Customs and Import Duty: Ordering Vintage from Europe to the US

The United States is our largest market. Fur, shearling, cashmere and wool overcoats, leather — these leave Greece for American addresses, and the route is a familiar one. What follows is what actually happens between our hands and your door, written in August 2026 and updated in October 2026, because the rules changed twice this year and most of what is published on this subject is now out of date.

The $800 rule no longer exists

For years, parcels entering the United States below $800 in value cleared without duty under the de minimis exemption. Almost every guide to ordering from Europe still says so. It is no longer true.

The exemption was withdrawn in stages. It was suspended for shipments from China and Hong Kong in May 2025, then extended to all countries in August 2025. On 24 June 2026, US Customs and Border Protection issued two interim final rules: the first suspended it indefinitely, with immediate effect, for courier and all other non-postal shipments; the second extended the suspension to the international postal network from 24 July 2026. Separate legislation codifies its permanent removal from 1 July 2027.

The practical effect is simple: there is no longer a value below which a parcel enters the United States free of duty. Every shipment is entered and assessed. This applies to all senders, from every country — not to us in particular, and not to vintage in particular.

Then it changed again in July

A second change followed immediately. Until 24 July 2026, postal items could be assessed at a flat rate. That flat rate was abolished, and for the first time regular customs duty — calculated from the tariff classification of the goods themselves — applies to postal shipments.

So two things now decide what a garment is charged: how it is classified, and where it was originally made. Country of origin means the country of manufacture, not the country it is posted from. A coat made in Italy and sent from Greece is Italian for customs purposes, and is declared that way.

Who pays, and when

US import duty is assessed by US Customs, under US rules, when a parcel enters the country. The amount is set by them, not by us.

Our standard US service: duty prepaid. Orders to the United States ship by tracked priority delivery, with US import duty paid in advance at dispatch through Zonos, a US customs duty-prepayment service. Our US prices are set to account for this. Zonos states that duties paid through its service are guaranteed, and that the recipient is not asked to pay duties at the time of delivery (Zonos’s statement). This applies to pieces valued under $2,500.

If you prefer another carrier. Should you ask us to ship with a different courier, such as DHL Express, the parcel travels with duty unpaid. Import duty, and any clearance or brokerage fees, are then charged on arrival by US Customs and the carrier under their own rules, and are paid by the recipient. These are set by third parties, not by us, so they are the buyer’s responsibility. Pieces valued at $2,500 or more, and any piece returned to us, also fall outside the prepaid service. Write to us before ordering and we will go through the options with you.

Sales and use tax in the United States is set by individual states rather than federally. It is not assessed at the border, we do not collect it, and it remains the buyer's. Thresholds and rules differ considerably from one state to the next, so your state's revenue department is the only reliable source on your own position.

We set this out rather than promise an outcome. Customs and tax authorities decide these things, not sellers, and we would rather give you the facts than an assurance we are not in a position to give.

Why we declare at full value

We declare every shipment accurately, at its real value, with a correct description of what is inside and where it was made. We are asked to mark an order as a gift, or to write down a lower figure. We do not do it, in any circumstance.

This is not only a matter of law, though it is that — misdeclaration is an offence and the liability lands on both sender and recipient. It is also the practical reason parcels clear cleanly. Holds, penalties and seizures are overwhelmingly the consequence of paperwork that does not match the contents. Accurate documentation is the thing that keeps a parcel moving, and it is what the duty calculation is built on.

How long it takes

Every piece is prepared by hand and dispatched within 1–3 business days of confirmed payment. That is packing time, not transit time — a coat that has lasted forty years deserves to survive the last three thousand miles.

From dispatch, delivery to the United States runs 7 to 12 business days, with tracking sent by email. Customs processing sits outside that estimate and can add days. A parcel resting briefly at a customs facility is ordinary and usually resolves on its own.

Shipping to the United States is €14, and on us for orders of €250 and above. Prices show in dollars, and checkout confirms free shipping automatically once your order qualifies.

Before you order

If anything here is unclear, or you want to know more about a particular piece before committing to it, write to us. That is the right moment to ask — and we would rather answer ten questions before an order than one after it.

You can browse the full Vestiaire, or read the material notes on what these pieces are made of.