The end of US de minimis: what it means for pet toy sellers in 2026
As of November 2026, US de minimis is suspended: shipments valued at $800 or less no longer enter the United States duty-free, and they must go through formal or informal customs entry. CBP made the suspension indefinite in a rule effective June 24, 2026 (July 24, 2026 for mail), and CBP records that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act ends the exemption on July 1, 2027. For pet toy buyers, that means samples and small courier orders now need a customs entry and pay duty like any other import, so plan them with your customs broker.
- For US importers and Amazon sellers
- Written November 2026
- About 6 minutes to read
Read this first: dates and sources
This page repeats only what we read ourselves on US government pages in November 2026: a CBP trade bulletin and three CBP notices in the Federal Register. We are an exporter in Vietnam, not a customs broker or a lawyer, and US import rules have changed several times since 2025. Treat this as a map of the official documents, and confirm the details for your own shipments with a licensed customs broker.
How de minimis was suspended, step by step
De minimis was the administrative exemption from duty and certain tax for low-value shipments entering the United States. Four official documents mark how it was suspended:
| Date | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| August 29, 2025 | CBP stated that "goods of all countries entering the United States will no longer be eligible for the administrative exemption from duty and certain tax", effective 12:01 a.m. that day. | CBP CSMS #66065494 |
| February 20, 2026 | The Supreme Court decided Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump on tariffs imposed under IEEPA. CBP notes the decision did not address the de minimis suspension. The same day, Executive Order 14388 "continued the suspension of the duty-free de minimis exemption". | Federal Register 2026-12670 |
| June 24, 2026 | CBP published an interim final rule, effective that day, making the suspension indefinite for shipments of $800 or less arriving by every mode except the international postal network. | Federal Register 2026-12670 |
| July 24, 2026 | A second interim final rule, for mail shipments, took effect. It suspends de minimis for postal imports of $800 or less and sets up a new postal informal entry process. | Federal Register 2026-12669 |
The June 2026 rule also records that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act "terminated the de minimis exemption effective July 1, 2027". So the suspension runs now under the executive order and CBP's rules, and the law ends the exemption from mid-2027.
What CBP now requires for a shipment under $800
The non-postal rule says it plainly: "all entries of merchandise valued at $800 or less arriving through all modes other than the international postal network must utilize formal or informal entry procedures." That covers courier, air cargo, truck and sea shipments.
- Informal entry. The same rule says "Informal entry procedures are authorized by 19 U.S.C. 1498(a)(1)(A) for shipments of merchandise valued at $2,500 or less."
- Entry Type 11. CBP writes: "This leaves Entry Type 11 as the main appropriate informal entry method for these shipments, although formal entry remains an option."
- Duty is collected. CBP quotes the February 2026 order as saying CBP "should continue to inspect such goods and collect applicable duties, taxes, fees, exactions, and charges on such shipments." What the duties are for your products depends on their HTS codes; see US tariffs on pet toys from Vietnam.
Mail is on a different timetable. CBP extended one compliance date in the postal rule: "The compliance date for 19 CFR 145.12(a)(2)(v) and (vi) is January 20, 2027." Those provisions require formal entry for some mail shipments, such as goods subject to duties under Chapter 98 or 99 of the HTSUS or claiming free trade agreement treatment (Federal Register 2026-21600). If you plan to receive anything by post, ask your broker how it will be cleared before you ship.
What changes for pet toy samples
Samples are where buyers meet the change first, because a sample parcel is a low-value shipment. Our sample offer is the same as before: your first 3 samples are free, and you pay the shipping. What is new is the US side. The parcel needs a customs entry, and any duty due on the goods is yours to pay as the importer.
Two things help your broker clear a sample parcel quickly:
- A clear description. On our export documents a coffee wood chew is described as a wooden pet toy, because it is a toy, not food.
- The invoice wording. Ask your broker what value and wording they want on the invoice for a free sample before we send the parcel.
What to check in the samples once they arrive is in what to check in natural chew samples.
Small orders by air: why DAP still fits
Our minimum is 50 pieces per item, so a first order can be small enough to fly. We ship samples and small air orders on DAP terms. Under DAP we arrange the export customs and the freight to the place you name, and you handle the import customs and the duty. We do not offer DDP as a standard service; we suggest DAP so that you keep control of the customs entry and the duty yourself.
With de minimis gone, that split matters more. A small order now goes through an entry your broker files, so the broker you choose and the paperwork we send decide how smoothly it clears. Who pays what at import is agreed before we send a price. On a DAP air order, the balance of the payment is due when the goods are finished, before pickup.
For bigger mixed orders, compare the terms in FOB, CIF or DAP for a small mixed order.
Amazon FBA lots: a formal export from our side
Our Amazon shipments leave Vietnam as formal exports with a full export customs declaration, whether you book the freight through Amazon, use your own forwarder or ask us to quote. The US import entry and duty for those lots are arranged on your side, as for any other order. Packing for those lots is in packing natural pet toys for FBA.
Questions to ask your customs broker
- Will you file my sample parcels and small air orders as informal entries (Type 11), or formal entries?
- What HTS code and duty apply to each of my products?
- What value and description should appear on the invoice for free samples?
- Does anything I plan to receive by mail fall under the postal formal entry rules due on January 20, 2027?
- Is any change planned before the statutory end of de minimis on July 1, 2027?
Send us the answers with your enquiry and we prepare the invoice and packing list to match.
Questions buyers ask about de minimis and pet toys
Can I still import pet toys under $800 duty-free into the US?
As of November 2026, CBP's interim final rules published in June 2026 suspend the de minimis exemption indefinitely for shipments of $800 or less, by post and by every other mode, so a customs entry is needed. Confirm the duty on your goods with your customs broker.
Did the February 2026 Supreme Court decision bring de minimis back?
No. CBP states that the decision in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump did not address the de minimis suspension, and Executive Order 14388 of February 20, 2026 continued it.
When does de minimis end permanently?
CBP's June 2026 rule records that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act terminated the de minimis exemption effective July 1, 2027.
What kind of entry does a small shipment use now?
Formal or informal entry. Informal entry is authorized for shipments valued at $2,500 or less, and CBP names Entry Type 11 as the main informal method for former de minimis shipments.
Are your samples still free?
Yes, your first 3 samples are free and you pay the shipping. Any US duty and entry cost on the parcel is paid by you as the importer.
Plan your samples with the new rules in mind
Start with samples: your first 3 are free, you pay the shipping. Tell us who your US broker is and we send the paperwork they ask for.
Ask for samples Coffee wood chews
Which documents come with every shipment: documents and testing.