FedEx · UPS · DHL Express
Your parcel is held by FedEx, UPS or DHL Express
Since August 29, 2025, most parcels need a customs entry. Couriers file most of them with their own brokers, but they stop when documents, a tax ID or a formal entry are missing. Allied CHB, a licensed customs broker, can clear the parcel for you.
Start here
Why is my courier parcel held?
Documents are missing or unclear
The invoice has no real value, a vague description, or no country of origin.
The courier needs your tax ID
A formal entry needs an importer number: an EIN, an SSN or a number that CBP assigns.
The value is over $2,500
The parcel needs a formal entry and a customs bond, not the courier's low-value process.
Another agency reviews the goods
FDA, USDA, Fish and Wildlife or another agency must clear the product.
Duty and fees are unpaid
Some couriers hold the parcel until the recipient pays through a link.
CBP selected the parcel
CBP can examine the goods or ask the importer for more information.
Requests from the courier
What is the courier asking me for?
| Request | What it means | What to send |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial invoice or proof of value | The courier cannot declare the goods without a description, a value and the country of origin. | The seller's invoice or order confirmation, with what the goods are made of and what they are used for. |
| Importer tax ID | UPS says that a formal entry needs an importer tax ID (an EIN or an SSN). FedEx's power of attorney form asks for an IRS number, an SSN or a CBP-assigned importer number. | Your EIN if the goods are for a business. Your SSN if they are for you. Give it only through the courier's own site or to your broker. |
| CBP Form 5106 | DHL says that for a formal entry to an unknown consignee, it must file a CBP Form 5106 with the consignee's IRS number. CBP will not accept the shipment without it. CBP requires a 5106 with the first formal entry (19 CFR 24.5). | Your legal name, address and tax number, exactly as they appear on official records. |
| Power of attorney | The broker needs your written authority to file the entry. DHL says that from March 1, 2026 it is not the importer of record for shipments over $50,000. It asks for a tax ID and a power of attorney. | The courier's power of attorney, or ours if Allied files the entry. |
| Payment of duty and fees | The courier paid, or will pay, the duty to CBP and bills you for it with its own fees. | Pay only through the courier's official site or app. |
| Product details for FDA or USDA | Another agency needs data about the product, the maker or the use. | Ingredients, manufacturer name and address, intended use, and any registration or permit numbers. |
Give accurate identity data
CBP enforces its importer data accuracy rule (FR 2026-16911) from September 18, 2026. CBP can void an importer of record number when the data on CBP Form 5106 is inaccurate. Use your legal name and a real street address.
Notifications
What does a clearance delay message mean?
- FedEx
Clearance delay and FedEx Import Tool
FedEx says that it holds packages when paperwork is missing and contacts the recipient. The FedEx Import Tool sends a link by email or text, valid for 48 hours, to pay, upload documents and see the clearance status.
- UPS
Held in customs, yellow banner
UPS says that holds come from incorrect or missing documents or unpaid duties. The tracking page shows a yellow banner with the next step, and a Pay Now option when payment is due.
- DHL Express
Custom status updated
DHL says that this status means customs activity at the destination and can mean that customs needs more information. Payment is through On Demand Delivery or the DHL payment portal.
19 CFR 143.21
When does a courier parcel need a formal entry?
| Situation | Entry | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Value of $2,500 or less | Informal entry is possible | 19 CFR 128.24, 143.21(a) |
| Value over $2,500 | Formal entry, with a bond | 19 CFR 143.21(a) |
| Articles over $250 classified in Chapter 99, subchapters III and IV | Excluded from informal entry | 19 CFR 143.21(a). Subchapter III holds the 9903 headings, such as Section 232 and 301 duties. |
| Any shipment, when CBP decides it is necessary | CBP can require a formal entry | 19 CFR 143.22 |
A formal entry needs a customs bond. For a single parcel, that is usually a single transaction bond. We arrange it as part of the entry.
