ACE (Automated Commercial Environment) for postal shipments to USA

Starting October 22, 2026, all U.S.-bound postal parcels valued at $2,500 or less will be filed directly into ACE (Automated Commercial Environment)—the same electronic U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) system used for commercial freight.
Because ACE connects directly to U.S. Partner Government Agencies (PGAs), roughly 40–50% of postal shipments will now require detailed product-level data that standard postal declarations (like a CN22) do not carry.

Why This Is Needed Now

For years, low-value postal shipments entered the U.S. under the $800 duty-free de minimis rule using only basic postal declarations, bypassing formal customs entries and agency oversight. Over the past year, the U.S. government dismantled that loophole to hold postal imports to the same regulatory, safety, and tariff standards as commercial cargo:

1. Closing the Regulatory Visibility Gap: Previously, agencies like the FDA, CPSC, and USDA/APHIS could not electronically screen postal entries. Moving postal filings into ACE gives dozens of PGAs direct visibility to enforce consumer safety, health, and agricultural laws at every shipment value.
   
2. Accountability & Customs Enforcement: Since July 24, 2026, postal shipments have required an informal customs entry filed by a licensed customs broker acting as the Importer of Record. Strengthened by a June 2026 executive order, brokers are now legally and financially liable for the accuracy of declarations, requiring strict "know-your-customer" verification of sellers and product details.
   
3. Accurate Tariff & Duty Assessment: After duty-free de minimis was suspended in August 2025 and temporary flat surcharges expired in July 2026, postal parcels became subject to standard commercial duties (MFN rates, Section 301, and Section 232 metal tariffs). Additional data is required to calculate exact duties—or to allow shippers to claim duty reductions.
   

Key Data Requirements & Impacts

Data CategoryWhat Is RequiredWhat Happens If It's MissingPGA Compliance Data (Mandatory)Specific regulatory details depending on the item:

• CPSC: Children's Product Certificates (based on third-party lab testing) for kids' items.
  
• FDA: Prior Notice & facility registration for food/supplements; approved color additives for cosmetics.
  
• APHIS / Lacey Act / FWS: Plant, wood, seed, and animal material disclosures.
  Blocks the shipment. A customs entry cannot be filed without mandatory agency fields. Parcels arriving at the border without it may be held, inspected, refused, or destroyed.Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) (Optional / Rate-Setting)Attestation and rules-of-origin documentation for USMCA, U.S.–Australia, U.S.–Korea, or U.S.–Israel (available for postal parcels under $2,500 since July 2026; USMCA docs must be kept for 5 years).Higher cost. The parcel still clears, but you pay the standard MFN duty rate instead of qualifying for 0% duty.Section 232 Metal Origin (Optional / Rate-Setting)Country of "melt and pour" for steel, or "smelt and cast" for aluminum. Since April 2026, Section 232 applies to the entire value of the item, not just the metal weight.Punitive default tariffs. The parcel clears, but unknown aluminum origin defaults to the Russian rate of 200% across the full item value (vs. 10% or 0% if documented).

Special Restrictions to Watch Out For

• Medicines & Supplements: Unapproved prescription drugs generally cannot be imported by mail if an effective treatment exists in the U.S. or if marketed to U.S. buyers. Controlled substances are strictly prohibited. Non-compliant parcels under $2,500 are often destroyed rather than returned.
  
• Goods Excluded from Simplified Postal Entry (Entry Type 13): Shipments over $2,500, quota merchandise (mostly agricultural), goods subject to Anti-Dumping/Countervailing Duties (AD/CVD), and alcohol/tobacco cannot use the simplified postal entry. If shipped by post, the recipient must arrange a formal customs entry at their nearest U.S. port.
  

How Shippers & Posts Handle This

Instead of answering dozens of agency questions on every single shipping label, Zonos handles the requirement at the product catalog level:

• For Merchants (Zonos Verified Account): You sync your product catalog once. Zonos Agency Check and Clarify flag which specific items trigger PGA questions or qualify for FTA (like USMCA) duty savings. You save the answers and origin attestations to the product SKU once, and that data automatically attaches to every future postal label.
  
• For Retail Counter Shippers: Individuals shipping from participating postal counters can use the Zonos app to photograph items and answer required agency prompts before handing the parcel over.