An Informal Entry is a simplified customs entry available for commercial shipments valued at $2,500 or less. Informal entries reduce paperwork and bond requirements but are not available for all merchandise.
Eligibility. Informal entry is available for most commercial cargo at or below $2,500 except:
- Quota merchandise
- Antidumping or countervailing duty merchandise
- Merchandise subject to import restrictions or licensing
- Certain regulated goods (FDA, USDA, etc.) — agency-specific
Procedure.
- Filed on CBP Form 7501 or, in the case of mail, CBP Form 3419
- No surety bond is required
- A customs broker is not required (though commonly used)
- Duties and fees are paid at the time of entry
- CBP may waive the formal entry summary and treat the immediate delivery document as the entry
Informal entries do not undergo the same liquidation procedures as formal entries — they typically liquidate at the time of entry. However, they remain subject to Section 1592 penalties for misclassification, undervaluation, or fraud, and CBP can reclassify or re-value informal entries upon examination.
Informal entry is distinct from the $800 Type 86 / de minimis entry, which is duty-free under 19 U.S.C. § 1321(a)(2)(C).