De minimis mail rule: what changes for postal shipments on October 22

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What changed

On June 24, 2026, CBP published two interim final rules. One codified the indefinite suspension of the $800 de minimis exemption for goods arriving by every mode except the postal network. That suspension has applied since August 29, 2025 under Executive Order 14324, and CBP says the rule "does not, in practice, change the existing suspension." The other rule suspended de minimis for mail on the same indefinite basis and created a new postal informal entry process for mail shipments valued at $2,500 or less, effective July 24, 2026. Under that process the filer sends CBP a spreadsheet of the month's shipments and pays through Pay.gov by the 7th day of the month after the goods arrive, and a basic customs bond is required.

The mail rule included a short grace period. Its compliance date for 19 CFR 145.12(a)(2)(v) and (vi) is October 22, 2026. Until then, CBP lets mail shipments that are subject to PGA requirements, owe duties under Chapter 98 or 99 of the US tariff schedule, or claim duty-free treatment under Chapter 98 or a free trade agreement use the new postal informal entry. CBP's mail guidance (updated July 6, 2026) says: "Effective October 22, 2026, merchandise ineligible for the new postal informal entry process must be entered under another appropriate entry process, such as an entry type 13 or formal entry."

Shipments over $2,500, goods under quota and goods subject to antidumping or countervailing duties already need a formal entry.

Separately, on October 8, 2026, CBP proposed a further rule on low-value shipments, with a new electronic informal entry type for mail and bonding requirements for some informal entries. Comments are due December 7, 2026. It is a proposal and not in force yet.

What it means for your business

Section 301 tariffs on Chinese goods are collected under Chapter 99. So after October 22, goods from China that arrive by mail and owe those tariffs can no longer use the postal informal entry, where the filer sends CBP a monthly spreadsheet and pays through Pay.gov by the 7th day of the following month. Someone has to file a type 13 entry or a formal entry for each shipment instead.

For small importers and direct-to-customer sellers, that usually adds a broker fee per entry on top of the duty. On a low-value parcel, a fixed fee can cost more than the duty itself, so small, frequent mail orders from China get more expensive per unit than one consolidated shipment.

Who is affected

• Importers and sellers who receive goods from China through international mail (for example China Post or EMS) that owe Section 301 tariffs.
• Anyone receiving mailed goods that need partner agency data (for example FDA or FCC requirements) or that claim USMCA or other free trade treatment.
• Already covered by other rules: courier and freight shipments, which have been outside de minimis since August 29, 2025 under Executive Order 14324 (the June 24, 2026 rule codified that suspension), and mail shipments over $2,500, which need a formal entry.

What to do now

1. Ask each supplier how orders that ship after October 22 will travel. If they use the postal network, ask who files the entry and what it costs.
2. If you use a customs broker, ask whether they can file Entry Type 13 for mail, or a formal entry, and what they charge per entry.
3. Compare one consolidated courier or freight shipment against many small parcels once the per-entry fee is included.
4. Rerun your cost per unit with the full duty stack and the entry fee in the landed cost calculator (prefilled with the 40.9% duty example from our tracker).
5. We keep the China tariffs tracker current, including de minimis.

General information, not legal, tax or customs advice. Rules change often: check the official sources above or a licensed customs broker before you act. SuanSupply is not affiliated with any government agency or marketplace named here.

Correction (October 13, 2026): An earlier version said courier and freight shipments lost de minimis on June 24, 2026. The suspension has applied since August 29, 2025 under Executive Order 14324; the June 24, 2026 rule codified it. We also added the postal informal entry payment deadline (the 7th day of the following month, through Pay.gov) and the basic bond requirement, and removed an unsourced mention of a 12.5% forced-labor tariff.