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U.S. Ends De Minimis ($800) Exemption: What It Means for Ayurvedic & Healthcare Shipments from India (2025 Update)

  • Writer: Eran Niv
    Eran Niv
  • Aug 27
  • 2 min read

U.S. Ends $800 Rule – Impact on Ayurvedic Exports 2025

From Aug 29, 2025, the U.S. ends its $800 exemption. Learn how new rules affect Ayurvedic, herbal & healthcare exports from India, and how Gaia helps.

Introduction

On August 29, 2025, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) ended the $800 “de minimis” exemption. This rule change has major consequences for Ayurvedic brands, herbal product exporters, and healthcare providers in India sending small-batch shipments to U.S. clients.

In this guide, we explain:

  • How the new U.S. import rules affect Ayurvedic & healthcare shipments

  • What customs duties USA 2025 mean for exporters

  • How Gaia Fulfilment Services ensures compliance and uninterrupted delivery

What Was the De Minimis Exemption?

  • Before Aug 29, 2025: U.S. imports under $800 entered duty-free with minimal paperwork.

  • Now: Every shipment—no matter how small—requires duties, taxes, and customs entry filings.

  • Applies to: Ayurvedic medicines, supplements, wellness products, herbal powders, and clinical shipments.


Impact on Indian Exporters & Clinics

1. Duties on Every Package

Exporters must now budget for customs duties on each shipment, whether sending one box of supplements or a bulk order.


2. Complex Compliance

All U.S.-bound shipments now require:

  • Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) entry

  • A licensed customs broker or compliant courier

  • Full documentation (invoices, prescriptions, ingredient details)


3. Courier Advantage

Postal networks are pausing medicine/health shipments. Private couriers (DHL, FedEx, UPS) remain faster and more reliable for healthcare cargo.


4. Rising Costs for Small Exporters

Without exemption, single-parcel exporters face higher costs. Consolidation and bundled shipments become essential to remain profitable.

How Gaia Fulfilment Services Helps

Challenge

Gaia Solution

Customs filing on every shipment

End-to-end compliance filing through ACE & GDP/FDA protocols

Higher per-unit costs

Batch consolidation lowers duty cost per product

Risk of seizure/delay

Correct HS codes + verified invoices

Postal unreliability

Courier-speed delivery via trusted networks

Complex payment collection

Flexible billing + international remittance handling

Practical Steps for Ayurvedic Brands & Clinics

  1. Expect Duties – Factor in customs charges for every U.S. order.

  2. Work With Compliant Partners – Use fulfilment providers with GDP/FDA-compliant operations.

  3. Bundle Shipments – Reduce per-unit duty costs by consolidating orders.

  4. Stay Documentation-Ready – Always attach prescriptions, invoices, and product details.

  5. Educate Clients – Inform overseas patients/customers about new rules to maintain trust.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Can Ayurvedic brands still ship to the U.S. under the new rules?

Yes, but every shipment requires duties, customs filing, and compliance documents.

Q2: What’s the cost impact for small exporters?

Expect $80–$200 minimum duties per shipment, making bundled exports more cost-effective.

Q3: Do herbal supplements and wellness products fall under the new rule?

Yes. The end of de minimis applies to all healthcare shipments, including OTC, supplements, and herbal powders.

Q4: How does Gaia Fulfilment ensure compliance?

We handle ACE entries, GDP/FDA standards, HS code classification, and courier integration, so your shipments clear smoothly.


 
 
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