There are three ways to pay customs fees on goods entering the United States: online through CBP’s electronic systems, through the courier or licensed broker handling your shipment, or in person at a U.S. port of entry. Which one fits you depends on how your goods are arriving and whether you’re a traveler, an online shopper, or a commercial importer.
Since the $800 de minimis exemption was eliminated for all countries on August 29, 2025, far more shipments now trigger a duty bill, including small personal purchases from foreign retailers.1U.S. Customs and Border Protection. New Tariff Requirements for 2025 Knowing the right payment route saves you time, storage fees, and in some cases the goods themselves.
Paying Online Through Pay.gov or ACE
The most direct digital option is CBP’s e-Payment system on Pay.gov. You enter your entry number and the duty amount, pay by ACH bank transfer or credit card, and get an electronic receipt confirming the payment was applied to your shipment.2U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Acceptable Electronic Payment Methods Pay.gov also handles other CBP charges, including fines, Trusted Traveler application fees, and Harbor Maintenance Fees.
Commercial importers and licensed brokers generally work through the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE), CBP’s primary electronic trade processing system. The ACE portal lets users file entry summaries, set up payment options, and manage periodic or daily duty statements.3U.S. Customs and Border Protection. How to Use the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) High-volume importers enrolled in periodic monthly statements can consolidate all their duties from a given month into a single payment due within 15 working days after the month closes, rather than paying shipment by shipment. If you import regularly, the initial ACE setup is worth the effort.
Paying Through a Courier or Customs Broker
If your package arrives via FedEx, UPS, or DHL, the carrier typically acts as a licensed customs broker. It pays the duties on your behalf to keep the shipment moving, then bills you for reimbursement. This is the default experience for most people buying from overseas retailers.
The convenience carries a fee. UPS charges a $12 surcharge when duties are collected at delivery, which you can avoid by paying electronically on the UPS site before the package arrives.4UPS. Understanding Import Fees FedEx’s disbursement fee is the greater of $15 or 2% of the duty, tax, and processing charges.5FedEx. Additional Shipping Fees
For more complex shipments, you can hire an independent licensed customs broker rather than relying on the carrier’s brokerage. Brokers handle Harmonized Tariff Schedule classification, entry filing, duty calculation, and communication with CBP on your behalf. Professional filing fees for a standard entry typically run $50 to $150, with complex entries costing more. That’s separate from the duties, the Merchandise Processing Fee, and any bond premiums you’ll owe. If you’re new to importing commercial quantities, a good broker earns the fee by getting the classification right the first time.
Paying In Person at a Port of Entry
You can pay duties directly at any staffed port of entry or local CBP office. Accepted payment methods include credit and charge cards authorized by CBP, U.S. government checks, traveler’s checks, and postal or bank money orders.6eCFR. 19 CFR 24.1 – Collection of Customs Duties, Taxes, Fees, Interest, and Other Charges Cash is accepted, but only in exact amounts. All checks and money orders should be made payable to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The officer verifies your entry paperwork against the payment before updating the system and releasing your goods.
In-person payment is most practical for travelers clearing personal goods at an airport or land border crossing. For commercial freight sitting at a port warehouse, the online or broker-assisted route is almost always faster.
What You Need Before You Pay
Every payment ties back to a specific shipment through an entry number, and CBP won’t apply your money without the right paperwork behind it. The commercial invoice is the anchor. It shows the transaction price, terms of sale, and a description of the goods, and federal regulations require one for each shipment when the entry summary is filed.7eCFR. 19 CFR Part 141 – Entry of Merchandise Supporting documents include the packing list and the bill of lading or air waybill. Your carrier’s arrival notice gives you the entry number that links your payment to the shipment.
For formal commercial shipments, you’ll complete CBP Form 7501, the Entry Summary, which captures the tariff classification, declared value, and calculated duties for each line item.8U.S. Customs and Border Protection. CBP Form 7501 – Entry Summary Travelers arriving with personal purchases use CBP Form 6059B, the paper customs declaration. CBP’s Mobile Passport Control app now offers an electronic alternative that replaces the paper form in most cases.9Federal Register. Revision – Customs Declaration (CBP Form 6059B)
Save everything. Federal law requires you to keep entry records for five years from the date of entry, including invoices, classification worksheets, payment receipts, and any correspondence with your broker.10eCFR. 19 CFR 163.4 – Record Retention Period CBP can audit years after the fact, and importers who can’t produce documentation face penalties that scale with the severity of the discrepancy.11U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Customs Administrative Enforcement Process – Fines, Penalties, Forfeitures and Liquidated Damages
Payment Deadlines
The clock starts when your goods arrive at a U.S. port. If you file entry but don’t submit the entry summary with estimated duties at the same time, you have 10 working days from the date of entry to deposit estimated duties.12eCFR. 19 CFR Part 142 – Entry Process The statutory ceiling is 12 working days after entry or release.13Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 19 USC 1505 – Payment of Duties and Fees
If no one files proper entry paperwork within 15 calendar days of arrival, CBP transfers the goods to a general order warehouse. Storage charges start accumulating daily and become your responsibility on top of the duties owed. If the goods remain unclaimed for six months after arrival, CBP can sell them at auction.14U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Internet Purchases So when an arrival notice or duty invoice lands, act on it. Every day of delay costs money, and enough delay means losing the shipment entirely.
After You Pay
Once CBP’s system records your payment, it generates an electronic receipt and removes the customs hold on your shipment. For maritime processing fees, CBP issues automated Form 368 receipts by email as part of its revenue modernization program.15U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Automation of 368 Receipts For other duty payments, the Pay.gov confirmation or your broker’s documentation serves as proof of payment. Keep it with your five-year records.
Clearance after payment typically takes 24 to 48 hours for straightforward shipments. Delays beyond that usually mean CBP has flagged the shipment for examination, is reviewing the classification, or has questions about the declared value.
If You Think the Bill Is Wrong
What you deposit at entry is an estimate. CBP later liquidates the entry, meaning it reviews the classification, value, and applicable rates and sets the final amount owed. A higher final assessment produces a bill for the difference; a lower one produces a refund.
If you disagree with the liquidated amount, you have 180 days from the date of liquidation to file a formal protest.16Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 19 USC 1514 – Protest Against Decisions of Customs Service The protest is filed on CBP Form 19 with documentation supporting your position. If CBP denies it, the next step is the U.S. Court of International Trade. Most importers who reach the protest stage work with a customs broker or trade attorney, since the evidentiary requirements are substantial and the stakes on a large shipment can be significant.