DHL Temporarily Halts Individual Shipments to the U.S. Over $800
DHL has taken action following changes in U.S. customs regulations. The company announced that, as of April 21, 2025, it will temporarily suspend individual shipments with a declared value over $800.
Germany-based logistics company DHL has made a significant decision within the scope of new regulations enacted by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection on April 5. Accordingly, formal entry procedures are now mandatory for all shipments with a customs value exceeding $800. This situation directly affects the company’s operations.
DHL: The shipment of B2C deliveries will be temporarily suspended
In a statement regarding the matter, DHL Express noted that multi-day delays were occurring in packages sent to the U.S. due to increased customs procedures and stated that, to ease this burden, high-value shipments directed to individual consumers (B2C) would be temporarily halted.
The company’s statement included the following: “This change has led to an increase in formal customs procedures, which are being carried out by us 24/7. Although we are working intensely to manage this increase, shipments exceeding $800 — regardless of origin — may experience delays lasting several days. In order to manage this situation, as of Monday, April 21, 2025, until further notice, the shipment of goods with a declared value exceeding $800 to individual consumers (B2C) in the U.S. will be temporarily suspended.”
B2B Shipments Will Continue
The decision only covers shipments made to individual recipients. Business-to-business (B2B) shipments will continue. However, it was stated that delays may occur in these shipments as well. Shipments with a declared value under $800 will not be affected by this practice. DHL announced that shipments falling under the scope of the new practice will not be collected as of April 21 and will be temporarily suspended until further notice.
Tension Originating from Hong Kong
On the other hand, recently, Hongkong Post also took a similar step by announcing that it had suspended shipments to the U.S. via sea route. The institution described the U.S. decision to revoke duty-free trade privileges for packages arriving from China and Hong Kong as “bullying.”
DHL, however, stated that shipments originating from Hong Kong will continue to be processed in compliance with U.S. customs regulations and that they will support their customers in adapting to this process. The new regulation is expected to have serious effects on the global e-commerce chain, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses and individual consumers.
As of April 5, 2025, formal entry procedures are now required for all shipments sent to the U.S. with a declared customs value exceeding $800. This threshold was previously set at $2,500. This change was made due to the new U.S. customs regulations.