Packages entering the United States through electronic platforms were 1.36 billion shipments in 2024.
De minimis entry is regulated by Section 321 of the Tariff Act of 1930. This rule allows an importer to bring goods into the United States without much paperwork.
That is, no formal entry documentation is required. In addition, no duties and taxes are paid.
However, there is one important condition. The total value of the importer’s shipments must not exceed $800 per day.
How many packages enter the United States
To better understand: the following is an example related to such shipments:
- A young woman in Texas buys a blouse online from Amazon for $20.
- Amazon ships the package from China via an international express service.
- Once the package arrives in Texas, customs authorities check it.
- Since it costs less than $800, the de minimis rule applies: it pays no duties or other taxes. Nor does it need a detailed customs process.
- Finally, the package arrives at the young woman’s house more quickly and cheaply, both for the seller and the consumer.
E-commerce continues to grow at a rapid pace. However, this growth has also brought risks.
More and more criminals use this channel to smuggle illegal goods. They also avoid paying duties and other charges.
In addition, they take advantage of online platforms to sell counterfeit merchandise. Added to this is the huge volume of low-value shipments arriving in the United States every day.
Below is the volume of shipments under the de minimis scheme, in millions of shipments, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data:
- 2020: 636.7.
- 2021: 771.5.
- 2022: 685.4.
- 2023: 1,000.0
- 2024: 1,360.0
Means of transport
Before the rise of e-commerce, low-value shipments were rare. They were mainly limited to international mail and express services. In addition, they only entered through specialized gateway centers. These centers were designed and operated to handle such imports.
However, the situation has changed over time. Now, low-value shipments arrive by all types of transport. They also enter through many ports that previously did not process them.