On 30th July 2025, the United States Government announced a new Executive Order which outlined significant changes to customs obligations and processes for goods being imported into the USA from 29^th August 2025. 

We’ve since been working intensively, including with the US authorities and international partners to adapt to these changes, which will affect everyone who sends goods to the USA. 

We are now providing postal delivery duties paid (PDDP) services via Royal Mail which meet the new requirements and in order that you can continue to export goods to the USA.

Key Points of the US Executive Order

If you ship goods to the USA, the following will apply on 29 August 2025:

• The duty-free threshold (‘de minimis’) of $800 will be removed and replaced by tariffs (duties) which must be paid to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
• For goods shipped via the international postal system, customs duties will be calculated using the value of the item/s and the prevailing country based (IEEPA) tariff for the item/s, depending on their country of origin (country of manufacture, not shipping).
   

Information about our PDDP services to the USA

Parcelforce account customers will be able to access the new Royal Mail Tracked Heavier PDDP services to the USA.
 

What can you expect from the PDDP services?

• Familiar experience - Tracking, and notifications will look and feel like the USA services you have already been using.
• Data requirements - Electronic data submission remains largely unchanged, so you can continue using current processes with confidence.
• Simple customs clearance – The service will provide Royal Mail shipping, calculation, and payment of actual duties to US CBP which will enable your items to pass through US customs.
• Transparent Invoicing - We’ll invoice you for the duties and handling fees we’ve paid on your behalf, on a separate code so you know what customs duties are for each item.
   

Pricing of our PDDP services to the USA

We want to help customers continue to export to the USA and keep costs to a minimum. Individual postage pricing will remain the same for the new PDDP services as for the current USA export services.

We will simply add a 50p per parcel handling charge, to cover the additional costs associated with providing clearance services into the USA. This will be invoiced as a handling fee, in addition to postage costs.
 
 

Using our PDDP services to the USA?

Sending customers are responsible for understanding the latest shipping and customs requirements and accounting for any duties required for the items they are sending. Royal Mail will continue to provide shipping, calculation and payment of actual duties to the US authorities, enabling items to pass through US customs. Royal Mail will invoice customers for the duties we have paid on your behalf. 

Moving from our existing services to the new PDDP services

The new USA requirements are effective from Friday 29 August 2025.

For Parcelforce account customers, you will have access to the Royal Mail PDDP services once you have migrated your account to our newly unified Royal Mail and Parcelforce network and shipping platforms.

To enable seamless access for account customers, we began the upload of the PDDP product codes to the Royal Mail accounts of existing Parcelforce US export customers over the weekend of the 24-25 August 2025. We also uploaded two supplementary codes (CUE & CUO) which will be used for invoicing you for duties and handling fees.
 

PDDP Product Codes and Specifications

If you’re not using a Royal Mail shipping solution/API, customers should speak with their service provider to check the systems you use will allow access the new USA postal DDP services.
 

More information

If you choose to use replacement PDDP services to the USA, you are consenting to the service terms & conditions. For more information about the terms of this service, please refer to Royal Mail's International Shipping Guides webpage view the International Business Parcels User Guide. More information about PDDP services can also be found here.