DHL Halts High-Value U.S. Deliveries Amid New Tariff Rules and Customs Delays

DHL Express has announced a temporary suspension of shipments to the United States valued over $800 due to mounting customs hurdles triggered by new U.S. tariff policies. The move follows a surge in formal customs checks linked to recently implemented trade measures under former President Donald Trump’s administration.

Effective Monday, the global logistics firm will stop processing high-value deliveries from businesses worldwide to U.S. consumers “until further notice.” While shipments between companies (B2B) will continue, DHL cautioned that even those may face prolonged processing times.

The company said it has seen a “significant increase” in customs clearance requirements, as a lower threshold for streamlined entry now demands more documentation. Until recently, packages valued up to $2,500 could enter the U.S. with minimal paperwork. That cap has now been reduced, prompting a backlog at customs facilities.

DHL stated it is working to expand operations to manage the growing volume of formal clearances but warned that packages over $800 could experience “multi-day delays.”

Deliveries below that threshold will still be processed with minimal checks for now. However, this could soon change. On May 2, the U.S. government plans to tighten regulations on packages valued under $800 – especially those shipped from China and Hong Kong—by ending a key exemption known as the “de minimis” rule. This exemption currently allows low-cost goods to enter duty-free.

The upcoming change is expected to directly impact major Chinese retailers like Shein and Temu, both of which have indicated they will raise prices in response to the new tariffs and trade restrictions.

The policy shift is part of a broader crackdown on what the White House has described as widespread misuse of the de minimis provision. U.S. officials claim some shippers have been disguising shipments or under-declaring values to evade duties, with concerns also tied to efforts to curb synthetic opioid imports.

An executive order accompanying the changes cited the need to “disrupt the synthetic opioid supply chain,” which officials say plays a major role in the ongoing opioid crisis.

China has pushed back against the measures, calling the move politically motivated. In response, Hongkong Post recently suspended sea shipments to the U.S. and announced it will stop accepting U.S.-bound parcels altogether from April 27, calling the tariffs “unreasonable” and “abusive.”

The ripple effects of the new rules are already being felt across the global e-commerce and logistics industries, with companies and consumers bracing for delays, higher costs, and greater shipping uncertainty in the weeks ahead.