Tariff Update: Import Fees on Canadian Shipments (September 2025)

Important Tariff Guidance

• Policy Change (Effective August 29, 2025): The U.S. eliminated its $800 de minimis exemption. All imports into the U.S. may now be subject to tariffs and taxes, regardless of value.
• Tariffs are set by U.S. Customs, not SidelineSwap or the seller.
• The duty amount depends on the item’s country of origin:
  • Items made in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico may qualify for tariff-free treatment under USMCA, if proper documentation is included.
  • Items manufactured in other countries (e.g., China, Europe) are more likely to face higher tariff rates.

Supported Carriers

When creating your own shipping labels, you’ll need to use one of the following carriers:

Chit Chats 

• Partners with USPS and other carriers to provide lower-cost cross-border shipping.
• Chit Chats handles customs clearance and forwards your package to USPS for final U.S. delivery.
• ChitChats can ship USMCA eligible items tariff-free across the border.
• To get started:
  • Sign up for a Chit Chats account and create a shipment from your dashboard.
  • Drop your package at a branch/partner location, or schedule a pickup.

FedEx

• Offers direct international shipping from Canada to the U.S.
• Create labels through a FedEx account
• When possible, choose Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) to reduce unexpected charges.
• FedEx’s brokerage team manages clearance, but tariffs and taxes are still determined by U.S. Customs.
• FedEx can ship USMCA eligible items tariff-free across the border. 

Purolator

• Broad Canadian coverage with U.S. delivery through Purolator International.
• Create labels through a Purolator account.
• Typically pricier than ChitChats or Canada Post.

UPS Shipments Inbound from Canada

• UPS is currently charging buyers higher-than-expected duties.
• If you’ve paid duties to UPS, fill out this form to start the reimbursement process: Reimbursement Form

Other Things to Know

• Import duties and taxes are set by U.S. Customs and collected by UPS.
• Neither the seller nor SidelineSwap can waive or adjust these fees.
• If you don’t wish to pay, you may refuse. UPS will return the package to the seller.
• UPS may hold shipments until duties are paid. Packages are only released after fees are collected.

Key Points

1. Duties and fees can apply to any order, regardless of value.
2. The amount charged is determined by U.S. Customs, not SidelineSwap or the seller.
3. You may refuse payment if you don’t wish to cover the fee, and the carrier will return the package to the seller.
4. Buying from U.S.-based sellers is the most reliable way to avoid tariffs and delays.
5. We’ll update this page as more information becomes available to us.