The short answer
- Since August 29, 2025, the $800 duty-free de minimis exemption has been suspended for shipments from every country; CBP made the suspension indefinite in June 2026.
- Federal law also repeals the exemption's statutory basis from July 1, 2027.
- So clothing shipped to the US from abroad generally owes duty, whatever its value. The question is who pays, and when.
- At Jeanszilla, US import duties are included in the price at checkout.
For years, most online clothing orders from abroad came into the US duty-free, because shipments worth $800 or less qualified for the "de minimis" exemption. That has changed, and if you've had a surprise fee on a parcel recently, this is why. Here is the plain-English version, checked against official sources as of October 2026. Customs rules change, so the links below are the place to check for updates.
What changed, and when
| Date | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| August 29, 2025 | Duty-free de minimis treatment suspended for low-value commercial shipments from all countries, by executive order | White House fact sheet |
| June 24, 2026 | CBP rules indefinitely suspend de minimis treatment for imports valued at $800 or less, arriving by all modes, including mail | CBP release, CBP e-commerce FAQs |
| July 1, 2027 | The One Big Beautiful Bill Act's repeal of the statutory basis for de minimis takes effect | White House fact sheet |
In CBP's own words, under the current rules all shipments valued at $2,500 or less are subject to applicable duties, with a few exceptions: genuine gifts valued at $100 or less, and certain personal items travelers bring with them (CBP). CBP also notes that a bonus item thrown in with a purchase doesn't count as a gift.
How much duty is there on jeans?
There's no single number. Duty on clothing depends on three things:
- The tariff classification. Jeans are trousers in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule: heading 6203 for men's and boys', 6204 for women's and girls', with subheadings by fiber, such as cotton (USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule).
- The country of origin, which decides whether extra tariffs apply on top of the base rate.
- The value of the goods.
Because the extra, country-based tariffs have changed several times since 2025, any rate we printed here could be out of date by next month. If you want the current figure for a specific order, the HTS search and the country of origin are the starting points.
Who pays: the two ways a cross-border order can work
| Duties paid by the buyer on arrival | Duties included by the seller | |
|---|---|---|
| What you see at checkout | Price of goods and shipping only | One price that already covers duty |
| When duty is paid | When the parcel arrives, often with a carrier handling fee on top | Settled by the seller as part of the sale |
| Trade term you may see | DAP or DDU ("delivered, duty unpaid") | DDP ("delivered, duty paid") |
| Risk for you | Surprise fees; a parcel held until you pay; refusing it may not refund the shipping | Little: the price you saw is the price you pay for import duty |
When you shop from abroad, look for one of those phrases in the shipping policy. If a store says nothing, assume duty may be collected from you on delivery.
What "duties included" means at Jeanszilla
It's simple: US import duties are included in the price at checkout. You don't have to look up tariff codes or estimate a fee; the price you see for your jeans already accounts for US import duty. Express tracked delivery takes 3–7 working days and is free on orders over $299. The details are on our shipping information page, and the full order-to-door journey is in what happens after you order.
Watch out for fake "customs fee" messages
Changes like this are a gift to scammers. The FTC warns about fake shipping texts and emails that ask you to pay a small fee to release a parcel, linking to look-alike sites built to collect card details (FTC consumer alert). If you get one, don't click the link; check with the seller or the carrier using contact details you already know.
Checklist before you order clothes from abroad
- Does the shipping policy say duties are included (DDP), or collected on delivery?
- Is there a total "landed" price, or only goods plus shipping?
- If a return is needed, who pays return shipping, and is duty refunded?
- Is the delivery tracked end to end?
- Does the price you're comparing include the same things as the US store you're comparing it with?
Or browse men's styles and kids' styles. New to ordering online? Start with buying jeans online without trying them on.
General information, not legal or customs advice. Checked against CBP and White House sources in October 2026.
Questions
Is the $800 de minimis exemption still available?
No. CBP has suspended duty-free de minimis treatment for shipments of $800 or less from all countries, and the statutory repeal takes effect July 1, 2027.
Do gifts from abroad still come in duty-free?
Genuine gifts valued at $100 or less are still an exception, according to CBP. A free item bundled with a purchase doesn't count.
Is sales tax the same as import duty?
No. Import duty is a federal customs charge on goods entering the US; sales tax is set by states and works separately.
Will I pay duty when my Jeanszilla order arrives?
US import duties are included in the price at checkout.
How do I check the duty rate on clothing myself?
Find the product's code in the USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule (jeans are under headings 6203 and 6204) and check for extra tariffs that depend on the country of origin.
