Australia Post has temporarily halted most parcel deliveries to the United States after Washington scrapped a key customs exemption for low-value imports.
The state-owned postal service said packages valued at $800 or less would now face full import duties from 29 August, following the suspension of the “de minimis” rule that previously allowed such goods to enter duty free.
The decision mirrors similar moves by postal operators in Europe and Asia, including Deutsche Post in Germany, Swiss Post, Japan Post and Korea Post, all of which have paused most US-bound shipments in recent days.
In a statement, Australia Post said: “We are disappointed we have had to take this action, however, due to the complex and rapidly evolving situation, a temporary partial suspension has been necessary to allow us to develop and implement a workable solution for our customers.”
Packages bound for the US and Puerto Rico lodged on or after 26 August will not be accepted until further notice. Letters, documents and gifts under $100 are unaffected.
The new tariffs mean goods shipped through postal channels will face either a standard ad valorem duty based on origin or, for six months, a fixed fee of $80–$200 depending on the tariff rate of the sending country.
Australia Post said it was working with both governments and international partners to restore services “as soon as possible”.
Private courier FedEx confirmed its Australian arm continues to accept and transport shipments to the US.