If you’ve seen news or social media posts about new tariffs, import taxes, or rising prices when ordering from abroad, you’re not alone. There’s been a lot of confusion lately, especially with recent announcements by the U.S. government about changing import rules—particularly for low-cost items from China.
One key part of this conversation is something called the de minimis exemption.
What is the De Minimis Exemption?
The U.S. de minimis exemption allows goods valued under $800 to enter the country without paying import duties. This policy has been in place for years and is one of the reasons why many U.S. customers have never had to deal with customs or surprise fees when ordering international packages.
However, as of mid-2024, the U.S. began implementing major changes to this system. While the de minimis exemption still applies to most countries, items from China and certain flagged entities are no longer eligible. These items may now face a flat fee or percentage-based tax even if they’re under $800. This change mainly targets companies like Shein and Temu, aiming to curb the flood of ultra-cheap imports and support fairer trade practices.
But What About Orders from Europe?
Here’s the good news: if you're ordering from our store, you’re ordering from the EU, and as of now, EU-origin goods under $800 are still covered by the de minimis exemption. This means your package should continue to arrive without any extra import fees or customs processing—just like before.
We clearly mark our products as made in or shipped from Lithuania, and our U.S. customers have continued to receive their items smoothly.
Why This Matters for You
With all the confusion and rapidly changing trade policies, it’s more important than ever to shop smart and stay informed. We take pride in sourcing our products directly from trusted European suppliers, ensuring the highest quality and hassle-free shipping to the U.S.
We do have to keep in mind that due to rapidly changing policies of the current U.S. government, there is a chance that the de minimis exemption could be taken away for EU or other countries as well. This would lead to direct impact for our U.S. customers, but we do hope this will not happen—and we promise to keep you informed if it does as soon as we learn about any changes. I am writing this on 2025-05-08 and the information here is accurate to the best of my knowledge to date.
Thank you for supporting small businesses like ours. We appreciate your trust and are here to answer any questions you might have about ordering from overseas.
Just for those interested in knowing more:
The New China Tariffs explained - Why So Much Confusion
As of May 2, 2025, the U.S. government has eliminated the de minimis exemption for goods originating from China and Hong Kong. This means that shipments valued at or under $800, which previously entered the U.S. duty-free, are now subject to a duty rate of:
Postal shipments: either 30% of their value or a flat fee of $25 per item, whichever is higher. This flat fee is set to increase to $50 per item after June 1, 2025.
Private carrier shipments: 120% ad valorem duty or a flat fee of $100 per package (increasing to $200 per package on June 1, 2025), whichever is higher.
For example, a single $0.25 pencil imported from China would now incur a minimum duty of $25 – a significant markup that has left many consumers and businesses scrambling to adjust. These changes have sparked widespread confusion, as many are still unclear on whether these fees apply to each item in a package or the package as a whole (current guidance indicates the flat fee is per item when shipped with postal services, not per package, making this an especially harsh measure).
How Europe Has Handled This
In Europe, we used to have a de minimis exemption for goods valued up to 150 euros, meaning that low-value imports could enter without paying customs duties and VAT. However, this exemption was lifted in 2021 as part of an effort to create a fairer marketplace and curb the influx of cheap, mass-produced items, often from companies like Shein and Temu.
Since then, European consumers have become quite familiar with the process of paying import taxes and VAT on all international purchases, as this change applied universally to all non-EU imports, without singling out any particular countries. Typically, these imports are subject to a modest import duty of around 3–5%, along with the standard VAT of 21% (or the applicable rate in each EU country). While this change was an adjustment for many, the system is generally straightforward and the costs predictable.
In contrast, the new U.S. tariffs on low-value items from China are significantly more aggressive, with much steeper rates that can quickly add up, particularly for small, inexpensive items. This approach has sparked confusion and concern among both consumers and businesses, as it creates a far more challenging environment for importing low-cost goods.
With gratitude and commitment,
The Sacred Lotus Team