PREVIEW

U.S. Ends $800 Tariff Exemption on Imported Packages. The U.S. tariff exemption that allowed packages under $800 to enter duty-free ends permanently this Friday. Customs and Border Protection will begin charging full duty rates on all imports, no matter the value, starting at 12:01 a.m. Eastern. There will be a six-month transition: postal carriers can choose to pay a flat fee—ranging from $80 to $200 per package—based on the country of origin. After February 2026, all parcels must face standard duty charges tied to their declared value. White House officials say the move closes the "de minimis loophole," which they blame for fueling fentanyl imports and giving Chinese e-commerce giants like Shein and Temu an unfair edge. They estimate it could bring in up to $10 billion annually in tariff revenues. The exemption, first created in 1938 and raised to $800 in 2015, had led to a surge in direct-to-consumer shipments, jumping from 139 million parcels in 2015 to more than 1.3 billion last year.
Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT