Expecting a package from abroad? Prices and delivery could change starting Friday
Countries will halt package shipments to the U.S. as new tariffs end the $800 exemption, disrupting global e-commerce and postal service.
Starting later this week, many countries will halt package shipments to the United States due to uncertainty over how new tariffs will be imposed. Until the White House’s move to implement sweeping tariffs on the vast majority of imports, packages valued under $800 were exempt under what’s known as the “de minimis” rule. However, beginning Friday, that exemption will be eliminated. As a result, national postal systems in many countries are looking to avoid the added bureaucratic burden of ensuring packages comply with U.S. law.
How will prices change starting Friday, August 27?
Once the excemption is eliminated, the follow fees will be applied to businesses based on the tariff rate imposed on each country:
- 16 percent or less: $80 per item
- 16 to 25 percent: $160 per item
- Over 25 percent: $200 per item.
Which countries have halted the sending of packages?
Last year, around 1.4 billion packages entered the U.S. under the de minimis exemption—roughly 4 million per day. The change will affect American shoppers who rely on international sellers, including those on platforms like Etsy or small businesses without U.S. warehouses.
National Postal Services that will suspend the sending of packages:
- Austria
- Australia
- Denmark
- France
- Germany
- India
- Italy
- Japan
- New Zealand
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- United Kingdom.
The economic impact will be felt globally, and it remains unclear whether some postal services—or even private carriers like Germany’s DHL—will adapt to the new requirements or continue excluding the U.S. from their shipping destinations.
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