As of August 29, 2025: DDU (Duties Unpaid) shipping is no longer available for U.S.-bound packages. All shipments to the U.S. must use DDP (Delivered Duties Paid) postage with any duties and fees prepaid.


We understand cross-border shipping can be confusing. We've created this handy checklist so you can ensure every shipment you send from Canada to the United States is compliant.


Step 1: Figure out the Country of Origin for each item in your U.S.-bound shipment. 

You must physically label each product/item you ship to the U.S. with the Country of Origin in addition to providing this on the Chit Chats platform when you purchase any U.S. postage. 

Need help figuring out the Country of Origin for your items? Check out these resources:

Step 2: Ensure each physical item inside the shipment is correctly labelled. 

Unsure how to correctly label each product/item in your shipment? Check out the support article:

If you still aren’t sure, check the U.S Customs and Border Protection guidelines here. 
Step 3: Figure out the 10-digit HTS code for each item in your U.S.-bound shipment.

A 10-digit HTS code is required for all U.S.-bound shipments, along with the Country of Origin. The HTS code must be valid on the US site.

Need help finding yours? Check out this resource: 

Step 3.5: Verify whether or not your products are CUSMA or Duty-Free eligible on the US site .

CUSMA, also known as the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, is a free trade agreement that replaced NAFTA in July 2020. CUSMA provides preferential duty-free treatment and exemption from tariffs (as applicable) on specific goods that meet the rules of origin. If your product is of Canadian, U.S. and Mexican origin it could qualify for duty-free. Understand how your products may qualify and how to apply for CUSMA approval by visiting these resources:

Step 4: Purchase your postage. 

You must enter the Country of Origin for each physical item in your shipment when purchasing any type of postage as well as a 10 digit HTS code. Manufacturer information is mandatory for USPS-based postage only. 

If you are unable to obtain manufacturer information, you can ship with Chit Chats International Tracked (which does not require it). If you would like to use USPS DDP postage and you do not have the manufacturer’s address, you may use a different address in the following scenarios:

1. If you source your goods from a wholesaler, you may list the wholesaler as the manufacturer only if you have documentation showing that the wholesaler refuses to provide the actual manufacturer’s details. U.S. Customs permits this exception when a wholesaler declines to disclose manufacturer information.

2. If you would like to ship a non-textile product in which you do not know the manufacturer information, you can use your own Canadian address as the manufacturer. Nevertheless, you must declare the Country of Origin (COO) as what is printed on the item.

Unsure which postage type to choose? Check out the support section on Postage Types.

Step 5: Gather any required supporting documentation and include it in your package.

Depending on the postage type you choose, the total value of your shipment and where it was made, you may need to include additional documentation. Unsure what supporting documentation you need? Check out these resources:

Step 6: Print and affix the postage label to your shipment and hand it over to Chit Chats.

Unsure which postage type to choose? Check out the support section on Printing Postage.

IMPORTANT: 
Chit Chats spot checks shipments to ensure compliance. If your shipment is not correctly declared, your shipment will be held and you will be notified to make the necessary changes.


Accurate HTS codes help ensure proper duty calculation. Since all shipments use DDP postage, choosing the correct HTS code is even more critical to prevent under- or over-payment of duties.

Additional fees:

All U.S. shipments are subject to the following fees:

  • Customs Processing: a flat fee (1.35 USD flat fee*) per shipment, covering administrative costs for informal entry into the U.S.
  • Broker Line Item: the fee for our broker to process the individual line items in the shipment (0.15 USD / line item*).
    • Example: You are shipping 1 tshirt, 2 mugs and 3 pen = 3 shipment items

*These fees are subject to change – we have worked hard to keep these as low as possible as we understand sellers are grappling with having to now also duties on top of postage costs.


✨ Download your own digital checklist to keep on hand, below.