U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has officially announced a 90-day extension for the mandatory compliance date of its new informal entry process for international mail: Entry Type 13.
Originally scheduled to take effect on October 22, the enforcement deadline has now been moved to January 20. This extension gives customs brokers, importers, and the broader trade community critical breathing room to adapt their systems, streamline data workflows, and prevent potential clearance bottlenecks at U.S. ports of entry.
What Is Entry Type 13?
Historically, international postal shipments have operated under different entry standards than commercial air, ocean, and express courier cargo. CBP’s rollout of Entry Type 13 is designed to close that regulatory gap.
As part of a broader Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) introduced in October, CBP aims to standardize data submission for international mail packages (excluding letters and flats). According to CBP, this initiative is focused on:
“Bringing international mail entry procedures into parity with informal entry procedures across all other cargo modes while setting a global standard for modern customs controls in the international mail environment.”
Which Shipments Are Affected?
Starting January 20, informal entries for international postal packages arriving in the U.S. must be filed electronically via the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) under Entry Type 13 if they meet either of the following criteria:
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Subject to Special Tariffs: Packages incurring Section 201, 232, or 301 duties.
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Partner Government Agency (PGA) Oversight: Shipments regulated by partner agencies such as the FDA, USDA, EPA, or CPSC.
Shipments meeting these conditions will no longer move through standard postal clearance channels without formal electronic data transmission.
Recommended Action: Don’t Wait Until January
While the 90-day grace period provides welcome relief, CBP strongly encourages filers not to delay implementation. Importers and filers can already utilize Entry Type 13 on an optional basis.
Testing and adopting these filings during the transition window ensures:
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Your electronic data interfaces and ACE pipelines are functioning smoothly.
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Potential tariff or PGA documentation issues are identified early.
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High-volume international mail flows avoid costly holds and clearance delays once the mandate goes live in January.
How Sobelnet Can Help
Navigating evolving U.S. Customs requirements demands proactive compliance and robust trade technology. At Sobelnet, our licensed customs brokerage team is closely tracking CBP’s operational updates to ensure your supply chain remains uninterrupted.
Whether you need assistance evaluating whether your postal shipments fall under PGA or Section 301 rules, or require end-to-end customs clearance support, Sobelnet is here to guide you through every regulatory shift.
Have questions about how Entry Type 13 impacts your upcoming shipments?
