When your tracking shows a package released from customs, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has finished reviewing it and cleared it to enter the country. The shipment is no longer under federal control. It has been handed off to a domestic carrier for the last leg to your address, and in most cases it will arrive within a few business days.
What the Status Actually Means
Every package arriving from another country passes through CBP at its port of entry. Officers review the shipping documents, verify the contents match the customs declaration, and check that the goods comply with import laws. A “released” status means CBP has completed that review and signed a release authorization.1U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Filing a Formal Entry (for Goods Valued at $2500 or More)
For that release to happen, any required duties, taxes, or fees had to be paid or guaranteed through a bond, and the paperwork had to check out. If something was wrong, CBP would have held the package instead. Once released, your shipment has cleared every federal checkpoint.
What Happens After Release
After CBP releases your package, it goes to whichever carrier is responsible for domestic delivery. Packages sent through the international postal network are returned to the U.S. Postal Service, which routes them to your local post office.2U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Sending Items Back to the United States Packages shipped by FedEx, UPS, or DHL move into those companies’ domestic sorting systems.
From there the package typically travels to a regional distribution center, gets sorted by ZIP code, and is loaded onto a delivery route. The handoff is usually smooth, but during high-volume periods the package can sit in a sorting queue for a day or two before moving.
How Long Delivery Usually Takes
Once tracking shows the package as released, the remaining transit time depends almost entirely on the domestic carrier. Express services from FedEx or UPS often deliver within one to two business days. Standard USPS international mail can take three to five business days, and longer if the package has to cross the country from the port of entry to your ZIP code.
Customs itself is the biggest variable in international shipping. A package might sit at the border for a few hours or several days, but once it clears, the domestic leg moves at roughly the same speed as any other domestic shipment. If your tracking has not updated for more than a day or two after release, contact the domestic carrier rather than CBP. The package is in their hands now.
Duties and Fees You May Still Owe
Released does not mean free. Depending on the value and contents, you may owe customs duties plus handling fees before the package is actually delivered.
The De Minimis Exemption Is Gone
For years, personal imports valued at $800 or less entered the country duty-free under what was known as the de minimis exemption.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 19 US Code 1321 – Administrative Exemptions That changed in 2025. Executive Order 14324 suspended duty-free treatment for low-value shipments, and a follow-up order in February 2026 continued the suspension for all countries.4The White House. Continuing the Suspension of Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment for All Countries Packages you order from overseas retailers are now subject to duties regardless of value.
One narrow exception remains: bona fide gifts sent through the international postal network are still duty-free if they do not exceed $100 in aggregate value per person per day, or $200 for gifts sent from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, or American Samoa.5U.S. Customs and Border Protection. E-Commerce Frequently Asked Questions
Carrier Handling Fees
The duty is only part of the cost. Private carriers typically charge a brokerage or advancement fee for handling customs paperwork on your behalf. These fees vary but commonly range from $15 to $75 for standard consumer packages. Some carriers roll basic brokerage into their shipping rate, then add surcharges for more complex entries.
For packages arriving through the postal system, USPS charges a customs clearance and delivery fee of $9.35 per dutiable item in 2026.6USPS. IMM Revision: International Competitive Services Product and Price Changes That fee gets added to whatever duty CBP assessed.
How You Actually Pay
How you pay depends on how the package was shipped. If it came through the international mail system, your letter carrier collects the duty plus the USPS handling fee at the time of delivery. You cannot open or inspect the package until you pay.7USPS. 713 Treatment of Dutiable Mail at Delivery Office You sign a customs entry form and get a receipt.
Private carriers handle it differently. FedEx, UPS, and DHL usually pay the duties at the border and then bill you afterward, adding their brokerage fee to the total. You will typically receive an invoice by email or regular mail, though some carriers require payment before they hand the package over. CBP also accepts electronic payments through Pay.gov, including credit cards, ACH transfers, and PayPal, for individuals paying duties directly.8U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Acceptable Electronic Payment Methods
When the Status Says Something Else
If your tracking is stuck at customs or shows something like “held by customs” or “further processing required,” the package has not been released. CBP holds packages for several common reasons:9U.S. Customs and Border Protection. I Ordered Goods From Abroad, but the Seller Said They Are Being Held
- Incomplete or incorrect paperwork, such as a missing customs declaration, a wrong declared value, or typos in the recipient address.
- Unpaid duties. Nothing moves until someone pays.
- Restricted or prohibited contents. Certain foods, plants, medications, and products from embargoed countries are either heavily restricted or banned. Counterfeit goods bearing trademarked logos are also subject to detention.10U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Prohibited and Restricted Items
- Suspicious declarations. If CBP thinks the declared value is too low or the contents do not match the description, officers will open and inspect the package.
- Forced labor concerns. CBP can issue Withhold Release Orders that detain goods suspected of being produced with forced labor.
If the Package Is Seized
Seizure is different from a hold and needs its own response. When CBP seizes a package, the Fines, Penalties, and Forfeitures office sends the owner or recipient a formal Notice of Seizure letter with a seizure number.11U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Seized Property – Status and Returns That number is your reference for everything after.
You can file a petition for remission or mitigation, a written request asking CBP to return the property or reduce the penalty. The petition does not have to follow a specific format, but it must describe the seized property, state the date and place of the seizure, lay out the facts supporting return, and show you have a legitimate interest in the property.12eCFR. 19 CFR 171.1 – Petition for Relief Address it to the Fines, Penalties, and Forfeitures Officer named in your seizure notice. A false statement in the petition can result in federal criminal charges, so stick to the facts.
Seizures most often involve counterfeit goods, items from embargoed countries, medications without valid prescriptions, and agricultural products that pose biosecurity risks. If you ordered something you believed was legal and it got seized, the petition is your main route to getting it back or recovering its value.