As of 2026
🇺🇸 U.S. Customs Duties & Clearance Fees
for EMS (Air) Shipments
Recent changes to U.S. international-parcel duty policy have altered the customs duty and clearance-fee rules for EMS (air) shipments from Korea to the U.S. If you receive items in the U.S., please review the information below.
⚠️
The $800 de minimis duty exemption has been abolished (since Aug 2025)
Previously, U.S. imports valued at $800 or less were duty-free. Due to the policy change, most international parcels (except documents) are now subject to duty. Even low-value items may be dutiable.
1U.S. Import Duty Policy Change
Before: imports into the U.S. valued at $800 or less were duty-exempt
Now: the de minimis exemption was abolished in Aug 2025 → most international parcels (except documents) are now dutiable.
2Duty Rate for EMS to the U.S.
General goods shipped to the U.S. may currently be subject to duty of
about 10% (temporary global tariff) to 15%.
The actual tax varies by the factors below, and
the exact amount is determined during U.S. customs clearance.
Product type (HS CODE)
Declared value
U.S. customs decision
Import regulations
3Clearance Fee Guide
Additional fees may arise during clearance for EMS shipments. Typical examples:
| Item value | Duty | Clearance fee |
|---|
| $100 or less | No duty | About $1.04 fee (collected from & paid by the sender) |
| $100 – $800 | Duty may apply | $1.04 + about 10% of the duty
Both fee & duty are collected from and paid by the sender |
| Over $800 | Duty applies | Paid by the local recipient |
💡 Example
If a duty of $30 applies
Fee = $1.04 + $3 → about $4.04 extra may apply
※ The exchange rate follows the rate charged by the post office.
4Who Pays the Duty & Fees
Taxes on U.S. clearance are charged as follows:
- Duty and clearance fees are determined by U.S. customs standards
- Mostly paid by the recipient, or
- Charged by the carrier or customs broker during clearance
5Precautions
U.S. clearance standards differ from Korea's, so please note:
- Even low-priced items may incur tax
- Additional tax or clearance delays may occur depending on the customs decision
- Depending on the item type, it may be subject to additional inspection (e.g., FDA)
- Clearance costs are determined by U.S. customs standards, not by the seller
📌 DahaeDream Notice
1We can declare the shipping value per your request, but the actual clearance fees and duties may change during the clearance process.
2Even for items $800 or less, if duty applies, the post office bills the sender. This duty is later charged to you (the member) by DahaeDream, and must be paid.
3DahaeDream ships your items properly from Korea, but duties and fees arising during U.S. clearance are determined by U.S. customs policy and are beyond the seller's control.