The Department for Business and Trade has published an announcement relating to the removal of the de minimis threshold in the United States from the 29th of August.
Please see below the verbatim announcement for more details and additional supporting information.
From today (29 August 2025), the United States will remove the $800 de minimis threshold for commercial shipments. This change affects the vast majority of UK businesses exporting low-value goods to the United States, including items that were previously exempt from tariffs and duties.
As a result:
- Exports to the US that previously qualified for the de minimis will likely see increased costs due to new tariffs and processing fees.
- Carriers will face increased customs declaration requirements, which may cause disruption or delays while systems are updated.
- Previously: Most exports under $800 (approx. £590) entered the U.S. duty-free under a simplified process.
- Now: Exports, regardless of value, will be subject to:
- Tariffs and duties
- Customs clearance and administrative charges
- Additional data requirements
The UK Government has been working closely with businesses and carriers to ensure they are as prepared as possible to respond to the changes the US Administration has introduced.
DBT has published an explainer page here, which contains details on what this means for sending items to the US, and further information for businesses to refer to. We have also posted on LinkedIn and Facebook, which we would be grateful for your amplification.
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