Skip to main content

Detained mail · CBP Form 3509

Your parcel is held at a CBP international mail facility

Only the addressee or a licensed customs broker can file the entry that CBP asks for on a CBP Form 3509. Allied CHB is a licensed customs broker, and we file it for you. You have 30 days from the date of the notice.

Upload your notice and startCall (908) 291-8001

Start here

Which situation are you in?

What you do next depends on the paper that you received from CBP, not on the tracking status.
  • No notice yet

    Tracking says held, but you have no notice

    CBP clears most international mail with no action from the addressee. When CBP needs a formal entry, it sends a paper notice, CBP Form 3509, to the addressee (19 CFR 145.12(a)(4)). The tracking status alone is not a reliable signal. Wait for the notice.

  • 30-day clock

    You received a CBP Form 3509

    CBP requires a formal entry, or documents, before it releases the parcel. The 30 days count from the Date of Notice at the top right of the form. Upload the notice now.

    Read your notice
  • $2,500 or less

    $2,500 or less, and no notice

    The parcel clears through the postal informal entry process or entry type 13. The sender's postal operator and its licensed broker usually file that entry. You act only if CBP sends you a notice.

    Entry type 13 explained
  • Different proceeding

    A seizure notice or an IPR detention

    A seizure, or a detention for intellectual property rights (IPR), is not a mail entry. Other rules and deadlines apply. Call us. We tell you if you need an attorney.

DHL parcel held by customs?

A parcel that a sender in Germany ships with Deutsche Post DHL (DHL Paket) travels as international mail. In the United States, CBP clears it at a mail facility and USPS delivers it, so this page applies. Its postal item number has 2 letters, 9 digits and 2 letters, for example CT123456789DE. This page does not apply to DHL Express shipments, which are not mail.

Read your notice

How to read CBP Form 3509

The notice is one page. The specimen below has sample data. The blue markers show the boxes that matter most.

What the marked boxes mean

The numbers match the blue markers on the specimen. The data on the specimen is sample data.

  1. Date of Notice

    Your 30 days start on this date, not on the day the notice reaches you (19 CFR 132.25). Find this date first.

    More about the Date of Notice

  2. Box 1: Shipment Addressed to

    The addressee. Only this person or company can authorize the entry, so the power of attorney must be in this name.

    More about Box 1

  3. Box 3: Local Reference Number

    CBP's control number for your parcel. At JFK it has the format K26-1234. Write it on all correspondence with CBP.

    More about Box 3

  4. Box 4: Port Code

    The CBP port that holds the parcel. JFK is port 4701. The entry is filed at this port.

    More about Box 4

  5. Box 6: Package Number(s)

    The postal item number: 2 letters, 9 digits and 2 letters, for example CT123456789DE. Track the parcel with it after release.

    More about Box 6

  6. Box 11: Reason for the notice

    Why CBP holds the parcel. The checked box tells us which entry to file, or if CBP wants value documents only.

    More about Box 11

  7. Box 12: Remarks

    Notes from the CBP officer. Read them before you reply. Upload the notice with this box easy to read.

    More about Box 12

  8. Box 13: Request to return the shipment to the sender

    Sign here only if you want CBP to return the parcel to the sender. Do not sign it if you want the parcel.

    More about Box 13

Count 30 days from the Date of Notice

The Date of Notice is at the top right of the form. After 30 days with no response, CBP treats the parcel as refused and returns it to the sender (19 CFR 132.25).

Read the full guide to CBP Form 3509, box by box

19 CFR 145.12

Which entry does your parcel need?

The value, the goods and the date decide the entry. CBP can also require a formal entry for any parcel.

  • Value over $2,500

    Entry
    Formal entry (type 01).
    Rule (19 CFR)
    145.12(a)(2)(i)

  • Goods under an absolute or tariff-rate quota, at any value

    Entry
    Formal entry. Not eligible for entry type 13.
    Rule (19 CFR)
    145.12(a)(2)(ii)

  • Goods under an antidumping or countervailing duty (AD/CVD) order, at any value

    Entry
    Formal entry. Not eligible for entry type 13.
    Rule (19 CFR)
    145.12(a)(2)(iii)

  • Alcoholic beverages, cigars, cigarettes and other tobacco products, at any value

    Entry
    Formal entry.
    Rule (19 CFR)
    145.12(a)(2)(iv)

  • Goods that another agency regulates (for example FDA or USDA), $2,500 or less

    Entry
    Before October 22, 2026: CBP permits the postal informal entry process. From October 22, 2026: formal entry, or entry type 13.
    Rule (19 CFR)
    145.12(a)(2)(v)

