By ODW Logistics
Entry Type 11 is the informal customs entry CBP uses for most commercial shipments valued at $2,500 or less, and it now carries most goods that once cleared under Section 321. Shipments above $2,500, or any shipment CBP decides needs it, go through formal entry, filed as Entry Type 01. In any Section 321 vs. formal entry comparison, both newer paths owe duty and ask for more data, and formal entry adds a customs bond. ODW’s guide to Section 321 explains how the old exemption worked.
Entry Type 11 is CBP’s informal entry, a simplified filing for commercial shipments generally valued at $2,500 or less.
The value limit comes from 19 CFR 143.21, and CBP guidance applies it to the total value of shipments for one consignee on one conveyance. Informal entry means lighter paperwork than formal entry, but the goods still owe duty. Each filing still needs an accurate description, country of origin, and declared value, and each separate informal entry needs its own entry summary.
Informal entry is the regulatory term, and Entry Type 11 is the code CBP uses for it in ACE. The owner, the purchaser, or a licensed customs broker can file it. Under current rules, an informal entry is filed within 15 days after the goods land, and a customs bond is required only in certain situations.
Formal entry is the full customs entry, filed as CBP Entry Type 01, for shipments valued above $2,500 and for any shipment CBP requires to be entered formally.
Formal entry carries a bond, a fuller documentation package, and an entry summary, so most importers use a licensed customs broker to file it. A low invoice value does not guarantee informal treatment. Under 19 CFR 143.22, CBP can require formal entry for any merchandise when it needs to for admissibility enforcement, revenue protection, or efficient processing.
What replaces Section 321 is Entry Type 11 for most shipments of $2,500 or less, and formal entry above that. Section 321 entry, filed as Entry Type 86 or through release from manifest, is no longer available for the shipments that used it.
The suspension began August 29, 2025, under executive order, and CBP then made it indefinite in regulation through two rules: one for non-postal shipments effective June 24, 2026, and one for international mail effective July 24, 2026. Federal legislation ends the exemption by statute on July 1, 2027. ODW covered the first wave of changes in an earlier article on the Section 321 suspension.
Formal entry asks for more than Section 321 entry did on every front that affects cost and speed: duty, data, bond, filing steps, and release.
Duty comes first. Section 321 entry cleared qualifying goods duty-free. Formal entry collects duty, so landed cost rises, and pricing, margins, and carrier choices built on the old model deserve a product-by-product review.
Data comes second. Section 321 entry relied on minimal data, often through release from manifest. Formal entry needs full classification, valuation, country of origin, and importer of record details, and errors tend to surface later as holds or corrections.
The bond comes third. Section 321 entry needed no customs bond. Formal entry requires one on CBP Form 301, either single transaction or continuous, before goods are released.
Filing steps come fourth. Formal entry adds an entry summary on CBP Form 7501, which generally follows release within 10 working days.
Release timing comes fifth. Formal entry takes more preparation than Section 321 entry did, so build broker handoffs and possible holds into fulfillment timelines.
For shipments of $2,500 or less, Entry Type 11 sits between the two. Duty is owed and the data has to be right, but the filing is lighter than formal entry, and a bond is required only in certain situations today.
The table below compares all three and reflects current rules, so confirm specifics for your goods with a licensed customs broker.
|
Factor |
Entry Type 11 (informal) |
Entry Type 01 (formal) |
Entry Type 86 (Section 321) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Value |
Generally $2,500 or less |
Above $2,500, or when CBP requires it |
$800 or less |
|
Duty |
Owed |
Owed |
None while it was available |
|
Customs bond |
Required only in certain situations today |
Required |
Not applicable |
|
Filing timing |
Within 15 days after landing |
Entry, then entry summary generally within 10 working days |
Not applicable |
|
Typical filer |
Owner, purchaser, or licensed customs broker |
Usually a licensed customs broker |
Not applicable |
|
Status |
In use |
In use |
Suspended |
Four tests usually decide between Entry Type 11 and formal entry, and a customs broker should apply them before goods move.
