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CustomsUnited States

US CBP Extends Formal-Entry Compliance Date for Certain Postal Imports to 20 January 2027

Postal shipments subject to PGA requirements, HTSUS Chapter 98 or 99 duties, or Chapter 98/FTA duty-free claims now have until 20 January 2027 to comply with formal entry.

TWW Research Team Published

Checked against the official source

High stacks of brown cardboard boxes in a warehouse under a blue metal roof
Photo: Ihsan Adityawarman

What changed

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has extended the compliance date for formal entry of certain goods arriving through the international postal network. A final rule published in the Federal Register on 22 October 2026 states: "The compliance date for 19 CFR 145.12(a)(2)(v) and (vi) is January 20, 2027." The previous compliance date was 22 October 2026.

Which shipments are covered

The extension applies to the provisions "mandating the formal entry of merchandise arriving through the international postal network that is subject to partner government agency requirements, subject to duties under Chapter 98 or Chapter 99 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), or for which duty-free treatment is claimed under Chapter 98 of the HTSUS or pursuant to a Free Trade Agreement". These shipments are ineligible for the postal informal entry process CBP introduced on 24 June 2026.

The rule does not end the suspension of the de minimis exemption for mail, which CBP describes as indefinite. CBP says the delay "does not change the process that importers and other parties currently use for informal mail entries".

In a separate notice, CBP is "modifying the test of the new electronic informal entry type for merchandise entering the United States through the international mail process to permit transmission of the entry with or without electronic Partner Government Agency (PGA) data." That modification is effective on 22 October 2026.

Who it affects

Importers, customs brokers and logistics providers handling U.S.-bound postal shipments in the categories above, and overseas sellers who ship such goods to U.S. buyers by mail.

What exporters and importers should do

  • Check whether your postal shipments involve PGA requirements, Chapter 98 or 99 duties, or a Chapter 98 or Free Trade Agreement duty-free claim.
  • Use the extra time to prepare for formal entry by 20 January 2027. CBP notes parties may comply earlier if their processes are ready.
  • For eligible shipments valued at $2,500 or less, CBP says filers may choose formal entry or the voluntary Entry Type 13 test.

Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Federal Register FR Doc. 2026-21600 (22 Oct 2026); CBP, FR Doc. 2026-21570 (22 Oct 2026).

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