Package from Thailand Stuck in US Customs: Why CBP Holds a Parcel, What Happens Next and Who Pays
Generally a package from Thailand that shows as stuck in US customs, held by customs or in a clearance delay is delayed because it is waiting on paperwork, a payer or a second agency. It is not lost. CBP has five business days after a parcel is presented for examination to release it or detain it. Then CBP has five more business days to send the importer a notice. The final decision is due within 30 days. If nobody clears the parcel it goes to a warehouse after 15 days and can be sold after six months. The importer owes the duty.
What does "held by customs" or "clearance delay" mean on tracking?
It means the parcel is waiting on customs, the carrier or another agency before release. These labels are tracking wording, not terms of CBP's detention rule.
The CBP detention rule does not use the terms hold, held or clearance delay. Citation 19 CFR 151.16. The rule uses examination, detention and seizure. Each has its own consequence.
Tracking shows (carrier wording) | What it can mean (reading, not a quote) | Legal state to ask the carrier about |
|---|---|---|
In customs, customs clearance in progress | Entry is being filed or the parcel is queued for examination | Presented for examination or entry |
Held by customs, clearance delay | Paper, payment or another agency's review is open | Not released within five business days means detained |
Notice of detention or seizure received | CBP or another agency has written to the importer | Detention, or seizure |
USPS points a mail recipient to CBP for the status and states the limit of its own role:
Customs issues and regulations are outside the control of the United States Postal Service
Source: USPS, Customs Forms - The Basics.
Why does CBP hold a package from Thailand?
CBP may hold a package for one of four reasons. Missing or inconsistent paperwork. An entry that cannot be filed as informal. Another agency controls the item. CBP chooses to inspect the item.
Foreign shipments without a declaration form and invoice are covered by a CBP statement. CBP states they "may be subject to seizure, forfeiture or return to sender".
Source: CBP, Internet Purchases, last modified 6 March 2024.
For a package worth a few hundred dollars CBP says informal entry is generally allowed up to USD 2,500, with formal entry above that and for certain goods. The informal rule has an exception for articles above USD 250 classified in Chapter 99 of the tariff, the chapter that carries the extra tariff on products of Thailand. CBP suspended that exception "until further notice" on 2 September 2025. CBP proposed on 8 October 2026 to add bond requirements for certain informal entries, with comments due by 7 December 2026. Reading: a USD 300 parcel from Thailand that carries the Chapter 99 tariff stays on the informal route only while the suspension lasts. The tariff itself is covered in the guide to US import duties on goods from Thailand, and the value rules in the guide to the suspended US de minimis exemption.
Guides: guide to US import duties on goods from Thailand, guide to the suspended US de minimis exemption
Cause | Agency | What the rule says | Clock |
|---|---|---|---|
Missing or wrong invoice, value or description | CBP | Merchandise can become general order when entry cannot be made for want of proper documents (19 CFR 127.1) | See timeline below |
Mail without bond or right to make entry | CBP, USPS | The shipment is not released from CBP custody until the entry and the required bond are filed | None stated |
Food without confirmed FDA prior notice | FDA | Food is subject to refusal of admission (21 CFR 1.283) | 10 calendar days after the refusal notice to submit or resubmit |
Plants with quarantine pests | APHIS | Denied entry, destroyed or shipped out (7 CFR 319.37-8) | Set in the inspector's notice |
Wildlife items | FWS | Cleared by a Service officer before release from detention (50 CFR 14.52) | 30 days after the notice, then deemed seized |
Sources: 19 CFR part 127; CBP, E-Commerce FAQ, last modified 2 September 2026; 21 CFR 1.283; 7 CFR 319.37-8; 50 CFR part 14; 90 FR 42418; 91 FR 64532.
CBP's E-Commerce FAQ gives 24 July 2026 as the start of the new mail informal entry process. This process requires a basic importation and entry bond. If a package arrives without the required data or bond it will not be released from CBP custody until the filer provides the information and the bond is transmitted. The Thai seller should ask the buyer or the carrier who files the entry.
