DHL drops embargo on medium-value goods after US walks back customs rule

DHL Express withdrew its suspension on deliveries valued above $800 to private individuals in the United States after negotiating changes to new customs rules that had created a significant administrative burden, the company said in a customer notice Monday.

The express carrier, part of the Deutsche Post Group, one week ago stopped accepting business-to-consumer shipments with a value above $800. The suspension was implemented to ensure service levels after U.S. Customs and Border Protection, at the White House’s direction, on April 5 lowered the $2,500 threshold for filing an informal entry, resulting in large shipment backlogs. DHL said import processing specialists were unable to quickly respond to the sudden increase in formal entries, which require much more documentation. The embargo was to continue until DHL could put the processes and personnel in place to handle the extra documentation without impacting service.

The original suspension did not apply to B2B shipments, presumably because companies are more familiar with import rules than are online shoppers, nor to de minimis shipments below $800.

“This decision follows constructive dialogue between DHL and the U.S. government, who demonstrated a strong willingness to understand our operational and technical challenges, and who agreed that it was imperative to act quickly in the interest of U.S. consumers,” DHL said in the bulletin.

DHL said CBP canceled the tighter regulatory requirements for medium-value goods, meaning shipments valued between $800 and $2,500 can once again be cleared using the expedited informal entry process. “This positive development will enable us to resume normal operations,” the company said.