De Minimis Check
What it does
Automatically check if a shipment value falls below the duty-free de minimis threshold for the destination country. De minimis values vary widely — from $0 (Brazil) to $800 (US) to unlimited (some countries). POTAL maintains an up-to-date database of thresholds for all 240 supported countries.
Required Fields for 100% Accuracy
2 required / 3 total| Field | Type | Required |
|---|---|---|
price | number | ! |
destinationCountry | string | ! |
origin | string | opt |
Tips for Best Accuracy
- ✓De minimis check is automatic in /calculate — no separate API call needed
- ✓GET /api/v1/countries returns deMinimisUsd for all 240 countries
- ✓Some countries have separate duty and tax de minimis thresholds — POTAL checks both
- ✓US de minimis changed to $0 for some origins (China/HK) as of Aug 2025
Common Mistakes
- ✗Assuming $800 de minimis applies everywhere — it is US-specific
- ✗Forgetting that de minimis applies to shipment value, not item value
- ✗Not accounting for shipping costs — some countries include shipping in the threshold value
How to use it
Include the shipment value
Set the price field in your /calculate request to the declared value of the shipment.
Check the result
If the value is below the de minimis threshold, the duty amount will be $0 in the breakdown.
View thresholds
GET /api/v1/countries shows the deMinimisUsd field for each country.
Handle edge cases
Some countries have different thresholds for duty vs. tax exemption. POTAL handles both.
API Reference
/api/v1/calculateRelated Features
Get the full import cost including duties, taxes, fees, and shipping
Look up MFN, MIN, and AGR duty rates for 240 countries
Full coverage across 240 countries with localized tax rules
EU Import One-Stop Shop VAT collection and reporting
US Type 86 simplified customs entry for low-value shipments