at the point of sale, often by the marketplace under facilitator laws.
Do I need a customs bond?
Formal entries above the low-value limit generally require a bond, and carriers or brokers often arrange one. The requirement depends on entry type; confirm with your broker.
Ask a compliance question
Free first answer by email. Tell us the destination, the product and the channel — we will point you to the rule and the official source. No obligation, no sales sequence.