June 17, 1930, ch. 497June 25, 1938, ch. 679, § 752 Stat. 1081Aug. 8, 1953, ch. 397, § 1367 Stat. 515Pub. L. 87–261, § 2(c)75 Stat. 541Pub. L. 89–62, § 279 Stat. 208Pub. L. 93–618, title VI, § 610(a)88 Stat. 2075Pub. L. 95–410, title II, § 20592 Stat. 900Pub. L. 97–446, title I, § 115(b)96 Stat. 2335Pub. L. 100–418, title I, § 1214(h)(2)102 Stat. 1157Pub. L. 103–182, title VI, § 651107 Stat. 2209Pub. L. 104–295, § 3(a)(8)110 Stat. 3516Pub. L. 114–125, title IX, § 901(c)130 Stat. 223Pub. L. 119–21, title VII, § 70531(a)(1)139 Stat. 283(, title III, § 321, as added , ; amended , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , (12), , ; , , ; , (b)(1), (2), , .)
Amendment of Section
Pub. L. 119–21, title VII, § 70531(b)139 Stat. 283, , , provided that, effective on , this section is amended as follows:
(1) in subsection (a)(2), by striking “of this Act, or” and all that follows through “subdivision (2); and” and inserting “of this Act; and”; and
(2) by striking subsection (c).
See 2025 Amendment notes below.
Editorial Notes
References in Text
section 1202 of this titlesection 1202 of this titleTitle I of this Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(2)(B), means title I of act , which contained the Tariff Schedules of the United States and which formerly were set out under . The Tariff Schedules of the United States were replaced by the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States. See Publication of Harmonized Tariff Schedule note set out under .
Amendments
Pub. L. 119–21, § 70531(b)(1)2025—Subsec. (a)(2). , substituted “of this Act; and” for “of this Act, or” in subpar. (B) and struck out subpar. (C) and concluding provisions which read as follows:
“(C) $800 in any other case.
“The privilege of this subdivision (2) shall not be granted in any case in which merchandise covered by a single order or contract is forwarded in separate lots to secure the benefit of this subdivision (2); and”.
Pub. L. 119–21, § 70531(b)(2)Subsec. (c). , struck out subsec. (c) which read as follows: “Any person who enters, introduces, facilitates, or attempts to introduce an article into the United States using the privilege of this section, the importation of which violates any other provision of United States customs law, shall be assessed, in addition to any other penalty permitted by law, a civil penalty of up to $5,000 for the first violation and up to $10,000 for each subsequent violation.”
Pub. L. 119–21, § 70531(a)(1), added subsec. (c).
Pub. L. 114–1252016—Subsec. (a)(2)(C). substituted “$800” for “$200”.
Pub. L. 104–295, § 3(a)(12)(A)1996—Subsec. (a)(1). , substituted “duties, fees, taxes, and interest actually accruing” for “duties, fees, and taxes actually accruing”.
Pub. L. 104–295, § 3(a)(8)Subsec. (a)(2)(B). , inserted “, 9804.00.65,” after “9804.00.30”.
Pub. L. 104–295, § 3(a)(12)(B)Subsec. (a)(3). , substituted “taxes, and interest” for “and taxes” and “taxes, or interest” for “or taxes”.
Pub. L. 103–182, § 651(1)1993—Subsec. (a)(1). , substituted “of an amount specified by the Secretary by regulation, but not less than $20,” for “of less than $10”, inserted “, fees,” after “duties” wherever appearing, and struck out “and” at end.
Pub. L. 103–182, § 651(2)Subsec. (a)(2). , substituted “shall not exceed an amount specified by the Secretary by regulation, but not less than—” for “shall not exceed—” in introductory provisions, substituted “$100” and “$200” for “$50” and “$100”, respectively, in subpar. (A), substituted “$200” for “$25” in subpar. (B), substituted “$200” for “$5” in subpar. (C), and substituted “; and” for period at end.
Pub. L. 103–182, § 651(3)Subsec. (a)(3). , added par. (3).
Pub. L. 103–182, § 651(4)Subsec. (b). , struck out “to diminish any dollar amount specified in subsection (a) and” after “authorized by regulations” and substituted “subsection (a)” for “such subsection” in two places.
Pub. L. 100–4181988—Subsec. (a)(2)(B). substituted “subheading 9804.00.30 or 9804.00.70” for “item 812.25 or 813.31”.
Pub. L. 97–4461983—Subsec. (a)(2)(A). substituted “$50” for “$25” and “$100” for “$40”.
Pub. L. 95–410, § 205(a)1978—Subsec. (a)(1). , substituted “$10” for “$3” and “duties and taxes” for “duties or taxes” in three places.
Pub. L. 95–410, § 205(b)(1)Subsec. (a)(2). –(3), substituted in: subpar. (A), “$25” and “$40” for “$10” and “$20”; subpar. (B), “$25” for “$10”; and subpar. (C), “$5” for “$1”.
Pub. L. 93–6181975—Subsec. (a)(2)(A). inserted “($20, in the case of articles sent as bona fide gifts from persons in the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa)” after “United States”.
Pub. L. 89–62section 1202 of this titlesection 1201 of this title1965—Subsec. (a)(2). substituted “fair retail value in the country of shipment” for “value” in the material preceding subpar. (A) and “item 812.25 or 813.31 of ” for “paragraph 1798(b)(2) or (c)(2) of ” in subpar. (B).
Pub. L. 87–2611961—Subsec. (a). inserted “(b)(2) or” after “paragraph 1798”.
1953—Act , amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section read as follows: “Collectors of customs are hereby authorized, under such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe, to disregard a difference of less than $1 between the total estimated duties or taxes deposited, or the total duties or taxes tentatively assessed, with respect to any entry of merchandise and the total amount of duties or taxes actually accruing thereon, and to admit articles free of duty when the expense and inconvenience of collecting the duty accruing thereon would be disproportionate to the amount of such duty, but the aggregate value of articles imported by one person on one day and exempted from the payment of duty under the authority of this section shall not exceed $5 in the case of articles accompanying, and for the personal or household use of, persons arriving in the United States, or $1 in any other case.”
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2025 Amendment
Pub. L. 119–21, title VII, § 70531(a)(2)139 Stat. 283
Pub. L. 119–21, title VII, § 70531(b)(3)139 Stat. 283
Effective Date of 2016 Amendment
Pub. L. 114–125, title IX, § 901(d)130 Stat. 223
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Pub. L. 104–295, § 3(b)110 Stat. 3516
Effective Date of 1988 Amendment
Pub. L. 100–418section 1217(b)(1) of Pub. L. 100–418section 3001 of this titleAmendment by effective , and applicable with respect to articles entered on or after such date, see , set out as an Effective Date note under .
Effective Date of 1983 Amendment
Pub. L. 97–446, title I, § 115(c)96 Stat. 2335
Effective Date of 1975 Amendment
Pub. L. 93–618, title VI, § 610(b)88 Stat. 2075
Effective Date of 1965 Amendment
Pub. L. 89–62, § 479 Stat. 208
Effective Date of 1961 Amendment
Pub. L. 87–261, § 2(d)75 Stat. 541
Effective Date of 1953 Amendment; Savings Provision
section 1304 of this titleAmendment by act , effective on and after thirtieth day following , and savings provision, see notes set out under .
Effective Date
section 1401 of this titleSection effective on thirtieth day following , except as otherwise specifically provided, see section 37 of act , set out as an Effective Date of 1938 Amendment note under .