The duty-free exemption for low-value shipments has ended
For years, low-value shipments could enter the United States free of duty under the Section 321 de minimis exemption. That exemption has been withdrawn. Low-value shipments now go through normal customs entry and owe duty like any other import — which is why Portigo shows duty on a shipment no matter how small its value.
What changed
Section 321 let qualifying low-value shipments enter the United States free of duty and without a formal customs entry. (It applied to shipments below a set low-value threshold.) A series of executive orders has suspended that exemption. A shipment that would once have cleared duty-free now requires a formal or informal entry through CBP's Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) and is subject to the ordinary duties, taxes, and fees that apply to its goods.
When it changed
- Shipments from China and Hong Kong lost the exemption first, effective May 2, 2025 (Executive Order 14256, 90 FR 14899).
- The exemption was then suspended for shipments from all countries, effective August 29, 2025 (Executive Order 14324, 90 FR 37775).
- That suspension was continued, effective February 24, 2026 (Executive Order 14388, 91 FR 9433).
The exemption is suspended for every country Portigo covers.
What this means for a small shipment
There is no longer a value below which an import skips duty. A low-value shipment is entered like any other and owes the duties and fees that apply to its goods. Even a very small shipment carries at least the minimum merchandise processing fee — so "low value" no longer means "nothing owed." What is actually owed depends on the goods, their classification, and their country of origin.
Why Portigo shows duty on every shipment
Because the de minimis path that used to zero out small shipments is closed, Portigo estimates duty on the goods regardless of shipment value. The value you enter changes the size of the estimate, not whether duty applies.
This situation is changing, and how low-value shipments are processed continues to evolve. Portigo provides estimates and plain-English explanations as of the date shown and does not give legal or compliance advice. Before relying on this for a real shipment, confirm the current rules with CBP or a licensed customs broker.