  • Goods with Chapter 98 or 99 duties, or a Chapter 98 or free trade agreement claim for duty-free treatment, $2,500 or less

    Entry
    Before October 22, 2026: CBP permits the postal informal entry process. From October 22, 2026: formal entry, or entry type 13.
    Rule (19 CFR)
    145.12(a)(2)(vi)

  • Other goods, classified only in HTSUS chapters 1 to 97, $2,500 or less

    Entry
    Postal informal entry, or entry type 13.
    Rule (19 CFR)
    145.12(b)

  • Any parcel, when CBP requires it to protect the revenue

    Entry
    Formal entry. This includes a parcel of $2,500 or less.
    Rule (19 CFR)
    145.12(a)(1)

  • A bona fide gift, up to $100 ($200 from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam or American Samoa)

    Entry
    Free of duty and tax, under the informal entry procedures.
    Rule (19 CFR)
    10.152

Separate parcels are not added together. CBP does not combine parcels of $2,500 or less that were mailed at different times to require a formal entry. This is true even when they arrive together or come from one order over $2,500. The exception is a shipment that someone split to avoid duty (19 CFR 145.12(a)(3)).

Entry type 13 is a voluntary CBP test for mail of $2,500 or less. It also covers goods with other-agency requirements or Chapter 98 or 99 duties, but not AD/CVD or quota goods. How entry type 13 works.

Timeline

Why this happens now

Since 2025, many more parcels need an entry. These are the dates that changed the rules for mail.

  1. Duty-free de minimis is suspended

    Executive Order 14324 suspended duty-free de minimis treatment for all countries. Executive Order 14388 of February 20, 2026 continued the suspension.

  2. New postal informal entry process

    For eligible mail of $2,500 or less, only the owner, the purchaser or a licensed customs broker can file, with a bond (19 CFR 145.12(b) and 145.15).

  3. Entry type 13 starts in ACE

    CBP's voluntary test of informal mail entry type 13 went into ACE production.

  4. Formal entry for agency goods and Chapter 98 or 99 goods

    Mail with other-agency requirements or Chapter 98 or 99 duties needs a formal entry (19 CFR 145.12(a)(2)(v) and (vi)). For a parcel of $2,500 or less, entry type 13 is the alternative.

  5. The statutory repeal of de minimis takes effect

    Public Law 119-21 repeals the de minimis exemption from this date.

Sources: Interim final rule on mail, 91 FR 37801 (June 24, 2026); Entry type 13 test notice, 91 FR 38007 (June 24, 2026).

Checklist

What you need

Have these ready before you upload. A photo from your phone is enough if every box is easy to read.

  • The CBP Form 3509

    A clear photo or scan of the full notice. Add the CBP letter that came with it, if you have one.

  • The invoice or the receipt

    It shows the price that you paid and the currency.

  • The postal declaration (CN22 or CN23)

    If you have a copy. The sender attaches it to the parcel.

  • Proof of payment

    For example the line on your card or bank statement.

  • A photo ID

    Of the addressee, or of the person who signs for the company.

  • Your EIN or SSN

    We tell you on the quote which numbers we need, and if you need a CBP Form 5106 as a first-time importer.

  • The power of attorney

    You sign the power of attorney online, as the person or company in Box 1.

Only the addressee in Box 1 can authorize the entry.

The power of attorney must be in the name printed in Box 1. If that name is not correct, call us at (908) 291-8001 before you upload.

Process

How it works

Six steps from the notice to your door. You do three of them.
  1. YouWithin 30 days of the notice

    Send us the notice

    Upload the CBP Form 3509, the invoice or receipt, and the CN22 or CN23 at alliedchb.com/poa/detained-mail. Type the notice details from the form.

  2. Allied

    We check the notice and send a written quote

    We check the deadline, the mail facility and the reason in Box 11. Then we send you a written quote with the duty and the fees.

  3. You

    Sign the power of attorney and pay

    Sign the power of attorney online as the addressee in Box 1. Pay the invoice before we file: by card at alliedchb.com/pay up to $2,000, or by bank transfer for a larger invoice.

  4. Allied

    We file the entry

    We classify the goods, calculate the duty and file the formal entry with CBP. Then we ask CBP to release the parcel.

  5. You

    Track the parcel to your door

    CBP gives the released parcel back to USPS for delivery. Track it with the postal item number in Box 6. You cannot pick it up at the mail facility.

  6. Allied5 years

    We keep the file

    We keep the entry records for 5 years from the date of entry (19 CFR 163.4).

