U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has changed the rules for international mail shipments entering the United States. According to the interim final rule published in the Federal Register, the previous de minimis exemption that allowed many merchandise shipments valued at $800 or less to enter without import duties is no longer available for goods arriving through the international postal network.
Under the new rules, eligible postal shipments valued at $2,500 or less may use a new postal informal entry process. This process requires additional customs information about the product, its origin and its classification before the shipment can be released. The same rules apply to qualifying postal shipments sent from Canada to customers in the United States, including orders placed with Canadian online pharmacies.
Key Dates of the New Postal Import Rules
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| August 29, 2025 | The general de minimis exemption suspension began for qualifying low-value imports. |
| June 24, 2026 | CBP formally added the indefinite suspension of the de minimis exemption for international postal shipments to its regulations. |
| July 24, 2026 | The new postal informal entry process became effective. |
| October 22, 2026 | Additional requirements begin for certain categories of merchandise that temporarily continued under the postal informal entry process. |
| July 1, 2027 | The statutory authority for the general Section 321 de minimis exemption is scheduled to end. |
The October 22, 2026 date does not mean that the $800 exemption ends on that day. The general exemption has already been suspended. This date only affects certain categories of shipments that require additional customs procedures.
Suspension of the $800 De Minimis Exemption
Previously, qualifying merchandise valued at $800 or less could often enter the United States through the de minimis exemption without standard customs entry procedures and without import duties.
For international postal shipments, this treatment is no longer available. A package does not avoid customs duties simply because its value is below $800. This also applies when the package is mailed from Canada; there is no separate $800 de minimis allowance for orders sent by a Canadian pharmacy or another Canadian seller.
The customs treatment of a shipment now depends on several factors, including:
- the type of merchandise;
- the country of origin;
- the HTSUS classification;
- the applicable tariff rules.
The declared value of the package remains important, but it is only one part of the customs review process.
Postal Informal Entry Process for Shipments Up to $2,500
International mail shipments valued at $2,500 or less may now qualify for a new postal informal entry process when they meet the required customs conditions. This procedure is designed for eligible merchandise sent through the international postal network and provides a simplified way to complete the necessary import steps.
The $2,500 limit should not be confused with a duty-free allowance. It only determines whether the shipment may use this type of customs entry. Applicable duties and other import requirements can still apply depending on the merchandise, its origin and the rules that apply to the product.
Required Customs Information
The new process requires more detailed information about the shipment than was previously needed for many low-value imports. The customs filing must include information such as:
- description of the merchandise;
- country of origin;
- 10-digit HTSUS classification;
- customs value;
- applicable duty rate;
- total duty amount;
- foreign postal tracking number;
- carrier information;
- arrival information.
This information allows CBP to identify the product, determine the correct tariff classification and calculate any applicable customs charges.
Customs Classification and Country of Origin
Each product must be properly classified under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). The classification determines the tariff category and helps identify whether additional import requirements apply.
The country of origin must also be reported. For orders shipped by a Canadian online pharmacy, Canada is not necessarily the country of origin of every medication in the package. A medicine can be dispensed and mailed from Canada while having been manufactured in another country, and customs treatment may depend on the actual origin of the product rather than the location of the pharmacy sending it.
Authorized Customs Filers
The postal informal entry must be submitted by a party authorized to complete customs entry. This may include:
- the owner of the merchandise;
- the purchaser of the merchandise;
- a licensed customs broker authorized by the appropriate party.
A company involved only in transportation or delivery does not automatically have the authority to complete customs filing.
Customs Bond Requirement
Shipments using the new postal informal entry process require a customs bond before release. The filer may use:
- a single transaction bond covering one shipment;
- a continuous bond covering multiple import transactions.
The bond provides security for customs obligations connected with the importation, including applicable duties and compliance requirements.
Duty Calculation and Payment
Any applicable import duties are determined during the customs review of the shipment. The calculation depends on the type of product being imported, its HTSUS classification, country of origin and customs value.
