Beginning Sept. 29, postal customers in Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands must prepay customs duties on certain items sent to the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico.
The change follows Executive Order 14324, issued in July, which eliminates duty-free treatment for low-value imports.
Territorial customers must use the Zonos Prepay mobile app to generate a declaration ID and QR code for package acceptance. Exemptions include documents, items without monetary value, and bona fide gifts under specific thresholds.
CNMI Delegate Kimberlyn King-Hinds has asked the Department of Homeland Security for clarification, raising concerns about tariff calculations, potential double taxation, and whether territorial shipments should be covered by the order.
The new rule has drawn concern from Guam and CNMI residents and small business owners who depend on affordable mail services to send locally made goods, care packages, and essential supplies to family members in the mainland.
