Why the US gets its own page
After Italy, the United States produced the most Mulebuy searches in our data, about 21% of the worldwide total. New York stands in for the country here because the rules are federal: the same duty treatment and the same customs agency apply in every state. What changes by city is only the last delivery leg and local sales tax practices of the carrier.
The rules on this page apply to every US address.
The end of duty-free small parcels
For years, parcels worth up to $800 entered the US without duty under the de minimis rule, which made agent hauls cheap. In 2025 the US ended that treatment, first for goods from China and then more broadly. In practice, almost every agent parcel to the US now owes duty. Agents responded by building duty-paid lines, where the duty is collected with the shipping price and the parcel clears without a bill at your door.
| Line type | Duty | What you pay at delivery | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duty-paid line | Included in shipping | Nothing, normally | The usual choice since 2025 |
| Express courier | Billed after clearance | Duty plus a brokerage fee | Fast; check the courier's fee |
| Postal line | May be assessed on arrival | Possible duty bill | Fewer agents still offer it |
Rates on Chinese goods have changed several times since 2025, so we do not print a percentage that may be out of date. The duty-paid line price is the number to compare.
For the US, compare duty-paid line prices; everything else invites a bill.
Delivery times and carriers
The best public measurement we know is from rep.tools, which tracked agent parcels to the US in 2026 at 12 to 19 days door to door, with a median of 16 days. Add the time items take to reach the warehouse and your own storage time. The final leg is usually handled by USPS, UPS or FedEx. Express lines are faster but often bill duty and a brokerage fee separately, by email or on delivery.
Expect about two and a half weeks after dispatch on a typical line.
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Customs seizures
US Customs and Border Protection can detain and seize goods that infringe registered trademarks. When that happens, the buyer usually receives a notice and the goods are forfeited; the parcel does not arrive. Agents cannot reverse a seizure, and most lines do not refund seized items. That risk exists on every agent and every marketplace, which is one more reason to favour unbranded finds.
Seized goods are usually gone; the agent cannot get them back.
Paying and protecting yourself
US buyers have strong card dispute rights, which matter after Mulebuy's problems. Pay each order by card or PayPal rather than topping up a wallet, keep receipts with order numbers, and ship soon after items arrive. If you have money or items stuck at Mulebuy, the steps on the status page come first, and dispute deadlines count from the payment date.
To move from Mulebuy, US searchers compare Superbuy most often; see Mulebuy vs Superbuy and the alternatives guide. Your old links move with the link converter, and the size converter includes US sizes.
Pay per order by card and keep your dispute rights intact.
State sales tax
Duty is federal, but some carriers and agents also collect state sales tax on deliveries, including in New York. If your line quote looks higher than expected, check whether sales tax is included.
Questions readers ask
Do I pay duty on an agent parcel to the US?
Yes, in most cases since duty-free treatment of low-value parcels ended in 2025. Duty-paid lines include it in the shipping price.
How long does an agent parcel take to New York?
One tracking site measured 12 to 19 days door to door for agent parcels to the US in 2026, with a median of 16 days.
Who delivers agent parcels in the US?
Usually USPS, UPS or FedEx for the final leg, depending on the line.
Can US customs seize my parcel?
Yes. US Customs and Border Protection can seize goods that infringe trademarks.