CBP Proposes Filing Rules for Goods Valued at $2,500 or Less, With Comments Due 7 December 2026

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has proposed new filing rules for informal entries of goods valued at $2,500 or less. Comments are due 7 December 2026, according to PostCompare and Sterlinx Global. The proposal, titled "Low-Value Shipments," was published in the Federal Register on 8 October 2026 under docket USCBP-2026-0298, Amoy International reports. It is a proposal, so none of the changes apply yet. The filing rules in the notice are still open to change until CBP publishes a final rule, and anyone who ships goods into the United States should read the comment deadline as the point at which the text can still move.

What does the proposal change for goods valued at $2,500 or less?

It moves informal entries to electronic filing, sets an earlier filing deadline and adds a bond requirement. The changes cover informal entry Type 11 and a new Type 13 for international mail. The $2,500 informal-entry limit itself is not changing. What changes is how those entries are filed and secured, and who is responsible for them.

The filing deadline change is the one most likely to matter day to day. Under the current rule, a Type 11 entry can be filed within 15 calendar days after landing. The proposal would require filing by the date the goods are imported.

When would the changes take effect?

The changes are not in force, because the rule is still a proposal. Comments close on 7 December 2026, and the final text could differ from what was proposed. PostCompare reports that the changes remain proposals with comments due by that date.

The sources cited here do not give an effective date for a final rule, so no compliance date can be set yet. Until a final rule is published, the current filing rules still apply, including the 15-calendar-day window for a Type 11 entry after landing.

What does Entry Type 13 require for international mail?

Entry Type 13 would be filed electronically by the owner, purchaser or a licensed customs broker. Carriers would supply extra data on mail shipments. Sterlinx Global reports that this postal data includes the shipper or sender identity and the tracking number. PostCompare reports only that carriers would supply an additional data element.

Where the final deliver-to party differs from the ultimate consignee, the entry would need to name that party (Amoy International, Customs and International Trade Law Firm). Mail of $2,500 or less that is not properly entered within 15 days of importation would be treated as voluntarily abandoned. USPS processing could then include destruction or return to the sender (Customs and International Trade Law Firm).

Who faces new costs under the proposal?

Importers who file without a bond, non-owner consignees and carriers face new obligations. The table below lists each party and what would change for it.

The proposal also widens one option. Goods under Chapter 99, such as those subject to Section 232 duties, valued from $251 to $2,500 could use informal entry instead of being forced into formal entry (Amoy International). For background on those duties, see Section 232 Exclusions Process Eliminated.

What is the background to the proposal?

The proposal follows the suspension of duty-free de minimis treatment for low-value imports. PostCompare reports that, according to CBP, the US de minimis exemption has been suspended since at least 29 August 2025. Sterlinx Global gives the same start date for duty-free treatment from all countries.

For a plain explanation of the stages a federal rule goes through, see How to Read the Federal Register for Business News.

What's still unclear?

• The rule can still change. Final text, dates and penalties are open until CBP publishes a final rule.
• The penalty amount is a proposal. Sterlinx Global and the Customs and International Trade Law Firm both report a proposed $1,000 minimum liquidated damages amount for bond breaches. The law firm says the minimum does not apply to certain listed bond conditions, which the sources do not set out in full. Check the figure and its scope against the notice text before relying on it.
• Every source is a secondary summary. The sources come from a shipping publication, a logistics firm and a law firm. They agree on the dates, the docket number and the main filing changes. Details that matter for compliance should be checked in the Federal Register notice itself.
• Cost is described, not measured. The sources list which parties must comply and what they must do. They do not quantify what compliance will cost, which is the weakest part of the picture for importers and mail operators.