DHL Express is halting shipments to the United States worth more than $800 due to increased customs requirements linked to new tariffs introduced under Donald Trump’s trade policies.
The delivery giant announced it will pause all shipments from international businesses to U.S. consumers starting Monday, with no confirmed resumption date.
“To manage this, starting Monday, April 21, 2025, and until further notice, we will temporarily suspend B2C shipments to private individuals in the U.S. where the declared value exceeds USD 800,” the company stated.
It also stated that business-to-business shipments will continue, “though they may also face delays” due to the new customs requirements.
Before now, packages valued up to $2,500 could enter the U.S. with little paperwork.
However, following the introduction of stricter customs checks alongside Trump’s tariffs earlier this month, the threshold has been lowered.
DHL explained that the change “has resulted in a surge of formal customs clearances, which we are handling around the clock.”
While the company is working to “scale up and manage this increase,” it noted that shipments over $800, regardless of origin, may experience delays of several days.
The company confirmed it will continue delivering packages valued under $800, which are still subject to minimal checks when entering the U.S.
However, starting May 2, the White House plans to tighten regulations on shipments under $800—particularly those from China and Hong Kong—by closing a loophole that currently allows low-value packages to enter the U.S. duty-free.
The removal of the so-called “de minimis” rule is expected to affect major low-cost retailers like Shein and Temu.
Both companies have warned that, in response to recent changes in global trade rules and tariffs, they will be raising their prices.
The Trump administration has claimed that “many shippers” in China “hide illicit substances and conceal the true contents of shipments sent to the US through deceptive shipping practices”.
In an executive order, the White House said the new measures target the “synthetic opioid supply chain,” which it claims plays a major role in the ongoing opioid crisis in the U.S.
Beijing, however, has pushed back, calling fentanyl abuse a “U.S. problem” and insisting that China enforces some of the world’s strictest drug control policies.
