The 800 USD threshold is gone
The de minimis duty-free limit has been suspended since 29 August 2025, and the suspension has been extended indefinitely. Expect that duties and fees can be assessed on a parcel of any value.
Since August 2025 the USA has suspended the 800 USD duty-free threshold - duties and fees now apply to almost every parcel. The good news: with UPS and FedEx courier delivery the customs entry is filed by the carrier itself, and you provide all declaration data online when you book with YouSend.
To Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia — the rest of Europe is coming soon.
Since August 2025 the USA has suspended the 800 USD duty-free threshold - duties and fees now apply to almost every parcel. The good news: with UPS and FedEx courier delivery the customs entry is filed by the carrier itself, and you provide all declaration data online when you book with YouSend.
Four facts that define shipping a parcel to the USA in 2026.
The de minimis duty-free limit has been suspended since 29 August 2025, and the suspension has been extended indefinitely. Expect that duties and fees can be assessed on a parcel of any value.
Courier shipments clear US customs through the electronic entry system, and the entry is filed by the carrier acting as a customs broker. The sender needs no access to US systems and no broker of their own.
Assessed duties and fees are billed by the carrier to the US recipient - usually with an online invoice before delivery. Warn the recipient that such an invoice may arrive.
The rate is set by the commodity code and the country of origin, so no one can name an exact amount in advance. The decision is made by US customs based on the declaration data.
What exactly changed and what the recipient payment consists of.
Until August 2025 parcels worth up to 800 USD entered the USA duty-free. A presidential order suspended this threshold for all countries, and in 2026 the suspension was extended with no end date - customs processing and possible charges now apply to parcels of any value, gifts included.
The basis is the customs value: the price of the contents you state in the declaration. Customs applies a rate based on the commodity code and country of origin; processing fees may be added on top. That is why an honest value and a precise description matter - an understated figure leads to delays and reassessment.
If a payment is assessed, the carrier sends the recipient an invoice - usually a link to online payment before delivery. Once paid, the parcel moves on; customs statuses are visible via the tracking number.
The exact rate for a specific item is set by US customs. Our job is to pass on correct data. Yours is to describe the contents honestly and warn the recipient that an invoice may arrive.
The whole customs part is built into the normal booking - there is no separate customs step for the sender.
In the order form you describe the contents item by item: what it is, what it costs, how many pieces. Write the description in English, in plain everyday words.
The system builds a commercial invoice from your data and passes it to the carrier - FedEx receives the documents electronically, and UPS receives them together with the label. No customs forms to fill in by hand.
A UPS or FedEx courier comes to your address - home, office or warehouse. You print the label from your account and stick it on the parcel.
On the US side the carrier, acting as a customs broker, files the declaration. If duties are assessed, the recipient gets an invoice and pays online, after which the parcel is delivered. The whole journey is visible via the tracking number.
US customs works from the data you enter at booking. Check it before shipping - accuracy determines how fast the parcel clears.
The commercial invoice is generated from this data automatically - you do not prepare or print any customs forms yourself.
Some goods are stopped by US customs and agencies or require permits. Check the list before packing - returning a parcel from the USA costs more than sending it did.
UPS and FedEx express rates deliver in 1-3 business days, FedEx economy rates in 4-6 business days from pick-up. Customs processing usually fits within these times; a delay is possible if declaration data is incomplete or the recipient has not paid an assessed invoice.
The 800 USD duty-free threshold has been suspended since August 2025, and the suspension has been extended indefinitely - formally, duties and fees can be assessed on a parcel of any value. The final decision rests with US customs, which calculates the charge from the declaration data.
By default the US recipient: the carrier bills them, most often with an online payment link before delivery. Warn the recipient in advance so the invoice is not a surprise and the parcel does not sit at a depot waiting for payment.
There is no way to say exactly in advance: the rate depends on the commodity code and the country of origin, and it is calculated by US customs. One rule of thumb: the more honest the value and the more precise the description, the more predictable the outcome and the lower the risk of reassessment.
No. You enter the contents data at booking, YouSend builds the commercial invoice, and the declaration in the American system is filed by the carrier as a customs broker. No CN22 or CN23 forms are needed for courier delivery.
Plan for it: after the de minimis suspension there is effectively no separate relief for gifts, and customs may assess a charge on a gift too. A gift is declared just as honestly - what is inside and what it costs.
Via the tracking number: customs statuses are visible in tracking on our site and with the carrier. If customs needs clarifications or payment, the carrier contacts the recipient directly.
You pack the parcel, describe the contents honestly and give us the recipient details. We build the commercial invoice, pass it to the carrier and arrange courier pick-up at your address. The US customs entry is filed by the carrier.
Price UPS and FedEx delivery with up to 65% off: you enter customs data at booking, and the rest is handled by us and the carrier.
Price delivery to the USAStill have questions? Message a manager — we will help you choose the right option.
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