Upload your notice and start

Case study

A real example: sport apparel from Germany, held at JFK

A parcel from a seller in Germany, held at the JFK mail facility in September 2026. The client's name is not shown. The figures are from the entry.

What happened

  1. CBP issues the notice

    The Date of Notice on the CBP Form 3509 from the JFK mail facility.

  2. We receive the documents

    The addressee sends the notice and the invoice.

  3. Power of attorney, payment, entry and release

    The addressee signs the power of attorney and pays. We file the formal entry. CBP releases the parcel the same day.

4 daysfrom the date of the notice to the CBP release.

What the parcel paid to CBP

Duty and fees on the example entry, in U.S. dollars
LineBasisAmount
Invoice totalEUR 4,005.10
Less non-dutiable chargesEUR 151.40
Entered valueEUR 3,853.70 at 1.1618 USD per EUR$4,477
Duty, HTSUS 6211.33.9058 and 6211.33.906116% of $4,477$716.32
Chapter 99, HTSUS 9903.05.38Product of an EU member state. Reported, with no additional duty.$0.00
Cotton feePaid with the entry$0.07
Merchandise processing fee (MPF)0.3464% of $4,477 is $15.51, so the fiscal-year minimum applied.$33.58
Total paid to CBP$749.97

Postage was not dutiable. The entry was a formal entry, type 01, filed at port 4701 with mode of transport 50 (mail).

Costs

What the quote includes

Our fees for a typical mail entry are $150 to $250. Duty and CBP fees are extra. Before you pay, we send a written quote with each line below that applies to your parcel.
Lines on a quote for a mail entry
LineWhat it is
Broker feeOur fee for the entry. Guideline: $150 to $250 for a typical mail entry. Other-agency data or many product lines can cost more.
Customs bondThe bond that the formal entry needs (19 CFR 142.4).
DutyThe duty rate of the HTSUS number, applied to the value of the goods.
Chapter 99 dutiesAdditional duties, if the goods and the country of origin have them.
Merchandise processing fee (MPF)On a formal entry: 0.3464% of the value, with a minimum and a maximum that CBP adjusts each fiscal year (19 CFR 24.23).
Other fees on the entryFees on some goods, for example the cotton fee in the example above.
Other-agency dataData for FDA, USDA or another agency, if the goods need it.

How to pay

Allied invoices are due before we file. Pay by card at alliedchb.com/pay for an invoice of up to $2,000. For a larger invoice, pay by bank transfer: ACH, wire or Zelle.

What a mail entry costs, line by line

FDA · USDA · Fish and Wildlife

Other agencies

Some goods need data for another federal agency in the entry. From October 22, 2026, mail with other-agency requirements needs a formal entry (19 CFR 145.12(a)(2)(v)). For a parcel of $2,500 or less, entry type 13 is the alternative.

  • FDA

    The Food and Drug Administration regulates food, drugs, medical devices and cosmetics, among other products.

  • USDA and APHIS

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture and its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service regulate plants, seeds and some animal products.

  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

    The Fish and Wildlife Service regulates wildlife and products made from wildlife.

An entry does not make a product admissible.

The entry presents the goods to the agency. If a product is not admissible, the entry cannot change that.

Food by mail: FDA prior notice

The prior notice must go to FDA before the food is sent to the United States (21 CFR 1.279(c)). The confirmation number must be on the CN22 or CN23 (21 CFR 1.279(e)).

Without it, CBP holds the parcel for 72 hours for FDA. If FDA refuses the food, the parcel can go back to the sender. FDA can destroy it if there is no return address or the food appears to present a hazard (21 CFR 1.283(e)). FDA prior notice explained.

Exceptions

When to call us instead of uploading

Call (908) 291-8001 first in these cases.

  • The addressee is outside the United States.

    A power of attorney from a nonresident has extra requirements (19 CFR 141.36).

  • The name in Box 1 is not correct.

    Only the addressee can authorize the entry. We tell you the next step.

  • Fewer than 10 days are left.

    Call first, so that we can start at once.

  • You received a seizure notice.

    A seizure is a different proceeding. We tell you if you need an attorney.

  • Box 11 asks only for value documents.

    "Shipment value verification" asks for bills of lading, invoices, receipts or other documents of value, not for a formal entry. We tell you what to send.

  • The parcel contains alcohol or tobacco.

    These goods need a formal entry at any value (19 CFR 145.12(a)(2)(iv)).

Scope

Scope and records

What is not included

  • Legal representation

    We do not represent you in a seizure, a forfeiture or a penalty case. We tell you if you need an attorney.

