What Is CBP Entry Type 13, and Who Can File an Electronic Informal Entry for Mail?
Chen Cui Co-Founder of GingerControl CBP Entry Type 13 is a voluntary test of a new electronic informal entry for international mail shipments valued at $2,500 or less, filed in ACE one shipment at a time. It went live in ACE production on September 22, 2026. Only the owner or purchaser of the goods, or a licensed customs broker they or the consignee appoint, may file it, under a bond, with a 10-digit HTS classification for every line. For a seller mailing a few thousand parcels a month into the United States, the hard part is not the form. It is having a reviewed HTS code ready for every SKU before the parcel lands.
Next step:Check every deadline on one entry
In this post
- What is Entry Type 13, and what problem is CBP testing it against?
- Which shipments qualify, and what does the $2,500 threshold measure?
- Who may file, and when does a consignee need a broker as importer of record?
- What data does the entry require, and why does every parcel need a 10-digit HTS code?
- Should you opt into a voluntary test, or wait for the permanent rule?
- How do you classify mail parcels at volume without a person on every line?
- Where Entry Type 13 fits in your October plan
- References
Last updated: October 2026
What is Entry Type 13, and what problem is CBP testing it against?
Entry Type 13, "Informal Mail Entry", is a new entry type in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) for goods arriving through the international postal network. CBP announced it in a Federal Register notice published June 24, 2026, "Test of the New Electronic Informal Entry Process for Mail" [1]. The notice states: "The test will commence on September 22, 2026 and will continue until concluded by an announcement published in the Federal Register." CBP's CSMS 69289734 confirmed the ACE schedule: certification environment on July 24, 2026, production on September 22, 2026 [2]. One source reads differently: the preamble of CBP's interim final rule says the test's opening "will coincide with the end of the delayed compliance window," which is October 22, 2026 [3]. The test notice, the CSMS, CBP's Trade Information Notice and CBP's October 8 proposed rule all give September 22, so the test opened a month before the compliance date [1] [7] [9].
The problem it answers is volume without a de minimis exemption. The same day as the test notice, CBP's interim final rule indefinitely suspended the duty-free de minimis exemption for mail valued at $800 or less [3]. The suspension now sits in 19 CFR 145.31(b) [4]. Parcels that used to pass free now need an entry. One context note, from the test notice itself: the suspension "does not impact the availability of the de minimis exemption for qualifying bona fide gifts". The wider background is covered in what changed for small importers after de minimis.
The interim rule built a stopgap for that volume: a postal informal entry under 19 CFR 145.12(b) [5]. It runs on email and a monthly cycle. The filer sends 14 data elements "via email no later than the 7th day of the month following the arrival of the shipment(s)" and pays through Pay.gov by the same day. CBP says plainly that it "plans to replace the new interim process for informal mail entries with an automated informal entry process" [1]. Entry Type 13 is the test of that automated process.
Which shipments qualify, and what does the $2,500 threshold measure?
The threshold is the value of the mail shipment. Entry Type 13 "is available for international mail shipments valued at $2,500 or less, including those shipments that would previously have been eligible for the de minimis exemption" [1]. Under 19 CFR 145.12(a)(3), separate shipments mailed at different times cannot be combined to require formal entry, unless shipments were split to avoid duty [5].
Three groups of goods matter:
| Mail shipment of $2,500 or less | Postal informal entry, 19 CFR 145.12(b) | Entry Type 13 test | Formal entry, 19 CFR 145.12(a) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goods under HTS Chapters 1-97 only, no agency data | Yes | Yes | Not required |
| Subject to another agency's requirements (PGA) | Allowed until October 22, 2026 | Yes, the test waives 145.12(a)(2)(v) | Required from October 22, 2026, unless filed under the test |
| Subject to Chapter 98 or 99 duties, or a Chapter 98 or FTA duty-free claim | Allowed until October 22, 2026 | Yes, the test waives 145.12(a)(2)(vi) | Required from October 22, 2026, unless filed under the test |
| Subject to antidumping or countervailing duties, or quota | No | No | Required |
| How data reaches CBP | Email, by the 7th of the following month | Electronic, per shipment, in ACE | ACE entry under 19 CFR part 142 |
| Bond | Required, 19 CFR 145.15 | Required, 19 CFR 113.62 conditions | Per 19 CFR part 142 |
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products need formal entry under 19 CFR 145.12(a)(2)(iv), a paragraph the test notice does not waive.
Bottom line: For a seller whose parcels carry a Section 301 or Section 232 line, the monthly email route closes on October 22, 2026. After that date the choice is formal entry or the Entry Type 13 test, and the test is the only informal route on that list.
