Beyond de minimis: Adapting to new US import rules for low-value ecommerce shipments

For years, the US de minimis rule has quietly underpinned the growth of global ecommerce, allowing businesses to import low-value goods without paying duties or completing formal customs procedures.

It has been a key driver of fast and cost-effective fulfillment, especially for high-volume cross-border sellers shipping from China and Hong Kong to US consumers.

Today, that landscape looks very different.

Duty-free clearance is no longer guaranteed for certain low-value goods entering the US. For shipments originating from specific markets such as China and Hong Kong, duties now apply, and standard entry procedures must be followed, even for goods that fall below the traditional de minimis threshold.

For logistics providers, this shift brings greater complexity to high-volume import operations. It requires more flexible processes, more accurate data, and systems that can scale with changing customs demands.

What these changes mean for you

For freight forwarders, customs brokers, and logistics providers handling high volumes of ecommerce shipments, these changes introduce both complexity and risk.

Where a large portion of low-value shipments may have previously cleared under Entry Type 86 with minimal intervention, those same goods may now fall under Entry Type 11, a formal, dutiable entry process with stricter data requirements and potential duty collection.

This shift has real operational consequences:

• More data required for each shipment
• Greater compliance checks at the time of filing
• Added pressure on existing processes and systems

To keep freight moving, logistics businesses must adapt their systems and processes to manage both duty-free and dutiable shipments in parallel, with the flexibility to scale and shift as requirements evolve.

Managing ecommerce shipments under changing US import rules

To help logistics businesses respond to this evolving regulatory environment, CargoWise has introduced enhanced functionality specifically designed for ecommerce declarations. These updates make it easier to manage both duty-free and dutiable low-value shipments in a single workflow.

Choose the right entry type for every shipment

CargoWise supports both:

• Entry Type 86 for duty-free shipments under USD $800 (where still applicable)
• Entry Type 11 for dutiable shipments valued up to USD $2,500

For shipments from regions where duty-free access is restricted, Entry Type 11 ensures the correct entry process is followed.

Use built-in entry validation 

CargoWise makes it simple to select the correct entry type with a new dropdown and automatically validates the required data for Entry Type 11. This includes fields such as Importer of Record, Buyer, and Manufacturer, helping to ensure complete and compliant filings. If Entry Type 86 is selected for shipments from China or Hong Kong, CargoWise will flag it as not applicable to help prevent incorrect filings.

Submit entries in bulk

In addition to formal stand-alone declarations, CargoWise now supports two bulk entry options. When shipments share the same MAWB or MBOL, you can submit hundreds or thousands of Entry Type 11 filings to CBP in a single transmission, reducing manual work and maintaining efficiency.

Group and manage declarations with Consolidated Summaries

CargoWise enables you to group shipments into a single filing using a Consolidated Summary. Entry numbers are linked to each invoice header, and the system manages billing and duty collection for all Entry Type 11 declarations associated with the same master bill.

Built for a changing compliance landscape

The removal of duty-free treatment for low-value shipments from China and Hong Kong reflects a broader shift in US trade policy. It signals increased regulatory attention on cross-border ecommerce and a move toward more formalized entry processes, regardless of shipment value or origin.

CargoWise is purpose-built to support this shift.

It enables logistics providers to manage both duty-free and dutiable low-value shipments in a single platform, with the automation, validation and scalability needed to meet changing compliance requirements without disrupting day-to-day operations. As the demands of cross-border trade continue to grow, CargoWise gives businesses the confidence to adapt and keep goods moving efficiently, no matter where they come from or how they need to be cleared.