UPS to Charge Handling Fees on International Parcels to the U.S.

UPS recently announced that, starting September 8, it will levy a new handling fee on international parcels sent to the United States.

Beginning September 8, shipments to the U.S. sent via UPS Worldwide Express, UPS Worldwide Express Plus, and UPS Worldwide Express NA1 will incur an additional US$2.50 international customs-clearance handling fee per shipment. All of the above services guarantee delivery within three days.

In addition, effective August 29, UPS will introduce a “brokerage preparation fee” for parcels originating in Canada: shipments with duties not exceeding US$200 will be charged US$10, while those with duties from US$200.01 to US$800 will be charged US$20.

Previously, the United States’ low-value goods de minimis policy allowed overseas goods valued at US$800 or less to enter duty-free. With the official termination of that policy on August 29, all inbound parcels must now undergo stricter U.S. customs clearance procedures and pay duties based on country of origin.

UPS and FedEx have both stated that additional surcharges are typically introduced when supply-chain networks are under pressure. In April, the two companies applied surcharges on imports from China and Hong Kong; on May 2, the United States first removed duty-free treatment for imports from China. According to UPS data, this change led to a 34.8% decline in the average daily parcel volume from China to the U.S. during May–June.

At present, roughly half of the parcels that benefited from the duty-free policy originated in China. With the complete cancellation of de minimis, international logistics providers broadly face new challenges. According to the latest rules from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), carriers and postal operators are required to post customs bonds/deposits and prepare entry documents; however, the specific implementation procedures remain unclear, making compliance difficult.

As a result, multiple international express and postal operators—including DHL, La Poste (France), Royal Mail (UK), Poste Italiane, bpost (Belgium), Austrian Post, and Japan Post—have suspended certain U.S.-bound services. The suspension scope also involves markets in the Asia-Pacific region such as India, Australia, South Korea, and Taiwan.

No timeline has been announced for lifting these suspensions. Industry sources note that even a pause of only a few days could significantly reduce the volume of parcels entering the United States by air.

Among major international operators, Canada Post is still accepting U.S.-bound parcels, but only when accompanied by a valid 13-character customs ID that confirms duties have been paid. To meet U.S. requirements, Canada Post has partnered with cross-border duty and compliance software provider Zonos to ensure taxes and duties are settled before shipment and remitted directly to U.S. Customs.

Given UPS's international handling fee, tighter U.S. customs clearance rules, and the end of the de minimis policy, shippers should reassess costs, documentation readiness, and carrier options for U.S.-bound parcels.