Advisory: U.S. de minimis is ending – what to know (and do)

Effective date: August 29, 2025 (12:01 a.m. ET) — the U.S. has suspended duty-free de minimis treatment under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C) for low-value imports from all countries. Most shipments that previously entered duty-free at ≤ $800 are now dutiable and must meet full admissibility requirements.

For more background and an overview of steps ecommerce businesses can take to adapt to these market changes, 👉 see our advisory blog post.

What happened

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  • As of August 29, 2025, the United States no longer offers duty-free treatment on imports valued under $800. All packages—regardless of size or cost—are now potentially subject to customs duties.
  • The decision stems from an Executive Order signed on July 30, 2025 which triggered the change.

Why it matters

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  • In 2024 alone there were over 1.36 billion shipments to the USA that came under the de minimis exemption. These changes are likely to significantly alter the number of low-value imports into the USA, and add additional cost and administrative overhead for future shipments
  • Many postal services (like Royal Mail, Deutsche Post, Australia Post) have paused shipments to the U.S. temporarily while they adjust their processes.
  • Private carriers, including UPS and DHL Express, are continuing normal operations. While their shipments are also subject to new duties, they have robust systems in place to manage customs clearance.
  • Longer customs processing times are expected, potentially causing delayed deliveries.
  • As a shop owner, you may need to make some changes to your operations to manage your shopper’s expectations, and control your costs.

How duties work now

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  • Non-postal (courier/freight) shipments: must go through customs entry—duties, taxes, and fees apply. You can structure your shipping terms so that either you cover these costs (Delivered Duty Paid, DDP) or your customer pays them on delivery (Delivered Duty Unpaid, DDU).”
    • Delivered Duty Paid (DDP): You, the seller, collect and pay all duties, taxes, and fees for the shipment upfront. Your buyer sees the full landed cost at checkout and won’t face surprise charges on delivery.
    • Delivered Duty Unpaid (DDU): You ship the order without covering duties/taxes. The buyer pays these charges on arrival, which can cause delays, extra costs, or unhappy customers.
  • Postal shipments: Once postal services adjust their workflows and resume U.S. deliveries, merchants should expect higher postage costs. That’s because postal carriers must now pre-collect U.S. duties at the point of shipping, bundling those charges into the label price.

How WooCommerce stores can adapt

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Stores selling & shipping into the USA:

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  • Switch to DDP (Delivered Duty Paid): Implement duty/tax estimates at checkout via one of our trusted partners, so your shoppers can see and pay the full landed cost up front.
  • Use HTS codes, product value, and country of origin to get accurate duties.
  • Communicate clearly: Let customers know upfront that international shipping now includes customs duties and could take longer.

USA based stores

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  • If you’re importing your inventory from abroad, being transparent with your customers about any delays or cost increases as a result of these changes can help maintain a strong relationship with your shoppers.
  • This could be a good moment to step up your marketing and take advantage of lower competition from international sellers.