U.S. Customs Extends Postal Package Declaration Grace Period to January 20, 2027
U.S. Customs has extended the compliance deadline for formal declarations of low-value international postal packages, but has not restored duty-free treatment.
What are the key facts?
- 1U.S. Customs extends the compliance grace period for formal declarations of low-value international postal packages
- 2Compliance deadline extended from October 22, 2026, to January 20, 2027
- 3The change does not restore duty-free treatment for low-value packages
What happened?
U.S. Customs and Border Protection previously ended duty-free treatment for low-value packages in the international postal network and required certain goods to use more complete declaration procedures. The goods covered include those subject to requirements from other regulatory agencies, goods involving duties under Chapters 98 or 99 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), or goods claiming duty-free treatment under a free trade agreement. The original compliance date was October 22, 2026, and the latest rule extends the relevant compliance deadline to January 20, 2027. The change primarily affects cross-border sellers, importers, customs brokers, and logistics service providers shipping to the United States through international postal channels when the goods require regulatory declarations or special tariff treatment. The extension is intended to provide more time to prepare systems, data fields, and internal processes, but does not restore duty-free treatment for low-value packages. The information comes from a U.S. government notice.
What does this mean for cross-border sellers?
Sellers shipping to the United States through international postal channels whose goods require declarations to other regulatory agencies, duties under HTSUS Chapters 98 or 99, or free-trade-agreement duty-free claims have more time to improve their declaration systems, data fields, and internal processes. The compliance deadline is extended to January 20, 2027, but this does not restore duty-free treatment for low-value packages; sellers must continue preparing for applicable duties and declarations.
What should sellers do now?
- 1This week, identify all listings shipped to the United States through international postal channels that involve other regulatory agencies or duties under HTSUS Chapters 98 or 99. Check the declaration fields for each listing and create a missing-item checklist so the scope of system preparation is traceable.HS duty estimate
- 2This week, retain both formal-declaration and duty-free-treatment checks in the U.S. international postal order process. Confirm free-trade-agreement claim documentation with the customs broker and issue an internal operating note stating that duty-free treatment has not been restored.