Postal traffic to the U.S. sank 80% after Trump administration ended exemption on low-value parcels

Postal postulation into the United States plunged by much than 80% aft the Trump medication ended a tariff exemption for low-cost imports, the United Nations postal bureau said Saturday.

The Universal Postal Union says it has started rolling retired caller measures that tin assistance postal operators astir the satellite cipher and cod duties, oregon taxes, aft the U.S. eliminated the alleged "de minimis exemption" for lower-value parcels.

Eighty-eight postal operators person told the UPU that they person suspended immoderate oregon each postal services to the United States until a solution is implemented with respect to U.S.-bound parcels valued astatine $800 oregon less, which had been the cutoff for imported goods to flight customs charges.

"The planetary web saw postal postulation to the U.S. travel to a near-halt aft the implementation of the caller rules connected Aug. 29, 2025, which for the archetypal clip placed the load of customs work postulation and remittance connected proscription carriers oregon U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency-approved qualified parties," the UPU said successful a statement.

The UPU said accusation exchanged betwixt postal operators done its physics web showed postulation from its 192 subordinate countries — astir each the satellite countries — had fallen 81% connected Aug. 29, compared to a week earlier.

The Bern, Switzerland-based bureau said the "major operational disruptions" person occurred due to the fact that airlines and different carriers indicated they weren't consenting oregon capable to cod specified duties, and overseas postal operators had not established a nexus to CBP-qualified companies.

Before the measurement took effect, the postal national sent a missive to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to explicit concerns astir its impact.

The de minimis exemption has existed successful immoderate signifier since 1938, and the medication says the exemption has go a loophole that overseas businesses exploit to evade tariffs and criminals usage to get drugs into the U.S.

Purchases that antecedently entered the U.S. without needing to wide customs present necessitate vetting and are taxable to their root country's applicable tariff rate, which tin scope from 10% to 50%.

While the alteration applies to the products of each country, U.S. residents volition not person to wage duties connected incoming gifts valued astatine up to $100, oregon connected up to $200 worthy of idiosyncratic souvenirs from trips abroad, according to the White House.

The UPU said its members had not been fixed capable clip oregon guidance to comply with the procedures outlined successful the enforcement bid U.S. President Donald Trump signed connected July 30 to destruct the duty-free eligibility of low-value goods.