Important Announcement on Adjustments to International E-commerce Products and Express Services for Shipments to the USA
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Last updated: 28 April, 2025
According to the latest U.S. policy updates, U.S. Customs will eliminate the duty-free exemption for goods valued below US$800 originating from Mainland China and Hong Kong SAR, effective as of 00:00 Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on May 2, 2025. After the new regulation takes effect, low-value shipments will incur applicable tariffs and fees. To ensure service quality and logistics stability, SFHK will implement the following adjustments:
“SF E-Commerce Express” and “SF E-Parcel”:
- Policy Implications
- Flights departing on or after May 1, 2025 (Eastern Daylight Time) may face restrictions on low-value duty-free declaration channels.
- Starting from April 27, 2025 (Beijing Time), goods may not be able to declare low-value tax exemption, and a new pricing plan will be implemented
- Service Adjustments
- Updated Pricing System: Shipping rates for U.S.-bound e-commerce products will be updated in response to policy and market changes. For specific rates, please refer to the latest price list.(“SF E-Commerce Express” and “SF E-Parcel”)
- Taxation Notice: Tariffs will be assessed based on applicable rates enforced by U.S. Customs. Prepaid customers are required to settle estimated taxes post-weighing, the actual taxes and related fees incurred after customs clearance are refunded or supplemented to the sender. Monthly credit account customers will be invoiced per agreed terms. Original tax certificates for individual shipments will not be issued. Original tax certificates for individual packages will not be provided. Inaccurate, incomplete, or deliberately tampered declarations to evade regulations may result in customs delays, seizures, additional fees, or penalties, which shall be borne by the sender. Ensure lawful and compliant declarations (e.g., accurate product descriptions and values) and provide commercial invoices and sales links as required.
- Declaration Value Limit: The declared value of goods must not exceed $250.
- Extended Transit Times: Overall cross-border delivery times may increase, subject to actual customs clearance operations at the destination.
International “Standard Express” and “SF Economy Express”:
Starting from April 28, 2025 (Beijing Time), shipments collected from Hong Kong and Macau will follow a new customs clearance model, incurring applicable taxes and fees.- Service Updates: A prepaid tax service will launch on April 26, 2025 (Beijing Time). Balance adjustments (refunds or surcharges) will be made based on actual taxes and fees incurred post-clearance.
- Formal Customs Declaration Requirements:
- Any shipment valued at more than $2,500 requires a formal customs declaration.
- For formal declarations, shippers must provide a signed Power of Attorney (POA) authorizing SF Express to handle customs clearance, along with:
- Detailed product descriptions
- 10-digit U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes
- Country of Origin (COO)
- Manufacturer Identification Code (MID)
- Recipient’s Employer Identification Number (EIN) (for corporate recipients)
- Recipient’s Social Security Number (SSN) (for individual recipients)
- Taxation Notice: Tariffs will be charged based on actual rates enforced by U.S. Customs. Prepaid customers will pay taxes upon order placement, monthly credit account customers will receive invoices per agreed terms. Due to operational changes, original tax certificates for individual packages will not be provided.
- Ensure accurate declaration details during order placement to avoid delays or seizures. Additional fees or penalties arising from non-compliance shall be borne by the sender.
- Extended Transit Times: Overall cross-border delivery times may increase, subject to actual customs clearance operations at the destination.
For further enquiries, please contact our Customer Service Hotline at (852) 2730 0273 (Hong Kong) or (853) 2873 7373 (Macau); WhatsApp (852) 5232 3333; Facebook Messenger: SFEXPRESS HK; WeChat: SF_Express-HK.