This information can be found in our guide to prohibited and restricted items; live plants are covered in the phytosanitary certificate guide.
Guides: guide to prohibited and restricted items, phytosanitary certificate guide
Is a customs hold the same as a detention or a seizure?
No. An examination is just CBP looking at the parcel. A detention is what the law calls a parcel not released within five business days of presentation. A seizure is a later step that the law must provide for.
Merchandise that is not released within the five business day period will be considered to be detained merchandise under 19 U.S.C. 1499(c)(1).
Source: 19 CFR 151.16(b), eCFR as of 30 October 2026.
The parcel is considered presented when it is in a condition to be viewed and examined by a CBP officer. A sealed container handed over does not count. CBP then sends the importer or another interested party a notice of detention within five business days, giving the reason, the expected length, the tests or inquiries planned, and the information that would speed release. The notice is not a final decision on admission. The importer or another interested party can ask in writing for the test results and can protest the final determination. A detained parcel can be seized and forfeited only if the law provides for it.
The rule does not cover detentions CBP carries out for other agencies that decide admissibility, such as FDA, APHIS or FWS: those follow the other agency's rule. The notice is sent to the importer or another interested party. A buyer who is not the importer may see only the tracking status.
How long can a package stay held in customs? Day 1, day 15, day 30, month 6
There is no single length. The rules set outer limits that start on different days. CBP has five business days to decide. Entry is due 15 calendar days after landing. CBP has 30 days to reach a final decision on a detained parcel.
Clock | What happens | Source |
|---|---|---|
Day 1, parcel presented for examination | The detention clock starts | 19 CFR 151.16(b) |
Within 5 business days | CBP releases or detains; a parcel not released is detained | 19 CFR 151.16(b) |
Within 5 business days of that decision | Notice of detention to the importer | 19 CFR 151.16(c) |
15 calendar days after landing | Entry due; otherwise general order merchandise in a warehouse at the consignee's risk and expense | 19 CFR 142.2(a), 127.1 |
30 days from presentation | Final determination; if none, treated as a decision to exclude, which can be protested | 19 CFR 151.16(e), (f) |
6 months from importation | General order period ends; unclaimed goods are abandoned and can be sold or destroyed | 19 CFR 127.4, 127.11, 127.14 |
45 business days from arrival scan (mail) | USPS wording for CBP time to process and notify | USPS FAQ |
Sources: 19 CFR 151.16; 19 CFR 142.2; 19 CFR part 127; USPS, Customs Forms - The Basics.
Each agency has different times, some are faster than others. FWS deems wildlife seized if releasability is not decided within 30 days after its notice. FDA allows 10 calendar days after a refusal to submit or resubmit a prior notice. APHIS sets the time in its emergency action notification.
The 15-day window is the practical one. Entry is due 15 calendar days after landing. The documents a notice asks for are best supplied inside this window, well before CBP's 30-day decision date.
What happens to a package nobody clears?
It becomes general order merchandise. CBP moves it to a public store or a general order warehouse. The move is at the risk and expense of the consignee.
CBP's plain language page says if paperwork is not presented within 15 days of arrival the goods will be sent to a warehouse and the buyer will be charged storage costs.
If you have not claimed your goods within six months of their arrival in the USA, they could be sold at auction.
Source: CBP, Internet Purchases, last modified 6 March 2024.
After 6 months if the owner does not pay the duties and storage fees the general order period ends and the goods are considered abandoned. CBP then sells them, keeps them for official use, destroys them or disposes of them otherwise. Notice of sale is given 30 days before the sale date. The owner can still enter the goods and clear them by paying the duties and all charges that have accrued before the sale takes place.
Food refused for lack of prior notice follows the same route. The FDA rule makes it general order merchandise. It may be sold only for export or destroyed.
Who pays duty, fees, storage and broker charges on a held package?
The importer pays all costs including duty, examination and storage. A carrier's own terms say whether it passes fines and storage to the shipper or the consignee.
With a duty inclusive service the courier will pay the duty itself and clear it for you. Some couriers will pass the cost of storage and fines on to you if they occur, some will not.
