Indefinite Suspension of the De Minimis Exemption for Mail Shipments and New Postal Informal Entry Process; Delayed Compliance Extension
Key claim: U.S. Customs is giving businesses more time before certain international mail packages—those needing other-agency clearance, extra duties, or special duty-free claims—must go through full formal entry instead of the old low-value shortcut.
Abstract
(Rule · Homeland Security Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection) This document announces that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will extend the compliance date for the regulatory provisions mandating the formal entry of merchandise arriving through the international postal network that is subject to partner government agency requirements, subject to duties under Chapter 98 or Chapter 99 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), or for which duty-free treatment is claimed under Chapter 98 of the HTSUS or pursuant to a Free Trade Agreement, which were published in the Federal Register on June 24, 2026. We believe the public will benefit from more time to prepare for compliance with these changes.
Why this matters
The de minimis suspension is one of the most consequential recent shifts in U.S. customs practice, pulling hundreds of millions of low-value parcels into formal/informal entry. A compliance-date extension signals that CBP and shippers are still building the operational plumbing for mail — particularly for parcels that need FDA/USDA review, additional duty assessment, or special duty-free claims. The delay keeps consumer-facing cost and delivery effects muted for a bit longer in the postal channel.