U.S. Suspends Duty-Free Treatment for Non-Postal Channels Under $800 Indefinitely
U.S. Customs has officially suspended the duty-free policy for low-value shipments via non-postal channels, requiring formal customs declaration for all such goods. This move will directly increase sellers’ customs clearance costs and efficiency pressure, and it's recommended that sellers switch to postal small parcels or DDP delivery modes as soon as possible.
What are the key facts?
- 1Effective from July 12, 2026
- 2Applicable to packages ≤ $800
- 3Non-international postal channels
What happened?
As of July 12, 2026, U.S. Customs will indefinitely suspend the duty-free treatment for packages valued at $800 or less imported via non-international postal channels. All related goods will require formal customs declaration. This policy will affect sellers who rely on non-postal channels, resulting in increased customs clearance costs and more complicated processing. Thus, sellers need to promptly assess their logistics strategies to ensure compliance with the new rules and prevent delays and cost increases.
What does this mean for cross-border sellers?
Logistics costs will rise significantly, and sellers need to reassess their pricing strategies and logistics channel choices to adapt to compliance cost increases. Top priority: Switch to postal small parcels or DDP shipping to maintain competitiveness.