The short answer
Since August 29, 2025, the US has charged duty on parcels from Canada whatever their value and however you ship them. Each one owes the normal duty for its product code plus, for most Canadian goods, the 10% tariff, unless a CUSMA claim removes it.
There is no duty-free limit for parcels to the US. The old US$800 "de minimis" exemption is suspended for every country, every value and every way of shipping, Canada and mail included.
As of Oct 29, 2026 · Source: White House, Executive Order 14388 (Feb 20, 2026)
Exact words from the source
"The duty-free de minimis exemption provided under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C) shall not apply to any shipment of articles not covered by 50 U.S.C. 1702(b), regardless of value, country of origin, mode of transportation, or method of entry."
US rules checked October 29, 2026 Estimates, not legal advice. Confirm with a licensed customs broker.
When it ended, and why it stays gone
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August 29, 2025
On August 29, 2025 the US suspended the US$800 duty-free limit for every country, every value and every way of shipping, mail included.
As of Oct 26, 2026 · Source: Executive Order 14324, Federal Register 2025-14897
Exact words from the source
"The duty-free de minimis exemption provided under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C) shall no longer apply to any shipment of articles not covered by 50 U.S.C. 1702(b), regardless of value, country of origin, mode of transportation, or method of entry."
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February 20, 2026
When the Supreme Court struck down the 2025 tariffs, the President kept the suspension going the same day, under a new order that names every country and every way of shipping.
As of Oct 29, 2026 · Source: White House, Executive Order 14388 (Feb 20, 2026)
Exact words from the source
"The duty-free de minimis exemption provided under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C) shall not apply to any shipment of articles not covered by 50 U.S.C. 1702(b), regardless of value, country of origin, mode of transportation, or method of entry."
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June 24, 2026 and July 24, 2026
CBP then wrote the suspension into its own regulations: from June 24, 2026 for couriers and every other way of shipping, and from July 24, 2026 for mail. CBP says this changes nothing in practice for mail, which has had no duty-free limit since August 29, 2025.
As of Oct 29, 2026 · Source: CBP rule, Federal Register 2026-12669
Exact words from the source
"This document amends the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations to implement an indefinite suspension of the de minimis administrative exemption for imports valued at $800 or less arriving through the international postal network."
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July 1, 2027coming
A US law passed on July 4, 2025 ends the de minimis exemption itself from July 1, 2027. From then the end of the exemption no longer depends on executive orders.
As of Oct 26, 2026 · Source: CBP rule, Federal Register 2026-12669
Exact words from the source
"the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was enacted on July 4, 2025, terminated the de minimis exemption effective July 1, 2027."
What de minimis was
De minimis was the US rule that let a low-value shipment, worth US$800 or less, enter the US without duty or formal paperwork.
As of Oct 26, 2026 · Source: CBP rule, Federal Register 2026-12670
Exact words from the source
"This document amends the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations to implement an indefinite suspension of the de minimis administrative exemption for imports valued at $800 or less arriving via all modes other than through the international postal network."
Without it, every parcel owes its duty. On mail, that duty has to be paid before Canada Post will print the label:
US customs no longer collects duty from your customer when a mailed parcel is delivered, so duty on mail has to be paid up front.
As of Oct 29, 2026 · Source: CBP rule, Federal Register 2026-12669
Did the Supreme Court ruling bring it back?
No. The ruling ended the 2025 tariffs, and the suspension was renewed under a new order the same day (second row above). The temporary tariff that followed has also run out:
The 2025 "fentanyl" (IEEPA) tariffs on Canadian goods are gone. The Supreme Court ruled them unlawful on February 20, 2026, and they are no longer collected. Refunds go to the importer of record through CBP.
As of Oct 26, 2026 · Source: Supreme Court, Learning Resources v. Trump (Feb 20, 2026)
The temporary 10% "Section 122" surcharge that replaced them expired on July 24, 2026.
As of Oct 26, 2026 · Source: Proclamation, Federal Register 2026-03824
Is US$2,500 the new duty-free limit?
No. You’ll see that figure on the page of Zonos, Canada Post’s duty partner, but it is where the simpler customs process ends, not a duty-free amount. Duty applies below it too.
Parcels worth US$2,500 or less can clear by informal entry. Over US$2,500 they need formal entry, which in practice means a licensed customs broker.
As of Oct 29, 2026 · Source: CBP rule, Federal Register 2026-12669
What a parcel owes now
That depends on your product, not its value. Which rate your product pays sorts it in four questions, and the duty and fee estimator works it out in dollars for every way of shipping.
Most goods made in Canada pay an extra 10% tariff (Section 301) on top of their normal US duty, since July 24, 2026.
As of Oct 29, 2026 · Source: USTR notice, Federal Register 2026-15181
Canada’s de minimis is a different rule
If you searched “de minimis Canada” for parcels coming in, that’s CBSA’s rule, and it runs the other way:
Canada's own low-value limits are for parcels coming INTO Canada: by courier from the US or Mexico, no duty or tax up to $40 and no duty up to $150. They don't help a parcel you send to the US.
As of Oct 26, 2026 · Source: CBSA, Low value shipments
Exact words from the source
"Imported from the US and Mexico Up to $40: duty and tax free Above $40 to $150: duty free, but taxes still apply Above $150: duties and taxes apply"
Pages that still say US$800
Some pages written before these changes haven’t been updated. Two we checked:
Vendor statementCanada Post's own business guide to international customs still says the US duty-free limit is $800.
As of Oct 29, 2026 · Source: Canada Post, Clearing customs: a guide for Canadian e-commerce brands
Vendor statementStallion Express's homepage still says it can ship up to US$800 a day duty and tax free to the US.
As of Oct 29, 2026 · Source: Stallion Express, homepage FAQ
If a shipping page promises duty-free parcels up to US$800, treat it as out of date. For the customs fees each way of shipping adds today, see the cheapest way to ship to the US, and if your goods are made in Canada, CUSMA paperwork is how goods that qualify can still cross duty-free.