De Minimis Thresholds API: Auto-Detect Duty-Free Shipments for 240 Countries

De minimis thresholds determine whether imported goods are exempt from customs duties and taxes. POTAL's API automatically detects and applies de minimis rules for all 240 countries — no manual lookup required.

What is De Minimis?

De minimis (Latin for "about minimal things") is the threshold value below which goods can be imported without incurring customs duties or taxes. Each country sets its own thresholds, and they change frequently. POTAL's de_minimis_thresholds database covers all 240 countries and territories, updated via automated monitoring.

Key Thresholds (2026)

• United States: $800 for most origins. $0 for China/Hong Kong (effective 2025 — Section 321 reform eliminated de minimis for CN/HK origins)
• European Union: €150 for customs duty. VAT applies from €0 (IOSS system since July 2021)
• United Kingdom: £135 VAT collection shift to seller
• Canada: CAD $20 for tax, CAD $150 for duty
• Australia: AUD $1,000 (one of the highest globally)
• Japan: ¥10,000 (~$67 USD)
• South Korea: $150 USD
• India: No de minimis — duties apply from $0
• Brazil: $50 USD (Remessa Conforme program)
• Mexico: $50 USD

These are just 10 examples. POTAL covers all 240 countries with current thresholds.

Automatic Detection in the API

When you call /api/v1/calculate, de minimis is applied automatically based on the shipment value, origin, and destination:

curl -X POST https://potal.app/api/v1/calculate \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "product_name": "Phone Case",
    "origin_country": "VN",
    "destination_country": "US",
    "value": 12.00
  }'

Response (de minimis applied)

{
  "total_landed_cost": 12.00,
  "breakdown": {
    "product_value": 12.00,
    "import_duty": 0.00,
    "vat_gst": 0.00,
    "customs_fee": 0.00
  },
  "de_minimis_applied": true,
  "de_minimis_threshold": 800,
  "de_minimis_currency": "USD",
  "duty_rate": 3.2,
  "duty_rate_note": "Duty waived - below de minimis threshold"
}

US De Minimis: Origin Matters

The US eliminated de minimis for goods originating from China and Hong Kong. The same $12 phone case from CN would incur full duties:

// Same request but origin_country: "CN"
{
  "de_minimis_applied": false,
  "de_minimis_threshold": 0,
  "de_minimis_note": "CN/HK origin - Section 321 de minimis not available",
  "import_duty": 0.38
}

IOSS and EU De Minimis

The EU eliminated VAT de minimis in 2021 via the Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) system. While customs duties are still waived below €150, VAT applies from €0. Use POTAL's /api/v1/ioss/check endpoint to determine IOSS eligibility and calculate the correct VAT collection.

Type 86 Entry (US)

For US-bound shipments under $800 (non-CN/HK), Type 86 entry provides simplified customs filing. POTAL's /api/v1/type86/prepare endpoint generates ACE filing JSON for eligible shipments.

Querying Thresholds Directly

Use the /api/v1/countries endpoint to retrieve de minimis thresholds for any country without performing a full calculation:

GET /api/v1/countries?code=AU

{
  "country_code": "AU",
  "name": "Australia",
  "de_minimis_duty": 1000,
  "de_minimis_tax": 1000,
  "currency": "AUD",
  "vat_rate": 10.0
}