Section 321 cargo clearance, a long-standing facilitator of duty-free shipping for businesses, has officially become a casualty of the latest trade policy adjustments. On August 29, 2025, the USA formally eliminated the widely utilized de minimis exemption under Section 321 of the Tariff Act. This pivotal policy had previously allowed low-value shipments, specifically those valued under $800 USD, to enter the United States free of duties and taxes, significantly streamlining cross-border commerce for countless companies. The cessation of this exemption marks a definitive end to an era for these duty-free provisions.

De Minimis Cargo Clearance Goes The Way of The Dodo