The October 22 date comes from the interim rule: "The compliance date for 19 CFR 145.12(a)(2)(v) and (vi) is on October 22, 2026" [3]. Those two paragraphs require formal entry for mail subject to another agency's requirements, and for goods "subject to duties under Chapter 98 or Chapter 99" or claiming a Chapter 98 or free trade agreement preference [5]. The rule then says that "filers may choose to utilize formal entry procedures... or participate in the Entry Type 13 test."
The test notice states the waiver directly: "the formal entry requirement in 19 CFR 145.12(a)(2)(v), for goods subject to PGA requirements, and 19 CFR 145.12(a)(2)(vi), for goods subject to duties under Chapters 98 and 99, HTSUS, will be waived for test participants" [1]. Its footnote gives Section 232, Section 201 and Section 301 duties as examples.
One open point. The general informal entry rule, 19 CFR 143.21(a), still excludes "articles valued in excess of $250 classified in Chapter 99, Subchapters III and IV" [6]. The test notice waives Part 143 Subpart C only "insofar as they are inconsistent with the terms of this test" and does not mention the $250 figure by name. It also says the test "does not waive the remaining informal entry regulations found in 19 CFR part 143, subpart C." CBP's October 8 proposed rule would remove the $250 limit [7], but that is a proposal. For a parcel over $250 carrying a Chapter 99 Subchapter III line, confirm the treatment with the filer before relying on the test.
Who may file, and when does a consignee need a broker as importer of record?
The right to make entry decides it. The test notice is explicit: "The right to make entry, and thus to file an entry type 13, is limited to an owner or purchaser of the merchandise being mailed to the United States, or a licensed broker properly appointed by the owner, purchaser, or consignee" [1].
That tracks 19 CFR 143.26(a), written for shipments valued between $800 and $2,500, which lets the owner or purchaser enter, "using reasonable care", or a broker licensed under 19 U.S.C. 1641 when "appropriately designated by the owner, purchaser, or consignee" [8]. It also applies the same rule as the postal informal entry, which names "a party with the right to make entry under § 143.26(a)" [5].
The practical split:
- A U.S. buyer or a seller that owns the goods may self-file in ACE or appoint a broker.
- A foreign postal operator, USPS, a freight forwarder or a carrier may not file on its own account. The notice: such a consignee "must obtain the services of a licensed broker who will act as the importer of record (IOR) for the entry" [1].
- A broker filing for a consignee carries the bond. "If a consignee appoints a broker to file a type 13 entry, the broker, as the IOR, will have their bond obligated."
- Carriers can join separately, to report the foreign postal operator's tracking number on their manifest.
Participation "does not require a separate application" [1]. Filing an Entry Type 13 in ACE is the act of joining. The bond is not optional: "a basic importation and entry bond (either a single transaction bond (STB) or a continuous bond), with the terms and conditions set forth in 19 CFR 113.62, is required." For how single and continuous bonds differ, see customs bonds explained.
What data does the entry require, and why does every parcel need a 10-digit HTS code?
The Federal Register notice lists 12 data elements [1]:
- Filer code
- IOR number
- Description of merchandise
- Country of origin
- All applicable 10-digit HTSUS classifications, "including both primary classifications in Chapters 1-97 as well as any applicable secondary classifications in Chapters 98 and/or 99"
- Quantity and weight, only if a specific duty rate applies
- Duty rate
- Value
- Total duty owed
- Carrier name
- Tracking number generated by the foreign post operator
- Arrival port
CBP's Trade Information Notice for the ACE deployment, last updated September 24, 2026, maps these to entry blocks and adds carrier and flight number, arrival date and duty type [9]. It warns that the foreign postal operator tracking number "must be included, otherwise ACE will send an error." Shipments subject to PGA data or to Section 201, 232 or 301 duties "must transmit the additional data mandated by those requirements" on top of the 12 [1].
The block layout follows the entry summary. Block 33 holds the HTS numbers, block 37 the rates and block 38 the duty, the same grid explained in CBP Form 7501 block by block.
Quotable insight: Of the 12 Entry Type 13 data elements, four depend on the HTS line: the 10-digit codes themselves, the duty rate, the total duty owed, and whether quantity and weight are required at all. A wrong code therefore does not produce one bad field. It produces four, and on a Section 301 or 232 parcel the Chapter 99 secondary line inherits the error too. Classification is a third of the filing, not one field in twelve.
The postal form label is not a substitute. If the sender's postal customs declaration carries a six-digit HS code, it is not the 10-digit HTSUS number CBP asks for here; the gap is explained in the USPS HS code requirement. CBP asks for all ten digits on every line.
Should you opt into a voluntary test, or wait for the permanent rule?
