Taiwan Halts Parcel Mail to U.S. as Duty-Free Exemption Ends
Taiwan’s national postal service, Chunghwa Post, has suspended all small parcel deliveries to the United States starting Tuesday. The decision follows Washington’s removal of the “de minimis” duty-free rule, which earlier exempted packages valued under USD 800 from customs duties.
Reason Behind the Suspension
With the exemption gone, every parcel entering the U.S. will now face duties. Chunghwa Post said it lacks a system to collect and prepay these fees for customers before the items are processed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. This makes continuing parcel services unworkable under current conditions.
Mail That Can Still Be Sent
Despite the halt, certain services remain unaffected. Letters, documents, newspapers, printed materials, postcards, and EMS document shipments will continue to be accepted for delivery to the U.S. Only parcel services have been suspended.
Alternatives for Senders
Taiwanese customers needing to send goods can still use private courier companies such as DHL and FedEx. These carriers have established mechanisms to collect duties upfront, ensuring their parcel operations to the U.S. remain unaffected.
Scale of Impact
In 2024, Taiwan sent nearly 340,000 small parcels to the United States, most of them low-value e-commerce items and personal packages. The suspension is expected to significantly impact both businesses and individuals relying on postal shipping.
