From September 22, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will launch voluntary testing of a new electronic customs clearance format for international postal shipments — Entry Type 13, or Informal Mail Entry. The corresponding CBP notice was published in the Federal Register.
The new mechanism applies to goods valued at up to $2,500 entering the United States through the international postal network. For Ukrainian businesses, this is an important change in the rules for shipping parcels to the United States, especially after the elimination of the general de minimis exemption for commercial shipments.
What Is Entry Type 13
Entry Type 13 is an electronic simplified declaration for international mail. It is submitted through ACE — the Automated Commercial Environment — and no separate application is required to participate in the test.
A customs bond is required for clearance. The declaration must include information about the goods, including:
- description and country of origin;
- all applicable 10-digit HTSUS codes;
- value of the goods;
- duty rate and amount;
- postal operator tracking number;
- port of arrival;
- Importer of Record information.
Goods subject to antidumping or countervailing duties or quotas cannot be cleared under Entry Type 13 — they require a formal customs entry.
Who Files the Declaration for a Parcel to the United States
This is the main change to consider before sending a parcel to the United States by mail. Entry Type 13 may be filed by:
- the owner of the goods;
- the purchaser of the goods;
- a licensed customs broker authorized by the owner or purchaser.
If the recipient is not the owner or purchaser, a licensed broker must be engaged for customs clearance of the parcel in the United States. Therefore, when clearing a parcel through the postal network in the United States, it is important to determine before shipment who will be responsible for the declaration and import clearance.
Learn more about procedures and documents in the customs clearance section for international parcels.
Postal or Express Delivery to the United States
Entry Type 13 applies specifically to the international postal channel. Different clearance procedures apply to express delivery via FedEx and UPS.
| International Mail | FedEx / UPS | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Type 13 | May be used | Does not apply |
| Who handles clearance | Owner, purchaser, or broker | Customs clearance is integrated into the delivery process |
| Broker in the United States | Required in certain cases | There is no need to arrange Entry Type 13 separately |
| What to consider | Shipping rate + clearance + possible broker costs | Shipping rate + express delivery terms and transit times |
Therefore, businesses should compare more than just the basic cost of shipping goods to the United States. With FedEx and UPS, customs clearance is already integrated into the logistics process, so there is no need to arrange Entry Type 13 separately through the postal channel.
And thanks to GlobalPost contract rates, the cost of express delivery for many shipments may be comparable to postal delivery, while the process itself can be simpler and more predictable.
You can check available destinations in the export from Ukraine section.
What Will Happen to Gifts
The rules for gifts have not changed. Genuine non-commercial gifts sent to individuals in the United States may still qualify for an exemption and remain duty-free if they meet the established requirements.
At the same time, commercial goods cannot be declared as gifts solely to avoid paying customs duties.
What This Means for Ukrainian Businesses
For businesses, the new rules make postal shipments to the United States less convenient. It is necessary to determine in advance who will file the declaration, who will be responsible for import clearance, and whether a customs broker in the United States will need to be engaged separately.
With FedEx and UPS through GlobalPost, this process is much simpler — customs clearance is already integrated into the delivery process. You do not need to arrange Entry Type 13 separately through the postal channel or deal with a broker on the U.S. side.
For marketplace sellers, we also recommend checking the delivery terms for Amazon, Etsy and eBay warehouses.
