US import duty and customs fees on goods from Germany
Every German shipment to the US now needs a customs entry — the $800 de minimis exemption is gone for both courier and post. On top of the ordinary MFN rate, Germany carries a 10% Section 301 duty, applied as a cap rather than a surcharge: goods whose ordinary MFN rate is below 10% are topped up to 10%, and goods already at or above it pay nothing extra.
Germany is treated as part of the European Union, which is capped rather than stacked. Where the MFN rate is under 10%, Section 301 tops the total up to 10%; where MFN is 10% or more, Section 301 is zero. Adding 10 points to a German product with a 12% MFN rate — which is what most calculators do — overstates the duty by the full 10 points.
| Product type | MFN rate | Section 301 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver jewelry | 5%–13.5% | 0%–5% | 10%–13.5% |
| Imitation jewelry | 0%–11% | 0%–10% | 10%–11% |
| Silk sarees & silk fabric | 0%–3.9% | 6.1%–10% | 10% |
| Cotton apparel | 0%–32% | 0%–10% | 10%–32% |
| Silk apparel & blouses | 3.5%–26.9% | 0%–6.5% | 10%–26.9% |
| Bags, cases & pouches | 0%–20% | 0%–10% | 10%–20% |
| Leather goods & accessories | 0%–14% | 0%–10% | 10%–14% |
| Rugs & floor coverings | 0%–8% | 2%–10% | 10% |
| Ceramics & pottery | 0.7%–28% | 0%–9.3% | 10%–28% |
| Wooden decor & carvings | 0%–4.3% | 5.7%–10% | 10% |
| Brass & metal decor | 0%–5.8% | 4.2%–10% | 10% |
| Candles | 0% | 10% | 10% |
| Soap & cosmetics | 0%–4% | 6%–10% | 10% |
| Toys & games | 0% | 10% | 10% |
| Books | 0% | 10% | 10% |
| Art prints & posters | 0% | 10% | 10% |
| Stationery & paper goods | 0% | 10% | 10% |
| Musical instruments | 0%–8.7% | 1.3%–10% | 10% |
| Packaged spices | 0%–4.8% | 5.2%–10% | 10% |
Ranges span every subheading in the HTS heading. Your exact rate depends on your 10-digit classification — open a row to see the reasoning and the sources.
Customs fees on a parcel from Germany
| Parcel value | Courier / express (DHL, FedEx, UPS, Aramex) | Postal (India Post, Royal Mail, Canada Post, national post) |
|---|---|---|
| $100.00 | Entry Type 11 informal entry $4.15 in CBP fees, plus the carrier brokerage fee | Postal informal entry (19 CFR 145.12(b)) $0.00 in CBP fees, plus the postal handling / filing charge |
| $800.00 | Entry Type 11 informal entry $4.15 in CBP fees, plus the carrier brokerage fee | Postal informal entry (19 CFR 145.12(b)) $0.00 in CBP fees, plus the postal handling / filing charge |
| $3,000.00 | Formal entry $34.58 in CBP fees, plus the carrier brokerage fee | Formal entry $0.00 in CBP fees, plus the postal handling / filing charge |
There is no value floor any more: a $100 parcel needs a customs entry just like a $3,000 one. Duty comes on top, at the rates in the table above. Post shows $0 because mail is exempt from CBP's processing fee; a formally entered EMS parcel, such as international Speed Post, is the exception. We do not quote carrier or postal charges because none are published that we can verify. From 22 October 2026, post moves to formal mail entry or the Entry Type 13 test for goods from Germany: what changes.
Get told when these rules change
US import rules for small sellers changed three times in 2026 — February, June and July. When the next one lands, you get one plain-English email. No schedule, no filler; some months there is nothing to send.