Waiting costs little for goods that can stay on the monthly postal informal entry. For mail with a Chapter 99 duty or PGA data, waiting means formal entry from October 22, 2026. The decision looks different by role.
| Your position | What the test offers | What it asks of you |
|---|---|---|
| Owner or purchaser with recurring mail volume | Per-shipment electronic filing; an informal route for Chapter 99 and PGA goods | ACE access or a broker, a bond, and a 10-digit code per line |
| Licensed broker asked by a postal or e-commerce client | A way to keep low-value Chapter 99 mail informal | Your bond as importer of record for consignee clients; software that can transmit Entry Type 13 to ACE |
| Carrier moving international mail | Tracking-number matching against filers' entries | Manifest changes to report the foreign postal operator tracking number |
| Foreign postal operator, forwarder or consignee | Nothing it can file itself | A licensed broker acting as importer of record |
Bottom line: For a broker serving postal and e-commerce clients that ship Section 301 or 232 goods by mail, the test is the only informal route after October 22, 2026. The cost is a bond as importer of record and a classification process that can keep pace with per-parcel filing.
Two more facts weigh on the decision. First, the direction is set. CBP's October 8, 2026 proposed rule on low-value shipments would make Entry Type 13 a permanent regulatory entry type and require that mail "valued at $2,500 or less must be entered via the newly established entry type 13" [7]. It would add a shipper or sender data element and require carriers to report the tracking number. Mail articles not entered within 15 days of importation would be "considered by CBP to be voluntarily abandoned". Comments close December 7, 2026. None of that is in force; it is a proposal.
Second, the test carries obligations. The notice warns that a participant who fails "to exercise reasonable care in the execution of participant obligations" may face "civil and criminal penalties, administrative sanctions, liquidated damages, and/or other applicable enforcement action" [1]. CBP takes comments throughout the test; the address is in the notice.
How do you classify mail parcels at volume without a person on every line?
Classify the catalog, not the parcel. For example, a seller mailing 3,000 parcels a month from a catalog of 400 SKUs does not face 3,000 classification decisions. It faces 400, each made once with its reasoning, reviewed, and then reused on every entry line that carries that SKU. The per-parcel work becomes a lookup plus a duty calculation for the entry date.
That requires three things before the first Entry Type 13 goes in:
- A 10-digit HTS code per SKU, with the reasoning kept, so a code can be defended if CBP asks.
- The Chapter 99 lines per SKU and origin, since a Section 301 or 232 line changes both the duty and whether the shipment needs this route at all.
- A trigger to recheck when a rule changes, because a code that was right in July can carry a different duty stack in November.
For teams that need codes at volume, the GingerControl Classification and Tariff Calculation API takes a product description and its origin and returns a 10-digit HTS code with its U.S. duty layers as JSON, 120 items per batch call by default. It is set up for enterprise systems after a call, and 3PLs and postal operators can use it too. Two limits matter for mail: it returns the duty layers in force when it is called, not for a past or future entry date, and it does not accept Chinese product descriptions. For groups that want batch classification inside their own process, GingerOS, the compliance system GingerControl fits to a customer's own process, asks for missing product facts before it suggests an HTS code and records the reasoning for approval.
GingerControl's classifications are for general reference, educational and planning purposes; before a code goes on an entry, the customer's licensed customs broker reviews it. GingerControl does not file entries, act as importer of record, or provide bonds. For how a postal operator wires bulk classification into its flow, see bulk HTS and tariff API for postal parcel operators.
Where Entry Type 13 fits in your October plan
The dates are fixed in primary sources. Entry Type 13 has been in ACE production since September 22, 2026. October 22, 2026 ends the monthly email route for mail carrying PGA data or Chapter 98 and 99 duties. The permanent rule is open for comment until December 7, 2026. The work that decides whether the test is usable is the same in all three cases: a reviewed 10-digit HTS code, with its Chapter 99 lines, for every SKU that travels by mail.
