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Shipping to United States from Thailand: duty, VAT and what gets through
The USD 800 Section 321 duty-free relief was suspended in August 2025. Parcels from Thailand now enter under formal or informal entry with duty of 0 to 37.5 percent by HS code, plus carrier clearance fees. No federal VAT at import.
What are the tax thresholds in United States?
| Threshold | Rule |
|---|---|
| Import duty | No ($800 relief suspended) |
| VAT / GST de minimis | No federal VAT |
| VAT / GST rate | None at import |
| Typical duty band | 0-37.5% by HS code (Section 321 suspended Aug 2025) |
Official references
Thresholds above are summarised for shippers. Confirm edge cases with the destination authority:
How long does delivery to United States take?
| Carrier option | Indicative delivery band |
|---|---|
| Express courier (DHL/FedEx) | 3-6 days |
| Economy air (postal) | 10-18 days |
| Economy sea (consolidated) | 35-55 days |
What cannot be shipped to United States?
- Meat and fresh produce (USDA)
- Ivory and wildlife products (CITES)
- Counterfeit goods
- Kratom to certain states
- Loose lithium batteries
The full per-destination list lives on our restricted items policy and is enforced at our warehouse intake.
Worked example: what a real parcel costs
2 kg parcel of Thai skincare, declared USD 180
| Cost line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Item cost | USD 180.00 |
| Express shipping (2 kg) | See calculator |
| US import duty (0% on this HS code) | USD 0.00 |
| Carrier customs clearance | USD 18.00 |
| US federal VAT | USD 0.00 |
| Illustrative total | USD 260.00 |
Express shipping is a live parcel-calculator rate in THB (0.5 kg, 10x10x10 cm). Duty, VAT and other lines use illustrative local-currency maths; total is a guide only until you confirm on the calculator.
Section 321 relief no longer applies. Duty depends on HS code; carriers also charge clearance on most parcels regardless of value.
What happens if it is held at customs?
CBP holds can involve FDA-regulated goods, value queries or missing documents. The carrier or authority will specify the information required; clearance timing varies by case.
Full failure procedures and refund timelinesRelated operator pages
This page owns duty and VAT thresholds. Use the route page for freight bands, the express parcel calculator for package rates, and the FCL vs LCL volume tool for sea mode guidance.
Shipping to United States: questions we get asked
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