Most international packages clear U.S. customs within one to three days, and plenty move through in under 24 hours. So how long can a package be in customs before something is really wrong? A hold stretching past three or four days usually means paperwork, duties, or an agency review is blocking release, and if a shipment sits unclaimed for six months, the federal government treats it as abandoned and can auction, keep, or destroy it.
Typical Clearance Timeframes
Routine shipments with accurate paperwork and no restricted contents move fast. Air freight often clears within hours of landing. Ocean freight typically takes a day or two once the container reaches port. Ground shipments crossing from Canada or Mexico usually clear in less than a day.
Those timelines assume everything is in order: the paperwork matches the contents, duties are paid or prepaid, and no government agency has flagged the shipment. When your tracking shows a package stuck at customs for more than three or four days, something needs your attention. Storage fees start piling up during a hold, so checking your tracking status daily during clearance is worth the effort.
Why Packages Get Held Longer
Incomplete or Inaccurate Paperwork
The fastest way to get stuck is sloppy documentation. Every international shipment needs a customs declaration describing the contents, value, and origin. Commercial shipments also need a commercial invoice with quantity, unit price, and country of manufacture for each item.1eCFR. 19 CFR 141.86 – Contents of Invoices and General Requirements Vague descriptions, questionable values, or blank fields all trigger holds. CBP publishes examples of unacceptable cargo descriptions, and entries like “general merchandise” or “gift” without further detail are exactly the kind of thing that stalls a shipment.2U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Examples of Unacceptable vs Acceptable Cargo Descriptions
Unpaid Duties, Taxes, or Fees
Customs will not release a package until every dollar owed is paid. If import duties or taxes have not been covered, the shipment sits.3U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Importers – I Ordered Goods From Abroad, but the Seller Said They Are Being Held Up by CBP Private carriers like UPS typically send an email or notification with the amount owed and payment instructions before delivery.4UPS. Understanding Customs Ignoring the notice does not make the charges disappear; it just adds storage costs.
Prohibited or Restricted Contents
Some items are flatly banned from entering the United States, and others need special permits or licenses. Restricted items such as firearms, certain fruits and vegetables, and animal products may be imported only with authorization from the relevant federal agency.5U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Prohibited and Restricted Items Packages containing prohibited goods face seizure and forfeiture.6eCFR. 19 CFR 162.22 – Seizure of Conveyances
Agency Inspections and Reviews
Even with perfect paperwork, a package may be selected for physical examination. CBP uses intelligence and risk-based targeting for high-risk shipments and pulls others for random inspection.7U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Cargo Examinations Other agencies can pile on. The FDA inspects imported food, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices at ports of entry and can detain anything that fails U.S. standards.8U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Importing Food Products Into the United States The USDA checks agricultural products for pests and diseases.9Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Traveling From Another Country These agency reviews can add a few extra days or several weeks depending on the product and backlog.
Why Waits Are Longer Than They Used to Be
If shipments from overseas retailers feel slower now, there’s a reason. Until mid-2025, packages worth $800 or less could enter the United States duty-free under the de minimis exemption. That is no longer the case. An executive order effective August 29, 2025, suspended duty-free treatment for all shipments regardless of value or country of origin.10The White House. Suspending Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment for All Countries A follow-up order in February 2026 continued the suspension and confirmed that every non-postal shipment must be formally entered through CBP’s system with all applicable duties and taxes paid.11The White House. Continuing the Suspension of Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment for All Countries
A $50 item that used to sail through customs now goes through the full clearance treatment, including tariff assessment and possible carrier brokerage fees. Processing times have stretched across the board because CBP is reviewing a dramatically larger volume of shipments that used to pass through automatically.
Tracking a Package Through Customs
Your shipping carrier’s tracking system is the best way to monitor progress. Every major carrier integrates customs status into its standard tracking portal, so you’ll see updates like “customs clearance in progress,” “held by customs,” or “cleared customs” alongside the usual transit scans. When a hold happens, the tracking update often includes a reason or a prompt telling you what to do next.
How to Resolve a Customs Delay
Speed matters. The longer a package sits unresolved, the more storage and handling fees accumulate, and if it sits long enough you lose the shipment entirely. When your tracking shows a customs hold:
- Respond to carrier requests immediately. Your carrier may want a receipt, a more detailed description of the contents, or clarification on the item’s value. Provide exactly what’s asked for, accurately, the first time. Vague or incomplete answers just add another round of back-and-forth.
- Pay any assessed duties or fees. Customs will not release your package until every charge is settled. Your carrier will notify you of the amount and provide payment instructions.4UPS. Understanding Customs
- Contact your carrier’s customer service. If the tracking update is unclear, call directly. Agents can see the specific hold reason in their system and walk you through what’s needed.
- Reach out to the sender. If the delay involves the original shipping paperwork, the sender may need to provide a corrected invoice or proof of origin or value.
- Contact CBP directly as a last resort. If neither your carrier nor the sender can resolve the issue, CBP’s help desk can tell you the specific reason for the hold and what steps remain.3U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Importers – I Ordered Goods From Abroad, but the Seller Said They Are Being Held Up by CBP
The Six-Month Abandonment Rule
Ignoring a customs hold starts a clock toward losing your shipment for good. Under federal regulations, merchandise that isn’t properly entered moves to a general order warehouse, where it’s held at your expense.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 19 USC 1490 – Imported Merchandise Not Entered Storage charges add up every day.
If the merchandise remains unclaimed for six months from the date of importation, with duties or storage charges still unpaid, the government considers it abandoned.13eCFR. 19 CFR Part 127 – General Order, Unclaimed, and Abandoned Merchandise At that point CBP can sell it at auction, retain it for government use, or destroy it. Before any of that happens, CBP sends a notice to known interested parties giving them 30 days to come forward, pay all outstanding charges, and claim the goods. If nobody responds within those 30 days, title transfers to the federal government permanently. There is no getting the package back after that.
Even if you are disputing a duty charge or sorting out paperwork, do not let a package sit in silence. Keep communicating with your carrier and, if needed, CBP. The six-month clock does not pause for anyone.