Line | Who the source puts it on | Source |
|---|---|---|
Duty | The importer, as a personal debt to the United States | 19 CFR 141.1 |
Duty paid to a broker | The importer stays liable if the broker does not pay | 19 CFR 141.1 |
Examination preparation and transport | The importer | 19 CFR 151.16(b) |
Storage in general order | The owner or consignee, at ordinary rates | 19 CFR 127.13 |
Storage of food refused for prior notice | Neither FDA nor CBP is liable | 21 CFR 1.283 |
Plants denied entry: destroy or ship out | The importer, at the importer's expense | 7 CFR 319.37-8 |
Export instead of seizure | The importer pays all expenses | 19 CFR 151.16(j) |
Sources: 19 CFR 141.1; 19 CFR part 127; 19 CFR 151.16; 21 CFR 1.283; 7 CFR 319.37-8.
CBP names a common mistake. Buyers assume that when the price includes shipping, the seller covered every clearance cost. CBP adds that broker fees and duties may be an additional charge the buyer is responsible for. Bills called "customs fees" are charges for the services of the broker who cleared the goods. They are separate from CBP's own fee (CBP page of 2024).
Line, USD 300 parcel from Thailand on an informal entry | Amount (USD) | Basis and assumption |
|---|---|---|
Goods value | 300.00 | Assumed; customs value excludes freight and insurance (19 CFR 152.103) |
Duty at the tariff-line rate | 0.00 | Assumed Free line; the rate depends on the product |
Extra tariff on products of Thailand, 12.5 percent | 37.50 | USTR notice; rate and history in the duties guide |
CBP informal entry fee, automated | 2.77 | Fee schedule from 1 October 2026; 8.30 if manual, 12.45 if manual and prepared by CBP |
Express hub waybill fee | 1.38 | Paid by the express carrier to CBP, not added to the informal fee (reading) |
CBP total, informal route | 40.27 | 37.50 + 2.77 |
Same parcel on a formal entry | 72.08 | 37.50 + 34.58; 0.3464 percent of 300 is 1.04, below the 34.58 minimum; bond cost not found |
Storage, examination | Not found | Set by the warehouse, not by CBP |
Carrier clearance charge | Not found | Set by the carrier's own terms; CBP says bills called "customs fees" are broker charges, separate from CBP's fee |
Sources: CBP fee schedule effective 1 October 2026, 91 FR 48398; 19 CFR 24.23; USTR, 91 FR 47318; 19 CFR 152.103.
What documents release a customs hold?
The ones the notice names: a detention notice must say what information would speed the case. For a CBP entry the package is the entry form plus the commercial invoice, packing list where appropriate and proof of the right to make entry.
Nature of any information which, if supplied to CBP, may accelerate the disposition of the detention.
Source: 19 CFR 151.16(c).
Cause of hold | Document that answers it | Source |
|---|---|---|
Value or description in doubt | Commercial invoice, packing list | 19 CFR 142.3 |
Buyer not identified | Name, street address and identification number of the US consignee on the entry documents | 19 CFR 142.3(a)(6) |
Mail without bond | Entry filed with the required bond | CBP E-Commerce FAQ |
Food | FDA prior notice confirmed for review | 21 CFR 1.283 |
Plants | Inspector's notice to customs that requirements are met | 7 CFR 319.37-8(e) |
Wildlife | Form 3-177 and the permits the Service requires | 50 CFR 14.52, 14.61 |
Sources: 19 CFR 142.3; CBP, E-Commerce FAQ; 21 CFR 1.283; 7 CFR 319.37-8; 50 CFR part 14.
The invoice has to match the declared value. A Thai seller who is told a parcel is stuck should ask which document is open, then answer with that document.
Guide: guide to the customs declaration and commercial invoice
When is a held package returned, refused or abandoned?
This depends on the route. Refused or undeliverable mail is forwarded for return to the country of origin. A detained parcel denied entry can be exported at the importer's expense in place of seizure. An unclaimed parcel is treated as abandoned after 6 months.
