Australia Post suspends US-bound parcels - US ends de minimis on 29 Aug 2025

26 Aug 2025
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Australia Post has announced a temporary immediate suspension of parcel services to the United States and Puerto Rico, following the US Government’s decision to end the long-standing de minimis exemption for low-value goods under USD $800. This regulatory change, effective 29 August 2025, means all shipments—regardless of value—must now have tariffs assessed and pre-paid prior to entry. The suspension affects Australian exporters and e-commerce providers relying on postal channels, while documents and gifts valued at USD $100 or less remain unaffected.

FAQ

  • When does the US rule change take effect? 29 Aug 2025 (EDT). 

  • Can I still post samples/documents? Yes—documents are unaffected. 

  • Are gifts still duty-free? Yes, ≤US$100 bona fide gifts remain under a separate exemption. 

  • Why is Australia Post pausing parcels? To implement tariff pre-payment/compliance with new US rules.

What changed (the short version)

  • Australia Post has temporarily and partially suspended posting goods (parcels) to the United States and Puerto Rico, effective 26 Aug 2025, citing new US tariff rules and the need to enable tariff pre-payment. Letters/documents and gifts under US$100 are not affected. Australia Post says it’s working with Zonos (a CBP-authorised provider) to resume services. 

  • The United States will end the US$800 de minimis duty-free threshold for all countries at 12:01am EDT, 29 Aug 2025, under a new Executive Order; duties must be assessed/paid before arrival.

  • Other postal operators (e.g., Swiss Post, PostNord) have already paused US-bound parcels for the same reason.

Who is affected

  • Australian exporters and e-commerce sellers using the postal channel (Business Contract, MyPost Business, retail counter) for parcels to the US and Puerto Rico. 

  • Third-country transit mail via Australia (small volumes) has also been curtailed.

What’s not affected (as of today)

  • Letters/documents (no goods).

  • Bona fide gifts ≤ US$100 (separate statutory exemption continues). 

  • Courier/express shipments (e.g., integrators) can continue, but duties/taxes now apply to low-value consignments and must be prepaid/filed correctly. 

Potential impact (what we expect)

  • Posting interruptions, returns, and longer transit times while systems catch up.

  • New landed-cost exposure on previously duty-free orders (≤US$800).

  • Cart/checkout changes needed to collect duties/taxes up-front for US customers.

  • Compliance uplift: accurate HS codes, origin, values, and consignee data for every parcel. 

Real-world impact (what’s happening now)

  • Australia Post: US parcel postings paused from 26 Aug pending a tariff pre-payment solution with Zonos. 

  • Multiple posts globally have paused or restricted US parcels ahead of 29 Aug go-live. 

What this means for you (actions to take now)

  1. Switch US orders to a courier/express or freight channel that supports duty pre-payment (DDP) and formal entry when required. KLN can route via integrators or our broker partners. 

  2. Enable landed-cost at checkout (duties/taxes collected at purchase). If you use third-party carts, turn on US duty calculation and map HS codes for all SKUs. 

  3. Data readiness checklist for every US parcel (postal or courier):

    • HS code (10-digit HTSUS), product description, country of origin, value, incoterms, consignee Tax ID if applicable. 

  4. Pricing & customer comms: update US pricing, thresholds, and shipping pages; warn of temporary postal suspensions and steer to courier options. 

  5. Gifts & documents: where appropriate, use the letters/documents channel or the ≤US$100 gift provision (ensure it truly qualifies as a gift). 

  6. Watch for Australia Post updates as they implement a Zonos-based solution to resume postal parcels; adjust once published. 

KLN Oceania guidance & alternatives

  • Immediate continuity: we can migrate your US orders to courier DDP with automated duty calculation and pre-payment, or to consolidated air freight with brokerage for B2B.

  • Compliance & classification: our brokerage team can review your HTS mapping, origin declarations, and assist with IOR/EOR setup if needed for B2C flows.

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