  • Admissibility

    An entry presents the goods to CBP and the other agencies. It does not make an inadmissible product admissible.

  • Pickup or delivery

    CBP gives the released parcel to USPS, and USPS delivers it.

  • More time

    Only CBP can grant an extension of the 30 days, case by case.

Records: 5 years

We keep the entry file for 5 years from the date of entry. The file has the notice, the power of attorney, the invoice, the entry summary and the release. 19 CFR 163.4 sets the 5-year period. Keep your own copies of the invoice and the entry papers for the same time.

Plain English

Glossary

The words on your notice and on your entry, in one or two sentences each.
ACE (Automated Commercial Environment)
CBP's electronic system for entries. Formal mail entries and entry type 13 entries are filed in ACE.
CBP Form 3509
The Notice to Addressee of Arrival of Mail Shipment. CBP sends it when a parcel needs a formal entry or documents about its value.
CBP Form 5106
The Create/Update Importer Identity Form. It gives CBP the name, address and ID number of an importer or an ultimate consignee with the first formal entry (19 CFR 24.5).
CBP Form 7501
The entry summary. It shows the classification, the value, the duty and the fees of a formal entry.
Chapter 99
The HTSUS chapter for temporary legislation and temporary modifications, for example Section 232, 201 or 301 duties. A Chapter 99 number goes on the entry in addition to the regular HTSUS number.
CN22 and CN23
The customs declaration that the sender attaches to an international postal item. It lists the contents and their value.
Continuous bond
A customs bond that covers all entries of one importer, not only one entry.
Entry type 01
A formal consumption entry for goods that are free of duty or dutiable. A CBP Form 3509 that requires a formal entry asks for this entry.
Entry type 13
Informal Mail Entry: a voluntary CBP test in ACE since September 22, 2026, for mail of $2,500 or less. It is also open to goods with other-agency requirements or Chapter 98 or 99 duties, but not to AD/CVD or quota goods.
FIRMS code
A code that identifies the place where CBP holds the goods (Facilities Information and Resources Management System). The JFK mail facility is E973.
Formal entry
The full customs entry, with an entry summary and a customs bond (19 CFR 142.4). Mail over $2,500, and some goods at any value, need one (19 CFR 145.12(a)).
HTSUS
The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States. It gives each product a 10-digit classification number and a duty rate.
Importer of record
The party that the entry names as responsible for the duty and for compliance with the import rules.
Informal entry
A simpler entry for eligible goods of $2,500 or less (19 CFR 143.21).
International mail facility (IMF)
A facility where CBP examines international mail before USPS delivers it. All international mail is subject to CBP examination, with a few exceptions (19 CFR 145.2).
K control number
The local reference number in Box 3 of a JFK notice, for example K26-1234: K, the 2-digit year, a dash and a number. The formal entry uses it in place of a bill of lading, without the dash.
Liquidation
CBP's final computation of the duties on an entry (19 CFR 159.1).
MOT 50
The mode of transportation code for mail on a customs entry.
MPF (merchandise processing fee)
A CBP fee on formal entries: 0.3464% of the value, with a minimum and a maximum that CBP adjusts each fiscal year (19 CFR 24.23). ACE charged it on a formal parcel-post entry in September 2026. Postal informal entries do not pay it.
Non-AMS entry
An entry with no air waybill in CBP's Automated Manifest System (AMS). A postal parcel has no air waybill, so its formal entry is a non-AMS entry.
Partner government agency (PGA)
A federal agency other than CBP that regulates some imports, for example FDA or USDA. The entry includes the data that the agency needs.
Postal informal entry
The process for eligible mail of $2,500 or less since July 24, 2026 (19 CFR 145.12(b)). The owner, the purchaser or a licensed broker emails a monthly worksheet to CBP and pays through Pay.gov by the 7th of the next month. A bond is necessary (19 CFR 145.15).
Postal item number
The tracking number of a postal item: 2 letters, 9 digits and 2 letters, for example CT123456789DE. It is in Box 6 of the notice.
Single transaction bond
A customs bond that covers one entry.

Questions

Parcel held by customs: common questions

How long can customs hold a USPS package?

When CBP needs a formal entry, the addressee has 30 days from the date of the CBP Form 3509 notice to act (19 CFR 132.25). After that, CBP treats the parcel as refused and returns it to the sender. CBP can grant an extension case by case.

My tracking has not changed in weeks. Is my parcel stuck in customs?

