Executive Order April 09, 2026 Doc #R1-2026-03829

Continuing the Suspension of Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment for All Countries

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In Simple Terms

This order keeps in place the rule that small packages from any country no longer come in duty-free. It makes carriers collect those import charges on mail packages too, using a set rate for now.

Summary

President Donald Trump’s executive order continues the suspension of the duty-free “de minimis” exemption for low-value imports from all countries, including packages sent through the international postal system. It revises an earlier order to require that most of these shipments pay applicable duties, taxes, fees, and charges, and it directs Customs and Border Protection to collect those charges using updated procedures. For postal shipments, the order sets a temporary duty tied to the import surcharge established on February 20, 2026, and requires carriers or other approved parties to collect and send those payments to CBP. The order says it was issued because the administration determined that systems are now in place to collect these duties and that keeping the suspension in place remains necessary to address the national emergencies identified in earlier Trump orders.

Official Record

Federal Register Published

Signed by the President

February 20, 2026

Published in Federal Register

View on Federal Register View Printed Version (PDF)

April 09, 2026

Document #R1-2026-03829

Analysis & Impact

💡 How This May Affect You

Working families may pay more for low-cost imported purchases, with possible delivery delays and extra checkout fees.
Small businesses importing small parcels could face higher costs, more customs paperwork, and added shipping administration.
Students and recent graduates may see pricier online bargains for clothes, electronics, and school or work supplies.
Retirees and seniors ordering inexpensive imported goods by mail may face higher total costs and possible customs complications.
Urban, suburban, and rural areas all face higher small-package costs; rural residents may feel mail-order impacts most.

🏢 Key Stakeholders

Domestic retailers and import-competing manufacturers benefit from reduced low-value foreign price advantages.
E-commerce sellers, foreign marketplaces, and small importers face higher compliance costs.
Customs brokers, postal carriers, and logistics firms gain processing burdens collecting duties.
Department of Homeland Security and CBP lead implementation through ACE entries, guidance, enforcement.
Retail, trade, consumer, and anti-opioid advocacy groups intensify lobbying over costs.

📈 What to Expect

Carriers begin collecting duties on low-value imports, causing checkout price increases.
CBP processing times and entry paperwork rise as de minimis shipments require formal handling.
Small cross-border sellers reduce U.S. shipments amid compliance costs and delivery uncertainty.
Low-value import volumes decline, shifting sales toward domestic warehouses and larger importers.
Customs revenue increases modestly, while enforcement focus expands on misclassification and undervaluation.
Consumers face persistently higher prices and fewer ultra-cheap marketplace offerings.

📚 Historical Context

Builds on Trump’s 2025 EO 14324, continuing his worldwide suspension of de minimis duty-free treatment.
Echoes Trump’s 2018–2020 Section 301 tariff expansion, but extends scrutiny to low-value parcels globally.
Modifies prior practice under Carter 1977 and later presidents, who generally preserved de minimis facilitation.
Historically unusual: uses IEEPA emergency powers, unlike earlier de minimis changes typically made by Congress.
Distinctive for postal shipments: resembles past customs enforcement adjustments, but creates carrier-collected duties nationwide.