Costa Rica’s state-owned postal agency, Correos de Costa Rica, has suspended most shipments to the United States following the end of a key U.S. trade exemption.


The suspension, announced this week, affects traditional mail, small packages, and low-value export shipments sent to the U.S. The move comes after Washington eliminated the "de minimis exemption" on August 29, 2025, which had allowed goods valued at $800 or less to enter the country duty-free.


With the exemption gone, all shipments under that threshold are now subject to U.S. customs duties and taxes. Postal services must collect the additional fees from senders or recipients and remit them to U.S. Customs, adding costs and creating possible delays.


Correos said the new requirements made several of its services to the U.S. financially unfeasible. As a result, EMS Inter, Exporta Fácil, Encomienda Internacional, Correo Internacional, and EMS USA have been suspended “until further notice.”

The agency noted that its EMS Premium service, though more expensive, remains available for U.S.-bound shipments. Correos also said it is working on a new strategy to restore service and will share updates with customers when a solution is ready.

Correos, founded in 1839, is the oldest postal institution in Costa Rica. Headquartered in downtown San José, it operates a network of about 200 branches across the country.

Private carriers including DHL, FedEx, and UPS continue to operate normally and have not publicly addressed the impact of the "de minimis" policy change.