The tracking status alone does not tell you why a parcel waits. When CBP needs something from you, it sends a paper notice, CBP Form 3509, to the addressee. If you have the notice, upload it. If you have no notice, ask USPS about the parcel and give them the tracking number.

Can USPS release my package if I call them?

No. USPS cannot release a parcel that CBP holds for a formal entry. CBP releases it after the entry, and then gives it back to USPS for delivery.

Can I file the entry myself?

The owner or the purchaser of the goods can make entry. A formal mail entry is filed electronically in CBP's ACE system, as a non-AMS entry. The JFK facility letter says that a licensed customs broker is highly recommended for this entry. CBP staff cannot recommend a broker.

Can I pick the parcel up at the mail facility?

No. Box 14 of the notice says that parcels cleared by CBP cannot be picked up. CBP gives the released parcel to USPS for delivery. Track it with the postal item number in Box 6.

What happens if I miss the 30 days?

CBP treats the parcel as refused and returns it to the sender (19 CFR 132.25). CBP can grant an extension case by case, and only CBP decides. If fewer than 10 days are left, call us before you upload.

Why do you need my SSN or EIN?

CBP identifies the importer and the ultimate consignee of a formal entry by number (19 CFR 24.5). A company uses its IRS employer identification number (EIN). A person with no EIN uses a Social Security number, and CBP assigns a number to a party that has neither. The quote tells you which numbers your parcel needs, for example an EIN or SSN, and a CBP Form 5106 for a first-time importer.

Can someone else sign for me?

The power of attorney must come from the addressee in Box 1. For a U.S. company, a person with authority to sign for the company signs it (19 CFR 141.38). The seller or the sender cannot sign for you. If the name in Box 1 is not correct, call us before you upload.

How much duty will I owe?

The duty depends on the HTSUS classification, the country of origin and the value. Some goods also pay a Chapter 99 duty. In our JFK example, sport apparel from Germany with an entered value of $4,477 paid $716.32 in duty at 16%. The written quote shows the duty before you pay.

How much does Allied charge for a mail entry?

Our fees for a typical mail entry are $150 to $250. Duty, any Chapter 99 duties and the CBP fees, for example the MPF, are extra, because they depend on the goods and their value. A parcel that needs other-agency data or many product lines can cost more. We send a written quote before you pay, and you pay before we file.

Who is the importer of record on my entry?

It is the addressee in Box 1 or, for some parcels, Allied on its own continuous bond. We decide it case by case and state it on the quote. When you are the importer of record, we need your EIN or SSN, and a CBP Form 5106 if you have not imported before.

Does a formal entry for mail pay MPF?

Plan for it. 19 CFR 24.23(c)(1)(v) exempts mail from the merchandise processing fee (MPF), except EMS items that are formally entered. But in September 2026, ACE rejected a formal parcel-post entry that we filed without the MPF (error 633, "FORMAL MPF REQUIRED-ARTICLE NOT EXEMPT") and accepted it with the fee. The MPF is 0.3464% of the value, with a minimum and a maximum that CBP adjusts each fiscal year. Postal informal entries do not pay MPF.

The seller says it was a gift. Is it duty free?

Only a real gift is free of duty. The exemption covers an article that a person abroad sends as a bona fide gift to a person in the United States (19 CFR 10.152). The limit is $100 in fair retail value for each person on one day, or $200 from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam or American Samoa. A purchase is not a gift, even if the declaration says "gift". The de minimis suspension does not change this exemption.

USPS asks for duty at delivery, but I already paid. What do I do?

Do not pay a second time. Send us the notice first. When we file a formal entry, the duty goes to CBP through that entry. For parcels in the postal informal entry process, CBP no longer collects duty at delivery.

What is entry type 13, and does it apply to me?

Entry type 13 is CBP's informal mail entry, a voluntary test in ACE since September 22, 2026. It covers mail of $2,500 or less. This includes goods with other-agency requirements or Chapter 98 or 99 duties, but not AD/CVD or quota goods. The owner, the purchaser or a licensed customs broker can file it. If CBP sent you a CBP Form 3509 that requires a formal entry, you need the formal entry.

How fast can you start?

We start work on your parcel when you upload the notice. We check the deadline first, and then send a written quote. In our September 2026 JFK example, the documents arrived in the evening of September 21. The power of attorney, the payment, the entry and the CBP release were all on September 22.

Have a CBP Form 3509? Start now.

Upload the notice and the invoice. We check the deadline and send you a written quote. You sign the power of attorney online.

Call (908) 291-8001 or email mail@alliedchb.com

Upload your noticeRead the form guide

Last reviewed September 24, 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.

Sources