Shipping Guide · Updated October 2026
US de minimis is suspended: what importers of Chinese goods pay now
The $800 duty-free threshold that carried most cross-border e-commerce into the United States is gone — for every country, with no return date. This guide walks through what is actually collected, by which channel, at which threshold, and what regular buyers from China can do about it.
Quick answer: the $800 duty-free de minimis exemption is suspended since 29 August 2025 — for all countries, not just China. Every parcel now clears with duties: couriers bill duty on full value plus fees, mail pays ad valorem since the flat-duty window closed on 28 February 2026, and informal entry covers shipments up to $2,500.
- Executive action suspended the duty-free de minimis exemption (19 U.S.C. 1321) effective 29 August 2025 for all countries; a February 2026 continuing order and a June 2026 Federal Register rule keep the suspension in force as of October 2026.
- No value escapes duty now: the old $800 threshold exempts nothing, and the gift carve-out is gone.
- Commercial couriers charge duty on full declared value plus the flat informal-entry Merchandise Processing Fee and their brokerage or disbursement fees — billed to the consignee before delivery.
- Postal shipments rode a temporary flat duty of $80, $160 or $200 per item by origin-rate tier; that window closed on 28 February 2026, and mail now pays ad valorem duty before delivery.
- Shipments up to $2,500 clear under Type 11 informal entry — no customs bond; above that, formal entry and a bond apply.
- Consolidating small orders into one LCL or FCL shipment spreads the fixed fees across more cargo — the math now favors fewer, bigger shipments.
What was suspended, and when
De minimis was the statutory exemption in 19 U.S.C. 1321 that let shipments under $800 enter the US without duties and with minimal paperwork. The executive order "Suspending Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment for All Countries", signed 30 July 2025, ended that treatment for every origin country effective 29 August 2025 — the White House order and CBP's factsheet carry the exact mechanics. A February 2026 continuing order and a June 2026 Federal Register rule keep the suspension in force, so nothing reverted in 2026.
Two dates matter in practice. 29 August 2025 is when commercial couriers started collecting duty on full value — no transition. 28 February 2026 is when the postal channel's flat-duty bridge closed and mail moved to value-based duties as well. The gift carve-out that existed under the old regime did not survive the suspension.
How duties are collected, channel by channel
The exemption is gone everywhere, but the mechanics differ by how the cargo moves. The consignee feels the difference as paperwork and fees:
| Channel | Entry path | Who collects | What the consignee pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Express and courier (DHL, UPS, FedEx) | Type 11 informal entry to $2,500; formal entry with bond above | The courier's brokerage, before delivery | Duty on full value, plus the flat informal MPF, plus the courier's disbursement or brokerage fee |
| Postal and mail | New postal informal entry for mail to $2,500 | The postal operator, before handover | Ad valorem duty at the applicable rate — the flat-per-item option expired 28 February 2026 |
| Sea freight (LCL and FCL) | Formal entry with bond, filed by the customs broker | CBP via your broker of record | Duty plus MPF plus port and entry fees — itemized in the quote, filed against your importer number |
Duty rates themselves depend on the HS code and any China-specific measures — confirm per product with your broker. The channel table describes process, not rates.
The postal flat-duty window, and why it closed
Postal networks could not collect value-based duties overnight, so CBP allowed a bridge: from 29 August 2025, mail could enter against a flat per-item duty of $80 for origin countries with an effective rate below 16%, $160 for 16–25%, and $200 above 25% — per CBP's factsheet. China-origin parcels sat in the top tier. The bridge closed on 28 February 2026; mail now pays ad valorem duty on full declared value before delivery, through the new postal informal-entry process for shipments to $2,500.
The disruption before that date was real: postal operators across Europe, India and Japan suspended US-bound service in August 2025 until the new collection rules were in place. Mail volumes recovered only as operators rebuilt duty collection into the flow.
What a parcel costs now
Take a $1,200 machine part shipped by courier from Shenzhen. The duty is the applicable HTS rate plus any China-specific measure, applied to the full $1,200 — confirm the rate per HS code before ordering. On top of the duty come the flat informal-entry Merchandise Processing Fee and the courier's disbursement or brokerage fee, which varies by courier and service level. None of these existed on a sub-$800 parcel before 29 August 2025; all of them land on the consignee.
The same part inside a consolidated sea shipment shares one entry, one MPF and one clearance fee across everything in the container — which is why the per-parcel math now points toward fewer, bigger shipments. Even a $50 gift parcel is dutiable, so gifting routes offer no shortcut either.
Options for regular buyers from China
- Consolidate. Batch small orders into one LCL shipment and the fixed fees divide across the cargo instead of multiplying per parcel; past roughly 13–15 cbm, a full container starts winning on cost alone — our FCL vs LCL guide has the crossover math.
- Use DDP for urgent small batches. Air express with duties paid by the shipper side keeps the consignee's cost predictable, at a per-kg premium.
- Check the informal-entry ceiling. Splitting a $3,000 order into two $1,500 parcels does not avoid duty — both clear informally with duty due — but it can avoid the formal-entry bond. Structure deliberately, not by accident.
- Keep the consignee reachable. Couriers call for duty payment; unanswered calls become returns, storage charges or abandoned cargo.
The per-parcel era of China-to-US shipping ended on 29 August 2025. What replaces it is channel choice and consolidation — and a clearance chain that is quoted in full before the cargo moves. The FAQ below covers the rest.
Frequently asked questions
Is any de minimis exemption left?
No for parcels: the $800 exemption and the gift carve-out are both suspended. What remains is different in kind — travelers' personal-goods and gift allowances at the border (roughly $200 and $100), and informal-entry treatment, which still charges full duty and only simplifies the paperwork.
What is informal entry, and when can I use it?
Type 11 informal entry covers shipments valued at $2,500 or less: no customs bond and simplified filing. It still pays full duties plus a flat informal Merchandise Processing Fee — it is a paperwork shortcut, not a tax break.
Who pays the courier's brokerage fee?
The consignee. Couriers advance the duty and bill duty, the Merchandise Processing Fee and their disbursement or brokerage fee together before delivery. Consignees who cannot be reached or who refuse to pay get the parcel returned or abandoned.
Does this apply to gifts and samples?
Yes. Gift parcels and commercial samples below $2,500 clear by informal entry with duties due; the only duty-free paths left are the narrow traveler allowances.
How do I keep small China orders moving without fee shock?
Send the factory-ready date, the loading port and the destination, and we reply within 24 hours with a confirmed sailing, the CY cutoff in writing and an itemized all-in quote — including whether consolidating your parcels into one shipment beats paying per-parcel fees.
Ready to ship after de minimis?
Tell us what you are shipping and where it needs to go. We will come back with a clear rate and a straight answer.