Will my US customer pay duty on an order from my Canadian store?
Since August 2025 the US charges duty on small parcels too. Goods that qualify as made in North America can still enter free; others pay their duty and sometimes extra tariffs.
By the Othermile team
Short answer: often yes. Since August 29, 2025 the US no longer lets low value parcels in without duty, so even small orders can owe something. Goods that qualify as made in Canada, the US or Mexico under CUSMA can still enter without duty when the claim is made.
What decides it
- Where the goods were made. Not where they ship from. A mug made in China and shipped from Toronto pays the duty for a product of China.
- The product's tariff code, which sets the normal duty rate.
- Extra US tariffs. Many countries' goods pay an extra tariff on top of the normal duty, and some products from China pay more again.
- The carrier. Couriers and postal services may add their own fee for clearing the parcel.
Goods made in Canada
If your goods qualify as made in Canada under CUSMA's rule for that product, they can enter the US without duty. Qualifying is about where the goods and their materials were made, and you need to be able to back up the claim if asked. For anything regular or large, a licensed customs broker can confirm it.
Print on demand
A shirt sewn in Honduras and printed in Canada is usually a product of Honduras. It pays the US duty for Honduran goods, plus any extra tariff on Honduras.
What to do
Check what your common products owe, tell US customers before they buy, or charge it at checkout and ship duty paid.
Check your own numbers
- One parcel: the free border fee checker.
- Your store's last 90 days: the free border cost audit, which reads your orders export in your browser.
- Every order, before it ships: Othermile checks each one against your limits and holds the costly ones for your OK.
These are estimates from the official rules, not customs advice.
This guide explains public rules in plain language for general information. It is not customs, tax or legal advice; the exact tariff code, your paperwork and the carrier decide the final amount.
See what your own orders cost at the border.
Start freeOr try the free checker, or get an email when the rules change
Keep reading
Why did UPS or FedEx charge a fee on top of the duty?
Couriers charge their own fee for clearing a parcel through customs, separate from duty and tax. Here is what it is, why it can be bigger than the duty, and how stores avoid it.
Do I pay duty on a parcel from the US to Canada?
Often no duty, but often tax. It depends on the value, on mail or courier, and on where the goods were made. Here are the limits and two worked examples.
What your Canadian customers pay at the door, and why
Duty, sales tax and a handling fee can turn a C$45 order into a C$57 surprise. Here is what the charge is made of, why mail and courier differ so much, and four ways to stop it.