DHL announced that it will temporarily halt e-commerce shipments to U.S. individuals with a declared customs value exceeding US$800, citing the need for increased regulatory documentation due to lowered informal entry thresholds by U.S. customs authorities.

The global shipping giant announced that, effective April 5, 2025, all shipments to the U.S. with a declared customs value exceeding US$800 will require formal entry processing, down from the previous US$2,500 threshold due to new U.S. Customs regulations.

It said that this change has caused a "surge" in formal customs clearances, which DHL is handling around the clock, but DHL is experiencing multi-day transit delays to the U.S. from any origin for shipments with a declared customs value exceeding US$800.

"While we are working diligently to scale up and manage this increase, shipments over US$800 — regardless of origin — may experience multi-day delays," it said in the announcement.

"To manage this, starting Monday, April 21, 2025, and until further notice, we will temporarily suspend B2C (business-to-customer) shipments to private individuals in the U.S. where the declared value exceeds US$800," DHL said.

It added that shipments – both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) – with a declarable customs value of less than US$800 are not affected by the suspension.

"Business-to-business (B2B) shipments to U.S. companies with a declarable value above US$800 are not affected by the temporary suspension, though they may also face delays," DHL further said.

"This is a temporary measure, and we will share updates as the situation evolves," it added.