Changes to De Minimis Duty Free Treatment for Good from China and Hong Kong

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Apr. 2, 2025
By: Marvin E. McPherson

President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) ending de minimis treatment for low-value goods from China and Hong Kong starting May 2 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern daylight time.

Goods valued at $800 or less, from China and Hong Kong imported through channels other than the international postal network, will be subject to all applicable duties under standard entry and payment procedures and may not apply the de minimis duty provision. 19 U.S.C. § 1321(a)(2)(C))

Accordingly, these goods will now be subject to all applicable duties. International carriers will now be responsible for reporting shipment details, maintaining an international carrier bond, and remitting all duties.

Items shipped via the international postal network and valued at $800 or less will be subject to a 30% duty or a flat fee of $25 per item, whichever is higher. This flat fee increases to $50 per item after June 1, 2025. These rates replace other previously imposed duties. However, at the discretion of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, importers may be required to file a formal entry for any postal package instead of paying duties or associated fees.

Carriers handling postal shipments must report shipment details to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and maintain an international carrier bond to ensure duty payment.

The Order directs the Secretary of Commerce to assess the impact of this policy within 90 days and determine whether to extend similar rules to shipments from Macau.

We will continue to monitor these developments and provide updates as more information becomes available. If you have any questions or need further clarification on how these tariffs might affect your operations, please do not hesitate to contact any attorney at Barnes, Richardson & Colburn, LLP.