# Shipping a business parcel to the United States without de minimis

Since the end of August 2025, no parcel enters the United States duty-free under the 800-dollar threshold, whatever its country of origin. Every business parcel goes through a customs entry and may incur duties. You need an accurate commercial invoice, a tariff classification, the country of origin and a clear decision on who pays the duties: the recipient (DAP) or the shipper (DDP). Express carriers handle customs clearance end to end.

[Source](https://www.ovrsea.com/insights/en/guides/ship-parcel-to-united-states-customs)

Language: en
Updated: 2026-11-06

Since the end of August 2025, a parcel shipped to the United States no longer enters duty-free under the 800-dollar threshold, whatever its country of origin. For a European business, every commercial parcel therefore goes through a US customs entry and may incur duties. Three things prevent a parcel from being held: an accurate commercial invoice, a verified tariff classification and a decision, made before departure, on who pays the duties.

## What has changed for parcels shipped to the United States?

De minimis allowed shipments worth less than 800 dollars to be imported without duties or a full customs entry. It was removed in several stages.

| Date | Measure | Effect on parcels |
| --- | --- | --- |
| End of August 2025 | Executive Order 14324 of 30 July 2025 | De minimis suspended for all countries |
| 24 June 2026 | Two interim rules from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) | Suspension extended indefinitely, for postal, express and conventional freight shipments |
| 24 July 2026 | New simplified entry for postal shipments | Dedicated procedure for postal shipments up to 2,500 dollars |
| 1 July 2027 | US One Big Beautiful Bill Act of July 2025 | Exemption removed from the law |

Source: [KPMG, summary of the US customs rules](https://kpmg.com/us/en/taxnewsflash/news/2026/06/cbp-suspends-de-minimis-exemption.html), 23 June 2026. Express and conventional freight shipments now go through the usual entry procedures, formal or simplified depending on the case.

## Which documents should I prepare for a business parcel to the United States?

- A commercial invoice that describes the goods precisely, with their quantity, unit and total value, currency and country of origin. US customs [details the information expected on the invoice](https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1175?language=en_US).
- The tariff classification of the goods. The European and US codes share the first six digits of the Harmonized System, but not always the following ones (see [the HS code](https://www.ovrsea.com/insights/en/guides/hs-code-combined-nomenclature-taric)).
- The EORI number of the exporting company.
- The recipient's full details, including a phone number that can be reached for delivery and customs clearance.
- Any product-specific documents. Cosmetics, food and medical devices also fall under the FDA, the US health authority.

A "sample with no commercial value" must still show a value on the invoice. An undervalued shipment risks being held and having to be corrected.

## DAP or DDP: who should pay the duties on arrival?

| Option | Who pays duties and fees | What the recipient experiences | When to choose it |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| DAP (Delivered at Place) | The recipient | Pays duties and fees before delivery | A customer used to importing who prefers to handle it |
| DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) | The shipper | Receives the parcel without paying anything | Samples, key accounts, urgent shipments |

A DAP parcel whose recipient is not expecting charges is often held or returned to the shipper. DDP avoids this risk, but the shipper then needs to know the amount of duties in order to re-invoice it or build it into the price. The [Incoterms 2020](https://www.ovrsea.com/insights/en/guides/incoterms-2020-who-pays-what) guide covers the other options.

## How much are customs duties on a parcel to the United States?

There is no single rate. Duties depend on the product's US tariff classification, its origin and the measures in force on the date of import, which have changed often since 2025. Carrier or broker processing fees come on top. Do not use a generic rate in a budget: have the classification and rate of your products checked before the first shipment. The [import duties](https://www.ovrsea.com/insights/en/guides/import-duties-customs-calculate-reduce) guide explains how duties are calculated, with European examples.

## Express or postal: which channel for a business parcel?

| Criterion | National postal services | Express (DHL Express, FedEx, UPS) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Maximum weight per parcel | Lower than express | Higher, depending on the carrier and service |
| Customs clearance on arrival | Dedicated postal procedure since July 2026 | Handled by the carrier or its broker |
| Duties paid by the shipper | Depends on the offer | DDP option is common |
| Transit time | Variable | 24 to 48 hours with an express service, excluding customs |

For a few light samples with no urgency, the post remains an option. For a heavy parcel, high-value goods or a customer expecting a date, express limits holds because the carrier clears customs itself. The guide to [shipping a heavy parcel internationally](https://www.ovrsea.com/insights/en/guides/ship-heavy-parcel-internationally-business) compares solutions by weight.

## How does OVRSEA ship parcels to the United States?

OVRSEA, a digital freight forwarder, ships documents, parcels and small pallets to the United States with DHL Express, FedEx and UPS, from Europe or from another country, for example China. With the DDP option, we advance the duties and re-invoice them at cost: the US recipient receives the parcel with nothing to pay. Our rates are based on the combined volumes of all our customers, with no volume commitment. OVRSEA also has five offices in the United States, in New York, Miami, Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles, with integrated customs brokers, so you can move from parcels to air or ocean freight with the same contact as volumes grow. See also [choosing a freight forwarder for the United States](https://www.ovrsea.com/insights/en/guides/freight-forwarder-france-to-usa).

[Discover the OVRSEA parcel offer](https://www.ovrsea.com/insights/en/parcels)

## FAQ

### Does the 800-dollar threshold still apply to parcels shipped to the United States?

No. The 800-dollar de minimis exemption has been suspended for all countries since the end of August 2025. US customs extended this suspension indefinitely in June 2026, and US law removes the exemption from 1 July 2027. Every commercial parcel therefore goes through a customs entry.

### Who pays customs duties on a parcel shipped to the United States?

It depends on the option chosen. Under DAP, the US recipient pays duties and fees on delivery. Under DDP, the shipper covers them and the recipient receives the parcel without paying anything. For a business customer or a commercial sample, DDP often avoids a parcel being held or refused.

### What documents do I need to ship a business parcel to the United States?

You need a commercial invoice that precisely describes the goods, their quantity, value, country of origin and tariff code, along with the full details of the shipper and the recipient. Some products, such as cosmetics, food or medical devices, also fall under the FDA, the US health authority.

### Is it better to ship a parcel to the United States by post or by express?

For a business shipment, express is often simpler: DHL Express, FedEx and UPS accept heavier parcels than postal services and handle customs clearance on arrival. Postal shipments to the United States have followed their own entry procedure since July 2026.