Guides

Plain-language explainers on US import duty — the end of de minimis, carrier fee traps, and how to read a customs charge notice.

What was the $800 de minimis exemption?

The duty-free threshold that made international shopping cheap — what it was, and why it ended in 2025.

China first (May 2), then the world (Aug 29) — the 2025 policy chronology, and what Entry Type 86 became.

Lawsuits, legislation, and what would need to happen for the $800 threshold to return. Updated as events move.

Got a surprise bill from USPS, UPS, FedEx, or DHL? How to read the charge notice line by line.

Brokerage and disbursement fees compared — the carrier choice that can double your clearance cost.

MPF tiers for FY2026: informal vs formal entry, the $2.69 floor, and the $651.50 cap.

VAT at checkout, the 10% forced-labor overlay, and why Royal Mail beats couriers on fees.

EMS clearing via USPS at $9.35, duty-free cameras and consoles, and the proxy-service math.

The 2026 rate table by corridor: 16.5% MFN plus overlays, from 26.5% (UK) to 51.5% (China).

Phones and laptops are duty-free — yet $15–$40 in MPF, brokerage, and China overlays still land.