I was in a US post Office in the US Virgin Islands. I had to download and use the app to mail a used book to the continental US. The app worked quickly, accurately identified my used book and told me no tariff was due but then charged me $1.50 for the scan. Why is there a tariff scan required between the US and its territories?
Hi JAMcReader, thank you for sharing your experience! I'm glad the app made the process easy for you. The $1.50 fee covers Zonos guaranteeing the calculation, as well as the data transfer of submitting the data to CBP. If CBP reassesses the shipment (or if the U.S. changes the duty rules after your ship but before delivery, as we have seen happen a lot lately, and duties become due for your shipment), Zonos will pay that cost. You can be sure that you will not be charged more later, and your recipient in the U.S. will not be asked to pay more before delivery either.Certain U.S. territories such as U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and Northern Mariana Islands lie outside the U.S. customs territory, meaning goods shipped from them to the mainland United States are treated as imports and may be subject to duties, similar to goods from foreign countries. This is due to federal law (e.g., 19 CFR § 7.2), which excludes these territories from the U.S. customs territory.