U.S. Ends $800 Duty-Free Entry for China Goods, Imposing 54% Tariff or $100 Fee
Updated
Updated · PC Tech Magazine · May 22
U.S. Ends $800 Duty-Free Entry for China Goods, Imposing 54% Tariff or $100 Fee
2 articles · Updated · PC Tech Magazine · May 22
$800 duty-free treatment for low-value goods from China and Hong Kong was scrapped in May 2025, leaving shipments subject to a 54% tariff or a $100 flat fee.
Nearly 60% of U.S. duty-free parcels had come from China, and officials say the old rule let overseas sellers undercut domestic rivals while limiting tax collection and safety checks.
Average low-value Chinese shipments were worth $54, so the new charges can sharply raise checkout costs; the U.S. Postal Service is still in a six-month phase-in period.
Backlogs are building as more parcels face customs inspection, with documentation errors adding delays and some Chinese sellers shifting inventory into U.S. and European warehouses to avoid cross-border charges.
The U.S. move fits a wider crackdown on de minimis imports: the EU plans to end its €150 exemption in 2026 and replace it with a simplified customs fee before a broader 2028 overhaul.
As new global tariffs end the era of cheap parcels, is affordable cross-border shopping gone for good?
Beyond collecting taxes, how is technology reshaping customs enforcement and the future of international e-commerce?
With customs walls rising, can sellers' new warehouse strategies prevent the collapse of their global business models?