1. Event Overview
On September 22, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officially launched the Entry Type 13 (ET13) test - an electronic informal entry process for postal parcels - in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) system. The channel applies to international postal parcels valued at $2,500 or less, on a voluntary participation basis. This is the first purpose-built electronic entry type CBP has created for the international mail channel, marking the end of the era when postal parcels could clear customs with just a vague description of goods, and the beginning of a new phase characterized by electronization, standardization, and traceability.
2. Policy Background: The Indefinite Suspension of the De Minimis Exemption
The emergence of ET13 stems from a fundamental overhaul of the U.S. duty-free regime for low-value parcels. On July 30, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14324, indefinitely suspending the duty-free de minimis treatment (valued at $800 or less) for all countries; Executive Order 14388 of February 20, 2026, continued the suspension. Previously, postal parcels valued at $800 or less imported by one person on one day could clear customs duty-free through a fast-track process - a "gray channel" that underpinned the long-term prosperity of the cross-border e-commerce direct-mail model. After the suspension took effect, these parcels no longer qualify for simplified entry and must use an appropriate existing entry type, substantially raising the clearance costs and compliance thresholds for low-value mail shipments.
3. Core Content of the ET13 Test
According to the notice published in the Federal Register (91 FR 38007) on June 24, 2026, the ET13 test commenced on September 22, 2026, and will continue until CBP announces its conclusion in the Federal Register, with comments accepted throughout the duration of the test. The test is designed to evaluate a brand-new electronic informal entry process for the international mail channel, enabling eligible filers to submit informal mail entries electronically in ACE. Notably, the test temporarily creates an informal entry pathway for low-value international mail shipments - including merchandise previously eligible for the de minimis exemption, as well as merchandise subject to Partner Government Agency (PGA) data requirements or duties other than those set forth in Chapters 1–97 of the HTSUS - which were ineligible for the interim informal entry process under 19 CFR Part 145. However, shipments subject to antidumping/countervailing duties (AD/CVD) or quotas remain ineligible and must use formal entry procedures.
4. Filing Eligibility: No License, No Bond, No Filing
The filing eligibility for ET13 has clear hard thresholds. Under 19 CFR 143.26(a), only two categories of parties are entitled to make entry: first, the owner or purchaser of the merchandise being mailed to the United States; and second, a licensed customs broker properly designated by the owner, purchaser, or consignee. If the consignee is not an owner or purchaser - such as a foreign postal operator, the United States Postal Service (USPS), a freight forwarder, or a carrier - it must obtain the services of a licensed broker who will act as the importer of record (IOR) for the entry. In other words, logistics providers without a license or bond will not be able to file directly. In addition, filers must hold a basic importation and entry bond (either single transaction or continuous) meeting the conditions set forth in 19 CFR 113.62, and the bond must be effective and on file in the ACE eBond system.
5. The 12 Core Data Elements
An ET13 filing requires the IOR to electronically transmit the following 12 core data elements to CBP: filer code; IOR number; description of merchandise; country of origin; all applicable 10-digit HTSUS classification(s), including both primary classifications in Chapters 1–97 as well as any applicable secondary classifications in Chapters 98 and/or 99; quantity and weight (if using specific duty rates); duty rate; value; total duty owed; carrier name; tracking number generated by the foreign postal operator; and arrival port. Among these, quantity and weight are conditional data elements, required only under specified conditions. For shipments subject to PGA data requirements and/or duties other than those set forth in Chapters 1–97 of the HTSUS (such as Section 201, 232, or 301 duties), additional data mandated by those requirements must also be transmitted. The technical transmission requirements are set forth in the CBP and Trade Automated Interface Requirements (CATAIR) guidelines.
