An international order delivered to the United States may cost more than the checkout total. In 2026, don't assume that a commercial parcel worth $800 or less is automatically duty-free. The February 2026 White House order continues the suspension of duty-free de minimis treatment for shipments from all countries.

That doesn't mean every package will receive the same bill, or that every product will owe duty. The result depends on the product's tariff classification, country of origin, customs value, entry requirements, and the delivery terms in the sales contract. This checklist covers goods entering the United States. The customs authority in the destination country controls shipments going elsewhere.

Customs duty, taxes, and carrier fees are different

The phrase "customs fees" can describe several separate charges:

A carrier's processing charge isn't the same as customs duty. If a courier advances money to customs, it may add a separate service fee. Request an itemized invoice before treating the entire amount as a government tariff.

What determines the U.S. customs bill

Product classification

U.S. customs uses the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, or HTSUS, rather than a store's broad label such as "electronics," "gift," or "accessory." A phone case, laptop, jacket, and supplement can each have different classifications and rates.

Start with CBP's Customs Duty Information. If the classification is unclear, ask the seller or customs broker for the proposed HTSUS code and a product description that supports it. Don't accept a vague code simply because it produces a lower estimate.

Rates can be zero, percentage-based, charged per unit, subject to quotas, or affected by additional trade measures. A broad percentage estimate isn't dependable without knowing the actual classification.

Country of origin

The country where a parcel was shipped isn't always where the product was made. An order placed with a European website may contain goods made elsewhere. A package sent from a U.S. warehouse may have been imported by the seller before you bought it.

Ask for the product's country of origin when comparing prices. Origin can change the applicable tariff even when two identical products are sold by different merchants.

Customs value

The value used for entry may not match the amount charged to your card. The entry can involve the product price and other valuation details under the applicable customs rules.

Keep the order confirmation, commercial invoice, payment record, and shipping receipt. If a carrier's value looks wrong, ask which documents and amounts it used. Never agree to an artificially low value or a description that doesn't match the goods.

Entry and agency requirements

Duty is only one part of import compliance. CBP notes that imports may also need to meet requirements from agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration, Consumer Product Safety Commission, and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Food, plants, animal products, medicines, supplements, alcohol, cosmetics, and regulated consumer products may require additional documents or may be restricted. Paying duty doesn't make a prohibited or noncompliant product admissible.

Delivery terms

The order's delivery terms determine who is expected to arrange import clearance and pay charges first:

• DDP, or delivered duty paid: The seller generally handles import clearance and import charges under the sales contract.
• DAP, or delivered at place: The buyer commonly handles import clearance and may receive a duty or brokerage bill.
• Unclear or missing terms: Ask the seller before ordering. A low product price can become expensive if import charges are collected on delivery.

The exact contract controls. A marketplace label or tracking page can be useful, but the order terms and customs entry are more reliable when the two conflict.

Before buying: a customs-fee checklist

Ask these questions before placing an international order:

1. Where is the product shipping from, and where was it made?
2. Does the price include import duty, brokerage, and taxes, or only shipping?
3. Is the shipment DDP, DAP, or subject to another recipient-pays arrangement?
4. What product description and HTSUS classification will appear on the invoice?
5. Is the item restricted, regulated, or subject to an agency permit?
6. What happens if the carrier asks for more than the checkout estimate?
7. Who will be listed as the importer of record?
8. What is the merchant's policy for returns after customs charges have been paid?

Save a screenshot of the checkout page showing promises such as "duties included" or "no additional import fees." That record can help if a carrier later bills you for the same charge.

How to estimate customs charges

Use this six-step estimate:

1. Identify the classification. Use the current HTSUS information linked from CBP's official guidance.
2. Confirm the country of origin. Don't substitute the seller's address or the parcel's dispatch location.
3. Confirm the customs value. Ask which documents and amounts the seller or broker used under the applicable valuation rules.
4. Apply the duty rate. Check for special tariffs, quotas, or product-specific rules.
5. Add the carrier or broker charge. Request the current fee schedule for the service being used.
6. Check state tax separately. A seller or marketplace may collect sales tax even though it isn't customs duty.

For illustration only, if the customs value is $120 and the applicable duty rate is 8%, the duty would be $9.60. A disclosed $15 carrier fee would bring the import-related subtotal to $24.60 before any applicable state tax. This is not a quote for clothing, electronics, or goods from any particular country.

What the suspended $800 de minimis treatment means

Older shopping advice often says that packages valued at $800 or less enter the United States without duty. That described earlier de minimis treatment; it wasn't a permanent promise that every low-value package would be free of taxes, fees, or inspection.

The cited White House action continues the suspension of duty-free de minimis treatment for all countries. A commercial package below $800 should therefore not be treated as automatically duty-free. It may still receive a zero-duty result because of its classification or another applicable rule, but value alone is no longer a safe answer.

The $800 figure also never authorized restricted goods, corrected an inaccurate declaration, or determined who pays a carrier's brokerage fee. The product still needs an accurate description, value, origin, and any required agency documentation.

Gifts and personal effects

A genuine gift and a purchased online order are different transactions. Marking a commercial order as a "gift" doesn't change its true nature, and undervaluing it can cause clearance problems.

For a genuine gift:

• Use an accurate description of each item.
• State the real value and describe the shipment accurately.
• Keep evidence of who sent it and whether money changed hands.
• Ask the carrier or postal operator which declaration is required.
• Don't rely on a dollar threshold copied from a traveler or postal guide without checking the shipment type and current rule.

