CBP Tightens Low-Value Import Rules: Early Filing Now Required

The US Customs & Border Protection Agency has implemented significant new requirements for low-value imports valued at $2,500 or less, introducing tighter filing timelines and enhanced data collection standards. Imports arriving by cargo must now file electronically at or before arrival rather than within 15 days post-arrival, while postal imports fall under a new entry type 13 category requiring even stricter compliance. These changes stem from the elimination of the $800 de minimis exemption and will materially affect logistics providers, customs brokers, 3PLs, and retailers who handle cross-border ecommerce and parcel shipments.

The compliance burden is substantial: CBP's own data showed that over half of sampled type 11 entries from the prior year would have failed to meet the new filing deadlines. The agency now mandates additional data elements, including final deliver-to-party information and package tracking numbers on carrier manifests. Simultaneously, CBP plans to introduce bonding requirements for certain informal entries, ostensibly to combat illicit goods and counterfeits but raising operational complexity and cost across the supply chain.

The 90-day delay in type 13 implementation to January 20 next year has drawn political scrutiny, with observers suggesting the postponement aims to minimize consumer price impacts ahead of mid-term elections. This regulatory shift threatens to disrupt medication imports from Canada and could further escalate costs for consumers already facing inflation concerns. Supply chain teams must immediately audit their systems, strengthen EDI capabilities, and establish partnerships with experienced customs brokers to navigate this new environment.