The new postal process changes how these charges are handled. Instead of the recipient paying customs fees at the post office when receiving the package, the required customs information and duty payment are completed through the entry process used for the shipment.
Shipments Requiring Formal Entry
Not every international mail shipment can use the postal informal entry process. Formal entry may be required for:
- shipments exceeding the applicable value limit;
- merchandise subject to quotas;
- goods subject to antidumping or countervailing duties;
- certain Chapter 98 or Chapter 99 HTSUS merchandise;
- products requiring review by another government agency;
- certain duty-free treatment claims.
CBP may also require formal entry for a shipment of any value when additional review is necessary.
October 22, 2026 Compliance Changes
Beginning October 22, 2026, certain shipments will no longer be able to continue using the standard postal informal entry process. This applies to categories involving:
- Partner Government Agency (PGA) requirements;
- certain Chapter 98 and Chapter 99 provisions;
- certain Free Trade Agreement claims.
These shipments may require formal entry or another available customs procedure depending on the merchandise and applicable requirements. This date can be particularly relevant to healthcare products because prescription drugs and certain other medical products may be subject to requirements administered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in addition to CBP rules.
Entry Type 13 Process
CBP is introducing Entry Type 13 as a voluntary electronic process for certain qualifying international mail shipments. Entry Type 13 does not restore the previous $800 de minimis exemption. It only provides another possible customs process for eligible shipments that meet the required conditions.
Partner Government Agency Requirements
Some products imported into the United States are subject to requirements from agencies other than CBP. Prescription drugs and other FDA-regulated products are one example. When these products reach an international mail facility, CBP may refer them to FDA for review under the rules that apply to the particular product.
The shipment value does not remove these obligations. A medication sent from Canada can therefore be subject to both the new CBP customs procedure and separate FDA requirements. The new de minimis rules change how the package is entered and how applicable customs charges are handled; they do not create a new exemption from FDA requirements or independently authorize the importation of a prescription drug.
Orders Shipped From Canadian Online Pharmacies
For U.S. customers using a Canadian online pharmacy, the most noticeable change is the loss of the previous $800 de minimis treatment for qualifying postal orders. A medication order does not remain duty-free simply because its total value is below $800 or because the package is mailed from Canada.
Orders valued at $2,500 or less may still qualify for the new postal informal entry process, but the shipment must meet the conditions for that procedure. Customs processing can take into account the medication or other product being shipped, its HTSUS classification, value and actual country of origin. If an order contains products manufactured outside Canada, their customs treatment may therefore differ from products that are actually of Canadian origin.
Prescription medications also remain subject to U.S. drug-import rules separately from the customs changes described here. FDA states that imported drug shipments may be reviewed at international mail facilities, and its personal importation policy continues to apply independently of the new CBP process. The removal of de minimis treatment does not by itself make a medication eligible or ineligible for entry; customs and FDA requirements are considered separately.
Rules for Separate Packages
Separate packages from the same order are not automatically combined only because they arrive together or have a combined value above $2,500. However, CBP may review shipments differently when packages were intentionally divided to avoid customs requirements or duties.
Remaining Section 321 Exemptions
The new rule suspends the general merchandise de minimis exemption but does not remove all Section 321 exemptions. Separate exemptions remain for:
- bona fide gifts, generally up to $100, or up to $200 for certain qualifying U.S. island possessions;
- certain personal or household articles accompanying travelers, up to $200 when requirements are met.
These exemptions apply to specific situations and do not replace the previous general allowance for ordinary international purchases, including purchases made from an online pharmacy.
Practical Impact for International Orders
For customers receiving packages from outside the United States, the main change is that low-value shipments are no longer automatically exempt from customs duties.
International orders may now require additional customs information, product classification and review before delivery. For a Canadian pharmacy order, the process can depend on the medication being shipped, its actual country of origin, the value of the package and any FDA or other U.S. import requirements that apply to the product.
The change therefore affects the customs side of Canadian pharmacy deliveries without replacing the existing rules that govern whether a particular medication may enter the United States.