Value is the first test. If the total value for one consignee on one conveyance is $2,500 or less, Entry Type 11 is generally available. Above that, formal entry is generally required unless a regulatory exception applies.
The goods are the second test. Some products, such as goods regulated by other federal agencies, may need formal entry regardless of value. Certain Chapter 99 articles valued above $250 are also excluded from informal entry today.
CBP’s authority is the third test. Because CBP can require formal entry for any shipment, a broker should confirm the path for each product line instead of inferring it from invoice value.
Shipment structure is the fourth test. CBP allows low-value shipments for the same consignee to be combined on one formal entry. Splitting a shipment to stay under $2,500 has always carried penalty risk.
CBP proposed on October 8, 2026 to tighten Entry Type 11, but the rule is not final, and comments are due December 7, 2026.
Under the proposal, Entry Type 11 would be filed electronically on or before the date of importation instead of within 15 days after landing, and every Entry Type 11 filer would need a basic importation and entry bond. CBP could also require formal entry more broadly, by importer, manufacturer, or product category, and the $250 cap for certain Chapter 99 goods would be removed. ODW’s roundup of de minimis changes in 2026 covers the full proposal.
The importer or its licensed customs broker files the entry, and a 3PL helps with the freight, warehouse, and technology plan around it.
ODW’s supply chain design process uses data to identify strategic distribution center locations and transportation modes, so shippers can test how duty and entry costs change their network. Freight brokerage supports consolidation strategies that offset part of the added cost.
ODW’s distribution and fulfillment network includes 24 distribution centers and 8.5 million square feet, and its warehouse and transportation technology adds a WMS, a TMS, API and EDI integrations, and a 24/7 client portal for landed cost visibility. Brands that sell direct to consumers can add e-commerce fulfillment services.
CBP Entry Type 11 is an informal customs entry for commercial shipments generally valued at $2,500 or less. It uses lighter paperwork than formal entry, but duty is owed and the filing needs an accurate description, country of origin, and value. Since the de minimis suspension, ODW Logistics sees Entry Type 11 as the main path for goods that once used Section 321.
A Type 11 clearance lets lower-value commercial goods enter the United States without the full formal entry process. It keeps documentation lighter for shipments of $2,500 or less while still collecting duty. Under current rules it is filed within 15 days after landing, and CBP has proposed moving that deadline to on or before importation.
Entry Type 11 is informal entry for shipments generally valued at $2,500 or less, with a bond required only in certain situations today. Entry Type 01 is formal entry for higher values or any shipment CBP requires, and it requires a customs bond and an entry summary. Both owe duty.
Entry Type 11 replaced Section 321 entry for most shipments of $2,500 or less, and formal entry covers higher values. Entry Type 86 and release from manifest are no longer available for these goods. The suspension applies to every mode, including international mail, and federal law ends the exemption on July 1, 2027.
Today, a bond is required for Entry Type 11 only in certain situations. CBP’s October 8, 2026 proposed rule would require a basic importation and entry bond for every Entry Type 11 filer, but it is not final, and comments are due December 7, 2026. ODW Logistics recommends confirming bond needs with a licensed customs broker.
Often, yes. CBP generally treats shipments for one consignee arriving on one conveyance as one entry, so they can share an Entry Type 11 when their total value is $2,500 or less. Above that, formal entry is generally required. Splitting shipments to stay under the limit carries penalty risk, so have a licensed customs broker structure it.
Entry Type 11 now carries most of the low-value imports that Section 321 used to cover, and formal entry handles everything above $2,500 or anything CBP flags. Settle the entry type with your licensed customs broker, and use your 3PL to plan freight, warehousing, and landed cost around it.
Contact ODW Logistics to talk through how your import volume and product categories are affected, or request a quote to see what a 3PL partnership could look like.