De minimis limit for U.S. imports has increased from $200 to $800

Effective from March 10th 2016, United States Customs and Border Protection has raised the import de minimis limit from $200 to $800. This is the value of a shipment of merchandise, imported by one person on one day, that may be imported free of duties and taxes and without the need of a customs declaration.

For those who ship to the U.S., this will help to speed up your deliveries and reduce costs and paperwork. For those who export from the U.S. to the UK, it will now be easier to accept returned items from your British customers.

Please note: some U.S. government agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, may require formal customs entries on all goods, regardless of value.

Please see the CBP website for more information.