6. PGA Merchandise and Special Categories: Exiting the Simplified Channel from October 22
Of particular note, according to the CBP FAQ, effective October 22, 2026, the following four categories of merchandise will be excluded from eligibility for the new mail informal entry process: merchandise for which duty-free treatment is claimed under Chapter 98 of the HTSUS; merchandise subject to duties under Chapter 98 or Chapter 99 of the HTSUS; merchandise for which duty-free treatment is claimed pursuant to a Free Trade Agreement; and merchandise subject to Partner Government Agency (PGA) requirements. These items must be entered under another appropriate entry process, such as Entry Type 13 or formal entry. This means that PGA-regulated categories - including food-contact materials, products under the jurisdiction of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and FDA-regulated goods - will be removed from the simplified channel after October 22 and routed back to the more stringent formal entry process. For sellers exporting such goods via postal parcels, this is a clear countdown signal.
7. Filing Process and Duty Payment
ET13 entries are filed electronically through the ACE system; filers may file on their own in ACE or use a properly appointed licensed customs broker. Duties must be paid through Pay.gov, no later than the 7th day of the month following the package's arrival. For the interim manual filing phase, filers must submit the International Mail Duty (IMD) Worksheet to CBP via email in .XLSX or .CSV format (the older .XLS format is not accepted), also by the 7th day of the following month. If a shipment arrives and the filer does not have a bond or the right to make entry, the shipment will not be released from CBP custody until all requirements are satisfied. As for carriers, those transporting international mail to the United States may voluntarily participate in the test by reporting the tracking number generated by a foreign postal operator for each arriving shipment on a manifest, enabling CBP to match the carrier-reported tracking number with the one on the entry filing - allowing CBP to determine the precise time of arrival for each shipment and confirm that an entry has been timely filed.
8. Misconduct and Enforcement
The ET13 test is by no means a "liability-free experimental field." The Federal Register notice clearly states that if a test participant fails to follow the rules, requirements, terms, and conditions of the test, fails to exercise reasonable care in the execution of participant obligations, fails to abide by applicable laws and regulations that have not been waived, or fails to pay duties, taxes, or fees in a timely manner, the participant may be subject to civil and criminal penalties, administrative sanctions, liquidated damages, and/or other enforcement action. Violations recorded during the test may also affect the subsequent evaluation for full implementation. CBP also emphasizes that participation in the test does not affect a participant's obligations to comply with any other applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. Customs is shifting from "spot checks after the fact" to a data-driven, fully traceable supervision model.
9. Far-Reaching Impact on Cross-Border E-Commerce and the Logistics Industry
The rollout of ET13 is a critical link in the chain of tightened U.S. low-value import regulation in 2026, with effects rippling across the industry. First, the cost of the direct-mail model has risen sharply. The era of "clearing customs with just a product description" is definitively over; sellers must now engage licensed customs brokers, maintain bonds, complete 12 data elements, and pay duties monthly, significantly increasing per-shipment compliance costs. Second, industry entry barriers have risen: logistics providers without licenses or bonds are excluded from the filing system, putting pressure on small forwarders and accelerating consolidation toward licensed, compliant players. Third, PGA-regulated categories (food-contact materials, products with batteries, textiles, etc.) will be forced out of the simplified channel after October 22, further narrowing the direct-mail pathway for these products. Fourth, combined with the earlier U.S. elimination of the $800 de minimis exemption and the EU's proposed increase of small-parcel processing fees to €10, the global low-value cross-border direct-mail model is collectively retreating - overseas warehousing, general trade, and localized operations are becoming the inevitable choices for cross-border sellers.
10. Outlook
From a regulatory trend perspective, the ET13 test is just the beginning. CBP has already stated its plan to replace the current interim process for informal mail entries with an automated informal entry process, and this test is precisely preparation for full implementation. It is foreseeable that international mail filing will become fully electronic and standardized, gradually converging with commercial express channels (such as the Section 321 clearance model). For sellers, "formalization" is no longer an option but a mandatory answer: completing IOR qualification registration, establishing a bond system, tidying up HTSUS classifications, and switching PGA-regulated categories to formal entry or overseas warehousing are the correct postures for navigating the regulatory cycle. Cross-border sellers and forwarders are advised to establish partnerships with licensed customs brokers as soon as possible and complete compliance upgrades before the test ends and policies are fully implemented.
