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DHL has announced it will temporarily suspend international shipments to US consumers for packages valued over $800.
Some shit you should know before you read: For those unaware, DHL is a global shipping headquartered in Bonn, Germany. DHL serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. The company plays a major role in transcontinental commerce and e-commerce logistics, particularly in the United States. According to Deutsche Post’s 2023 annual report, DHL Express delivered over 275 million international shipments to the US in 2023, making it one of the largest international parcel carriers in the country.
What’s going on now: In a notable development, DHL confirmed it would suspend all international business-to-consumer (B2C) shipments to private individuals in the United States valued over $800 in response to a major shift in US customs regulations that took effect on April 5. This regulatory change lowered the threshold for formal customs declarations from $2,500 to $800, meaning any package entering the US with a declared value above that amount must now go through a more stringent, time-consuming clearance process. Previously, many packages under $2,500 could be processed with minimal paperwork, allowing for faster delivery and fewer delays.
According to the US, the updated rule is part of a broader effort to strengthen import controls, reduce the flow of illicit goods, and improve transparency in international trade. Despite this, DHL says the new policy change has triggered a surge in the volume of packages requiring formal clearance, leading to multi-day delays and forcing the company to temporarily suspend shipments above the new threshold to maintain service quality.
Despite the suspension, DHL stressed that some shipments will still be allowed. Packages valued at $800 or less will continue to be processed and delivered to both individual consumers and businesses without interruption. Business-to-business (B2B) shipments above $800 will also not be suspended, although they may experience delays due to the increased customs workload.
