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Demystifying De minimis: Importing low-value goods into the US in 2024
By Tru Identity
When you sell internationally, or when you move your goods across borders, you always have to organize and pay duties and taxes upon entry into the import country. Well, that isn't always the case.
What is a de minimis threshold value?
The de minimis threshold value refers to the minimum value of goods below which no duties and/or taxes are charged by customs authorities during import.
In global trade, this concept significantly streamlines the process for, and facilitates the cheap and efficient movement of e-commerce and low-value shipments between borders. As a result, de minimis can play a crucial role in your supply chain strategy.
Does this exist in every country?
The short answer: no. The United States is well-known for having one of the highest de minimis thresholds across the globe at $800 USD.
Other notable thresholds include: Australia at AUD 1,000, Canada at CAD 150 for customs duty, European Union at EUR 150 for customs duties, United Kingdom at GBP 135, Japan at JPY 10,000, and Singapore at SGD 400.
Some countries have very low thresholds — Indonesia recently reduced theirs from $75 USD to just $3 USD, and Thailand's threshold is effectively THB 1.
How to leverage de minimis during import
Understanding de minimis thresholds is critical for e-commerce businesses shipping internationally. Staying below the threshold means simplified clearance, no duty collection, and faster delivery times for your customers.
However, splitting higher-value shipments into multiple lower-value ones to exploit de minimis is not recommended, as it can increase shipping costs and may constitute customs fraud.
Tru Identity, Inc. (“Tru Identity”, “Tru”, “We”, “Us”, or “Our”) provides a risk analysis platform (“Tru Services” or the “Services”) for brands and shippers to build and maintain compliant supply chains.
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