In lieu of seizure and forfeiture, where authorized by law, CBP may deny entry and permit the merchandise to be exported, with the importer responsible for paying all expenses of exportation.
Source: 19 CFR 151.16(j).
The rule that excuses a refusal covers goods consigned to someone without that person's authority (19 CFR 141.1), so a buyer who ordered the goods cannot use it. Plants denied entry are destroyed or shipped out at the importer's expense, in the time the inspector sets.
If the mail is detained CBP will send a notice to the recipient. If no notice is received within 45 business days the recipient can contact CBP via help.cbp.gov to inquire about release. The recipient will need to provide the names and addresses of the sender and recipient, the contents of the mail and the tracking number.
How Dragon Courier ships to the USA and handles a customs hold
Dragon Courier is a Bangkok courier. We send only by air, we take care of customs clearance and deliver door to door, duty and tax inclusive. All costs and tariffs are included in our fee, there is nothing to pay on delivery.
For the USA we run our own service to the destination. We clear customs ourselves then hand the parcel to a US carrier. In the eCommerce tier we use UniUni and for the standard tier we use UPS. Door to door times are 5 to 8 days. We provide door to door tracking on export day and the sender can share the tracking with the recipient.
Delays are extremely rare, we are generally able to clear customs same day its presented. For a delayed parcel we will check for the reason and do our best to expedite the package. For live plants if there is a hold we work with USDA and the plant seller in Thailand to get a release urgently. Dragon Courier can provide any invoice a sender requires. How claims and delays are handled is set out in the refund and cancellation policy.
Guide: refund and cancellation policy
Our published answers do not say who contacts the buyer during a CBP hold on a non-plant parcel, how long a typical hold lasts, whether storage is charged, or what happens when a buyer refuses: confirm those four points with the team before shipping goods that may draw questions. The details are on the DDP shipping page, the USA destination page and the shipping cost guide. For customers who want to source first we have a guide to importing from Thailand.
Guides: DDP shipping page, USA destination page, shipping cost guide, guide to importing from Thailand
About Dragon Courier
Dragon Courier is a family owned Bangkok courier with more than 30 years in logistics in Thailand. It sends more than 20,000 shipments a month to over 200 destinations.
Contacts and drop-off
Please message Justin on LINE or WhatsApp +66 6-5937-0812. Office +66 2656 9019. Email info@dragoncourier.com. For a price, mention the item and the weight.
Last drop off time is 5pm Monday to Saturday at our Bangkok office, 217/3 Crystal Garden Building, 3rd floor, Sukhumvit Soi 4, Klongtoey 10110. A pickup can be arranged for a specific date and time.
How long can a package be held in US customs?
CBP has five business days to release or detain a parcel after it is presented. CBP has 30 days to make a final decision on a detained one. Entry is due 15 calendar days after landing. Holds by FDA, APHIS or FWS run on their own clocks. So no single typical length exists.
Who pays when a package is held in customs?
The importer pays the duty. Examination costs follow the importer. Storage costs follow the owner or consignee. A carrier's terms can pass fines and storage to the shipper or the consignee. With a duty inclusive service the courier pays the duty. The courier's terms say who carries storage or fines.
What happens if nobody clears a held package?
If no one clears the package it will become general order merchandise in a warehouse at the consignee's risk and expense after 15 calendar days. After six months it is treated as unclaimed and abandoned. CBP can then sell it, destroy it or dispose of it otherwise. A 30 day notice of sale comes first.
Does a held package mean it was seized?
No. A hold becomes a detention if not released within 5 business days. A notice of detention is not a final decision. Seizure is a separate step the law must provide for. The parcel can also be released once the documents arrive or it can be exported at the importer's expense.
Does Dragon Courier handle customs holds on USA parcels?
We clear customs ourselves in the USA before the UniUni or UPS leg. Our published answer for live plants is that we work with USDA and the plant seller to get a release. The seller should ask our team who contacts the buyer, if storage is charged and what they need to provide. They should send the tracking number.
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