De minimis values 

de min-i-mis* dā ˈminiˌmēs - Something or a difference that is so little, small, minuscule, or tiny that the law does not refer to it and will not consider it.

What is a de minimis value? 

De minimis is a threshold that exempts imports from duty and or tax/VAT and differs by country. De minimis value has a significant impact on ecommerce, because business-to-consumer (B2C) orders are typically a much lower value than business-to-business (B2B). De minimis value provides faster clearance and opportunity to sell into markets competitively.

Countries that are a member of the European Union and use the Euro as a currency all share the same de minimis thresholds.

• Duty is exempt when up to 150 EUR.
• VAT is always charged regardless of the value.
• Both duty and VAT are due when over 150 EUR.

In the United States, imports are duty and tax-free due to the generous 800 USD de minimis. Then, there are other countries where the de minimis is not as straightforward as it appears, such as Australia’s 1,000 AUD de minimis. Australia’s de minimis is technically 1,000 AUD; however, if you sell over 75,000 AUD a year into Australia, you are required to register/remit GST and not via the customs clearance process. Russia’s de minimis threshold is 200 EUR and accompanied by a weight threshold of 31 kilos. When either or both are exceeded, the shipment is no longer a low-value personal shipment and the importer must hire a broker to clear it.

De minimis values per country 

The majority of import countries have a de minimis amount for duty and tax. Below is a reference sheet of each country’s values for duty and tax de minimis.

Be aware some countries have special rules and conditions that do not clearly define their de minimis values.

Countries with special de minimis rules 

Next steps

Parabens! You now understand more about de minimis values and their impact on cross-border ecommerce. Next, you may want to get a list of all the different countries and their de minimis values, learn about landed cost, or more.

• Blog: What is de minimis value? - Get more context and examples on our blog post about de minimis.
• Tax laws on low-value goods - Learn about how Australia is changing the tax game.
• New Zealand GST remittance - Learn how New Zealand is following Australia’s footsteps with the tax game.

Related Decoder Guides

• Total landed cost - Learn what makes up a landed cost.
• New Zealand import taxes - Understand the recent New Zealand taxation law.
• International shipping carriers - View their services and offerings.

Related Zonos products

• Zonos Checkout - Simplify the shopping experience for your international customers.
• Zonos Landed Cost - Integrate duties and taxes for your website.
• Zonos Hello - Greet customers in their local language and currency on your website.

FAQ

How does Zonos source information on the de minimis values by country?

Zonos uses data from a variety of sources, including government websites, trade organizations, and more. We also have a Decoder team dedicated to managing global trade and staying up-to-date on the latest industry information.