U.S. customs duties – important update for U.S. customers

For over 20 years, U.S. customs allowed small international orders to enter duty-free — first up to $200, then raised to $800 in 2016 to support small businesses and personal imports.

However, following an executive order signed by the U.S. government in July 2025, this policy is now being removed.
From 28 August 2025, all international shipments — including those from the United Kingdom — may be subject to import duties and courier handling fees, regardless of value.

What this means for Makshy customers

All Makshy hats ship from the UK, and most are made to order. Therefore, any U.S. orders placed now will likely dispatch after the new policy takes effect.

Unfortunately, no official guidance has been released yet on the exact duty rates or how they’ll be enforced. The information below is based on current estimates and is intended as a rough guide only.

Estimated import charges

The following estimates are based on an exchange rate of £1 ≈ $1.34 USD.
Actual charges may vary depending on U.S. customs classification and the courier used.

Orders around £50 (approx. $67):
Import duty of around 8% (~$5)
Courier fee of $5–$10
→ Estimated total: $10–$15

• Orders around £75 (approx. $101):
Import duty of around 8% (~$8)
Courier fee of $5–$10
→ Estimated total: $13–$18

• Orders around £85 (approx. $114):
Import duty of around 15% (~$17)
Courier fee of $5–$10
→ Estimated total: $22–$27

• Orders around £120 (approx. $161):
Import duty of 10–15% ($16–$24)
Courier fee of $5–$10
→ Estimated total: $21–$34

• Orders around £200 (approx. $268):
Import duty of 15% ($40)
Courier fee of $5–$10
→ Estimated total: $45–$50

Why is this happening?

This change follows a U.S. executive order ending the long-standing “de minimis” exemption. The government cited customs evasion, counterfeit goods, and national security concerns. This policy applies broadly and is not limited to the UK.

You can read the official announcement from the White House here.

Can I prepay duties?

At the moment, there’s no system for small independent businesses to prepay or guarantee import fees in advance.
If duties apply, they will typically be collected by the courier at the time of delivery.

Questions?

If you have any concerns before placing your order, please get in touch — I’d love to hear from you.

More information is expected in due course, and I’ll update this page as soon as I can.