Is the US $800 De Minimis Exemption Gone in 2026? What China Consolidation Shoppers & Small Sellers Need to Know

The US $800 de minimis exemption has seen major changes in 2025-2026. If you ship from China to the US as an overseas Chinese student, expat, or small seller, you’ve probably asked: Do I need to pay duty now? How much does it actually cost? And how should I declare my parcels? This guide sums up the timeline, fees, declaration essentials, and what you can do to avoid surprises. We base everything on public notices from CBP and the Federal Register, but always double-check the latest official announcements.

1. Timeline: From exemption to the new process

• February 2025: The US first announced its intention to end the de minimis exemption for low-value packages.
• May 2, 2025: The exemption for packages from China and Hong Kong below $800 officially ended.
• August 29, 2025: The US paused the de minimis exemption for all countries, meaning every low-value parcel now needs to follow the new rules.
• 2026: The executive order took effect. The T86 clearance channel was shut down, replaced by CBP’s new postal small-package entry process (Entry Type 13 pilot) with full electronic filing and fee settlement.

The old “under $800, no duty” benefit is no longer available. In its place is a more transparent declaration and billing process.

2. What fees apply now?

Under the new rules, a small package may include these costs:

• Duty: Based on the product category and value, set by the US Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS).
• Applicable processing fees: CBP may charge a fixed or minimum amount per entry.
• Customs brokerage fee: If you use an express carrier or a consolidation service that files customs for you, there may be a per-shipment fee. Mail channels may have CBP settle charges at the time of arrival.
• Advance payment fee: If the line is DDU (delivered duty unpaid), the carrier may pay the duty for you and add a small service charge.

Express carriers usually include estimated duties in the quoted price (DDP, delivered duty paid), so the recipient doesn’t need to pay separately. Many postal or economy lines are DDU, which means the recipient must pay duty before delivery. Always check whether your consolidation line is “duty included.”

3. Combined shipments and declaring accurately

When you combine multiple items into one box, the declared value is the total of all items, not each separately. This will affect the duty basis and directly tie to your insurance coverage. If you deliberately under-declare, you may only get compensation up to the declared amount or even no payout at all.

The right move is to declare the actual paid price for each item. Even if the combined value exceeds a threshold and duty is due, it’s far better than risking customs holds, fines, and loss of protection. In your consolidation platform, you can usually list the name, quantity, and value of each item during the “declaration” step.

Quick reference table

4. What buyers and sellers should do

For individual buyers (overseas Chinese, students)

• Use a shipping calculator to input declared value, weight, and size before ordering. Pick a line that includes duty (DDP) so you see the total landed cost upfront.
• If your parcel is of high value, buy insurance at the real value. Don’t under-declare just to save duty.
• Track each milestone: warehouse arrival, quote, dispatch, customs status.

For small sellers / independent shops shipping to the US

• Build customs costs into your product prices, or switch to DDP lines to avoid customer complaints about extra taxes.
• Consider moving from per-order direct mail to periodic consolidation + batch customs clearance to reduce overall costs.
• Use a route finder tool to discover US-bound channels that are duty-included and trackable.

5. Common myths (FAQ)

Q: Are packages under $800 still duty-free?
No, the exemption is currently suspended. All low-value parcels must follow the new filing rules, and CBP decides whether duty is due.

Q: Can I save duty by under-declaring?
No. Under-declaration is misdeclaration. It can cause delays, fines, and even confiscation. And insurance coverage will be limited accordingly.

Q: Who pays the duty?
It depends on the line. DDP lines collect duty as part of the shipping quote. DDU lines require the recipient to pay before delivery.

Q: Why is there a “customs brokerage fee” in my quote?
That is a per-shipment service fee charged by the logistics provider for filing the electronic entry – not the duty itself.

Customs policy is changing fast. Before you place an order, check the latest rules on the CBP website or ask your consolidation service. Our shipping calculator can help you estimate your total cost from declared value; try the route finder to filter duty-included lines; or sign up and get transparent quotes based on actual dimensions after your package arrives at the warehouse.

Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. It is based on public announcements as of early 2026. US customs rules may change at any time, so always refer to the official CBP website for the latest updates.