Personal effects are also fact-specific. The CBP Types of Exemptions guidance and eCFR Part 148 mainly address traveler declarations and personal-entry exemptions. They shouldn't be read as a blanket exemption for an ordinary commercial purchase delivered by mail or courier.

If you're moving, returning from travel, or importing belongings you already owned, gather proof of ownership, travel, residence, or prior export before shipping. Ask the carrier or broker which exemption applies instead of simply writing "personal effects" on the invoice.

Why DHL, FedEx, or UPS may bill more than the duty

A courier may act as the customs broker, advance duty, prepare an entry, and collect payment before delivery. The invoice can therefore include:

• Duty assessed on the entry
• Taxes or other government charges, if applicable
• Brokerage, entry, or disbursement fees
• Storage or handling charges if clearance is delayed

There isn't one consumer fee that applies to every DHL, FedEx, or UPS shipment. The amount can depend on the service, destination, shipment value, account arrangement, and whether the recipient or seller is the importer.

When a bill arrives:

1. Open the shipment through the carrier's official website rather than using a payment link in an unexpected text or email.
2. Compare the bill with your order confirmation and any "duties prepaid" line.
3. Request a breakdown showing the customs value, classification, origin, duty, taxes, and each carrier fee.
4. Ask who is named as the importer of record.
5. If import charges were paid at checkout, ask the seller and carrier to reconcile the charges before paying a duplicate amount.

If a seller or marketplace collects an estimated import charge, keep the receipt and checkout terms. That payment arrangement doesn't change the tariff classification, country of origin, or admissibility of the goods. A fulfillment label or U.S. warehouse address also isn't proof that a particular purchase was duty-free.

How to challenge an incorrect customs bill

Act promptly, especially if the package is being held.

1. Identify the possible error

Common issues include:

• The seller declared the wrong product.
• The country of origin is incorrect.
• The declared value doesn't match the invoice.
• The carrier used a classification that the product description doesn't support.
• The seller collected import charges at checkout and the carrier charged them again.
• A genuine gift or personal-effects shipment was entered incorrectly.

2. Gather documents

Keep the order confirmation, commercial invoice, payment receipt, product specifications, photographs, shipping label, tracking history, and carrier invoice. If the product was returned, save proof of return and delivery.

3. Contact the seller

If the seller promised that duties were included, send the written checkout terms and request a correction or reimbursement under the order agreement. A merchant refund and a customs refund are separate matters, so ask which amount the seller is addressing.

4. Contact the carrier or broker

Ask for the entry details and the procedure for correcting a classification, value, or origin error. If you aren't the importer of record, the seller, broker, or other named party may need to submit the formal request.

5. Check the official customs process

Use CBP's official customs duty information for current rules and agency contacts. Formal customs corrections and challenges can have deadlines. Ask for the applicable deadline in writing rather than relying on a general online calculator.

6. Separate duty from private fees

Even if a customs assessment is corrected, the carrier's brokerage or advancement charge is a separate line item with its own terms. Ask the carrier what happens to that fee instead of assuming it will be included in a customs refund.

Treat unsolicited refund offers cautiously. Verify any program through CBP or your customs broker before paying a fee or signing over refund rights.

Returns and refused deliveries

Before sending an imported item back, ask both the seller and carrier:

• Whether the seller will reimburse duty or only the purchase price
• Whether the carrier needs proof of export or return
• Whether the original entry can be corrected
• Who pays return shipping and storage
• What deadline applies before the parcel is abandoned or sent back

A merchant's return policy doesn't automatically resolve the customs question. Don't assume that refusing delivery cancels the bill or triggers a refund. Get instructions in writing and keep the original invoice.

A printable U.S. customs checklist

Before ordering

• [ ] Confirm the seller's location and the product's origin.
• [ ] Check whether duty, taxes, and brokerage are included at checkout.
• [ ] Confirm DDP, DAP, or another delivery term.
• [ ] Request a clear product description and classification.
• [ ] Check restrictions for food, plants, medicines, supplements, alcohol, and regulated products.
• [ ] Save the checkout page, invoice, and payment receipt.

Before delivery

• [ ] Verify any payment request in the carrier's official account.
• [ ] Check the declared value, origin, classification, and importer of record.
• [ ] Separate duty from brokerage and other carrier charges.
• [ ] Ask about duplicate charges if import fees were prepaid.
• [ ] Keep every document until the dispute or return is resolved.

Frequently asked questions

Is a $200 AliExpress order automatically duty-free in the United States?

No. Although $200 is below the former $800 threshold, the cited suspension means value alone doesn't guarantee duty-free treatment. Check the classification, origin, delivery terms, and whether import charges were prepaid.

Can I avoid customs charges by calling the order a gift?

Not if it's really a commercial purchase. A genuine gift may qualify for a particular exemption, but the declaration must be accurate and the facts must satisfy the applicable rule.

Why is the carrier's bill higher than the customs duty?

The bill may include brokerage, entry, disbursement, storage, or other carrier charges in addition to duty and taxes. Request an itemized breakdown.

Who should request a customs correction?

Usually the importer of record or its authorized customs broker. If a carrier contacted you as the recipient, ask whether you're the importer of record and who must submit the correction.

Does a seller's refund automatically include customs duty?

Not necessarily. The merchant's refund, customs assessment, and carrier service fee can follow separate policies. Ask each party what it will refund and keep the written response.

If a bill is already pending, obtain the itemized entry and written payment terms before paying it or refusing delivery.