Broker of choice
Can I use my own broker instead of the courier's?
| Courier | What its pages say | Fees it names |
|---|---|---|
| FedEx | FedEx clears by default. Under FedEx International Broker Select, the shipper names another broker when it creates the label. The shipment then moves in bond to a location near that broker. The broker needs the importer's power of attorney. | Broker Document Transfer (paperwork to your broker), In-Bond Transit, Disbursement Fee, Storage |
| UPS | The UPS fee page defines charges for a shipper that uses another broker, with or without a UPS Broker of Choice contract. | Alternate Broker Fee, UPS Broker of Choice Fee, Disbursement Fee, Warehouse Storage |
| DHL Express | The importer can ask DHL to send the paperwork to the importer's own broker. DHL delivers after that broker clears the shipment, and says it is not responsible for the broker's speed. | Broker Notification, Bonded Storage (after 3 working days) |
Fee amounts change. Check each courier's current fee page before you decide. Sources: fedex.com brokerage and U.S. ancillary clearance fees, ups.com import fees, dhl.com customs services.
When your own broker makes sense
It helps when the parcel needs a formal entry, another agency's clearance, a claim that the courier does not file, or careful classification. The courier's transfer and storage fees still apply, so ask for our quote first.
Other agencies
What if FDA or USDA holds my parcel?
FDA
Food needs prior notice before arrival. Cosmetics, drugs, medical devices and products that emit radiation can also need FDA data. See FDA prior notice.
USDA APHIS
Plants, seeds, soil, and many animal products can need a permit or a certificate from the country of origin.
Fish and Wildlife and others
Wildlife products need Fish and Wildlife clearance. Other agencies include CPSC for consumer products and ATF for firearms.
An entry does not make a product admissible
The entry presents the goods to the agency. If the agency refuses a product, the entry cannot change that.
Mail is different
How is this different from a USPS parcel?
International mail arrives through USPS at an international mail facility. When CBP needs a formal entry for a mail parcel, it sends the addressee a CBP Form 3509, and the 30-day clock starts. See our detained mail service.
A parcel that a German seller ships with DHL Paket travels as mail. A DHL Express shipment is a courier shipment, and this page applies. The tracking number and the delivery company tell you which one you have.
Process
How does Allied clear a courier-held parcel?
- You
Send the tracking number and the courier's message
Forward the courier's email or a screenshot of the tracking page, with the seller's invoice.
- Allied
Check the entry type and the costs
We check the value, the goods and any agency rules. We tell you if a formal entry and a bond are needed, and send a written quote.
- You
Sign the power of attorney
You sign our power of attorney online and give us your importer number. We file CBP Form 5106 if CBP does not have it.
- You
Ask the courier to hand over the parcel
You tell the courier that Allied CHB is your broker. We send the courier our details for the document transfer.
- Allied
File the entry and pay CBP
We classify the goods, file the entry with any agency data, and pay the duty and fees to CBP.
- Allied
Send the release to the courier
After CBP releases the parcel, we send the release to the courier, which delivers it to you.
Quote on request
How do I get a quote?
Request: Customs clearance for a parcel held by FedEx, UPS or DHL Express
Quote on request
Questions
What do people often ask about courier-held parcels?
Do I have to use the courier's customs broker?
No. CBP says that there is no legal requirement to hire a customs broker. A licensed broker that you designate can file the entry (19 CFR 143.26). The courier's own process decides how and when it hands over the parcel.
Is the $800 duty-free limit still in place?
No. Duty-free de minimis treatment is suspended for goods from all countries since August 29, 2025 (Executive Order 14324). Some courier and CBP pages still show $800 figures.
The courier asks for my Social Security number. Is that normal?
For a formal entry, CBP needs an importer number (19 CFR 24.5). That is an EIN, or an SSN if there is no EIN, or a number that CBP assigns. Give it only through the courier's official site or to your broker, never in a reply to an unexpected email.
Can Allied take over a parcel that the courier already holds?
Usually, yes. You tell the courier that you use your own broker, and the courier transfers the documents or moves the parcel in bond. FedEx and DHL list fees for this hand-over. We confirm the steps with the courier.
Why did I get a bill from the courier after delivery?
The courier paid the duty and taxes to CBP for you. It bills them to the payer with its own clearance fees, which appear as separate lines on the invoice.
My parcel is over $2,500. What changes?
It needs a formal entry and a customs bond (19 CFR 143.21(a)). The entry also carries the merchandise processing fee. We can file the entry and arrange a single transaction bond.
My parcel came by USPS, not by courier. Can you help?
Yes. A parcel held at an international mail facility with a CBP Form 3509 follows the mail rules. See our detained mail service.
Is your parcel stuck with a courier?
Call (908) 291-8001 or email info@alliedchb.com
Last reviewed September 26, 2026. This page explains customs rules in general terms. It is not legal advice. Duty rates and CBP procedures change often, and we confirm the figures for your shipment in writing before you commit.