References
- Federal Register, CBP, "Test of the New Electronic Informal Entry Process for Mail," 91 FR 38007, FR Doc. 2026-12668
Data cited: Entry Type 13 description, September 22, 2026 start, $2,500 threshold, eligible filers, consignee broker requirement, bond, 12 data elements, waiver of 19 CFR 145.12(a)(2)(v) and (vi), misconduct terms, carrier participation, bona fide gift note
Source: 91 FR 38007
Published: June 24, 2026 - U.S. Customs and Border Protection, CSMS 69289734, Implementation of Entry Type 13 Test in ACE for U.S. Mail Processing
Data cited: ACE CERT on July 24, 2026 and ACE PROD on September 22, 2026
Source: CSMS 69289734
Published: July 20, 2026 - Federal Register, CBP, "Indefinite Suspension of the De Minimis Exemption for Mail Shipments and New Postal Informal Entry Process," interim final rule, 91 FR 37801, FR Doc. 2026-12669
Data cited: effective July 24, 2026; compliance date October 22, 2026 for 19 CFR 145.12(a)(2)(v) and (vi); formal entry or Entry Type 13 after the compliance window
Source: 91 FR 37801
Published: June 24, 2026 - Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 19 CFR 145.31, Importations not over $800 in value
Data cited: exemption suspended for merchandise arriving through the international postal network
Source: 19 CFR 145.31 - Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 19 CFR 145.12, Entry of merchandise
Data cited: formal entry cases in (a)(2), separate shipments rule in (a)(3), postal informal entry data and monthly email and Pay.gov deadline in (b)
Source: 19 CFR 145.12 - Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 19 CFR 143.21, Merchandise eligible for informal entry
Data cited: $2,500 limit and $250 limit for Chapter 99 Subchapters III and IV
Source: 19 CFR 143.21 - Federal Register, CBP, "Low-Value Shipments," proposed rule, 91 FR 64532, FR Doc. 2026-20650
Data cited: proposed permanent Entry Type 13, shipper or sender data element, carrier tracking number, 15-day abandonment, removal of $250 limit, comments due December 7, 2026
Source: 91 FR 64532
Published: October 8, 2026 - Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 19 CFR 143.26, Party who may make informal entry of merchandise
Data cited: owner or purchaser, or a licensed broker designated by the owner, purchaser or consignee
Source: 19 CFR 143.26 - U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Trade Information Notice, Implementation of Entry Type 13 Test in ACE for U.S. Mail Processing (INT-057/CBP-290)
Data cited: block mapping of required data, foreign postal operator tracking number error rule, right to make entry under 19 CFR 143.26(a)
Source: CBP Trade Information Notice
Published: notice last updated September 24, 2026; CBP page last modified October 8, 2026
Questions people ask
What is CBP Entry Type 13?
Entry Type 13, Informal Mail Entry, is a new ACE entry type that CBP is testing for international mail shipments valued at $2,500 or less, announced in the Federal Register on June 24, 2026 (91 FR 38007). The test began September 22, 2026, is voluntary, needs no application, and runs until CBP ends it by a further notice. GingerControl covers the classification step the entry depends on, not the filing.
Who can file an Entry Type 13 entry for a mail shipment?
Only a party with the right to make entry: the owner or purchaser of the goods, or a licensed customs broker properly appointed by the owner, purchaser or consignee. A consignee that is not the owner or purchaser, such as a foreign postal operator, USPS, a freight forwarder or a carrier, must use a licensed broker, who acts as importer of record. GingerControl is not a broker and does not file entries.
Can mail subject to Section 301 or Section 232 duties use Entry Type 13?
Yes, under the test. CBP's notice says Entry Type 13 temporarily opens an informal entry route for low-value mail subject to partner government agency data or duties outside Chapters 1-97, giving Section 232, 201 and 301 as examples. Shipments subject to antidumping or countervailing duties or quotas still need formal entry. GingerControl's Tariff Calculator shows each Chapter 99 layer for an entry date separately.
What changes for mail on October 22, 2026?
October 22, 2026 is the compliance date CBP's interim final rule set for 19 CFR 145.12(a)(2)(v) and (vi). From then, mail subject to another agency's requirements, or to duties under Chapter 98 or 99, can no longer use the monthly postal informal entry process; the rule names formal entry or the Entry Type 13 test as the routes. GingerControl's Classification Researcher returns a 10-digit HTS code with its GRI reasoning, the step either route needs for every mailed SKU.
Does Entry Type 13 require a bond?
Yes. CBP's test notice requires a basic importation and entry bond, single transaction or continuous, with the 19 CFR 113.62 conditions. When a consignee appoints a broker to file, the broker is importer of record and its bond is obligated. GingerControl does not provide bonds or act as importer of record; the bond belongs to the filer.
Is Entry Type 13 going to become mandatory?
It is proposed, not final. CBP's October 8, 2026 proposed rule on low-value shipments would make Entry Type 13 the required entry for mail valued at $2,500 or less, add a shipper or sender data element, and treat unentered mail as abandoned after 15 days. Comments close December 7, 2026. Until a final rule is published, the test terms govern. GingerControl's free Policy Briefings send one email when a U.S. trade rule changes, linked to the primary document.
How can a high-volume mail shipper get 10-digit HTS codes for every parcel?
Classify the catalog, not the parcel: assign and review a 10-digit code per SKU once, then reuse it on every entry line. For volume, GingerControl's Classification and Tariff Calculation API returns a 10-digit HTS code with its U.S. duty layers as JSON, 120 items per batch call by default. A licensed broker reviews each code before it goes on an entry.
Tracking liquidation and protest dates in a spreadsheet?
Hand this to GingerOS.
Pick a 30-minute slot on the next page with Chen Cui, our CEO. Bring one notice or one SKU list (an ERP export, a spreadsheet or an email will do) and see what GingerOS does with it.
Reviewed by Michael Weick, LCB / CCS
