Shipping from China to United States
The highest-volume ecommerce corridor in the world. Most parcels are handed to USPS for final delivery, which is why American buyers often see a Chinese carrier vanish and USPS appear days later.
How long it takes
| Standard shipping | 10–25 days on standard shipping |
| Express courier | 3–6 days by DHL, FedEx or UPS |
Door-to-door including customs. The gap between the two rows is mostly flight frequency and clearance priority, not distance.
Customs and taxes
De minimis of $800
Most consumer parcels fall under the $800 de minimis and enter duty free, which is why US buyers rarely see customs charges on small orders.
Who carries it
- Cainiao
LP + 14 to 16 digits
- China Post
Two letters + 9 digits + CN
- Yanwen
YT + 11 to 16 digits
- USPS
20 to 22 digits, or UPU format ending in US
- SF Express
12 to 15 digits, often prefixed SF
What to expect on this route
- Parcels usually clear through Los Angeles, Chicago or New York depending on the flight, then move to the destination USPS facility.
- The de minimis threshold applies per shipment per day, so splitting a large order can keep each parcel under it.