International courier giant DHL pauses packages over $800 to US amid tighter Customs rules

International courier giant DHL has announced a temporary suspension of package deliveries exceeding $800 in value from companies to individual recipients in the United States, citing delays triggered by recent changes to US customs regulations .

In a statement, DHL said, "As a result of recent US Customs regulatory updates, we are experiencing multi-day transit delays to the US from any origin for shipments with a declared customs value exceeding $800."

The regulatory change, implemented on April 5, lowered the threshold for mandatory formal customs processing from $2,500 to $800. This has led to a surge in clearance requirements and delays in international shipments to the U.S.

Shipments under the $800 threshold remain unaffected, regardless of whether they are destined for businesses or consumers. Business-to-business (B2B) shipments over the new threshold will also continue but may also experience processing delays.

DHL emphasized that the suspension is not permanent and said it is working to manage the increased customs workload.

The new customs rules are part of broader trade measures introduced by US President Donald Trump. These include tighter import regulations and tariff policies aimed at reducing trade imbalances, particularly with China. Notably, the changes revoke duty-free status for small parcels from China—a move seen as targeting budget e-commerce platforms such as Temu and Shein, which rely heavily on low-cost, direct-to-consumer international shipping.