Find answers to your top questions related to CUSMA certification with Chit Chats. Learn more about CUSMA certification and how it may affect you here. 

Once SKUs have been submitted for approval - you will need confirmation of approval BEFORE preferential duty-free treatment will be seen at time of DDP postage purchase. 

How long does the approval process take?

  • The turnaround time for approval may vary and currently we anticipate this could take up to 3 business days however this can change as it is a new system.

Do I need to submit CUSMA for each of my SKUs?

  • The more detailed the better but understand can be 1000s – so as long as the HTS Code and country of origin are the same for all variations of a product, you can submit one SKU for CUSMA approval
  • Our team is working to improve the submission process as it is new - we have heard your request for a bulk upload function!  We appreciate your patience as we work to get this option for you. 
Be sure to check your HTS code is valid on the US site and indicates CUSMA treatment (Special column indicated by an 'S')
  • CUSMA approval is done by SKU NOT by shipment
  • If you have new SKUs later you will need to submit CUSMA approval for new SKUs (once approved validity is one year)

Do I need to submit CUSMA if I don't see an S or S+ on the US site in the Special Duty column?

  • No, you only submit CUSMA IF your 10 digit HTS code is valid and there is an S or S+ indicator. 
  • Your product could still be considered duty free and not under CUSMA (no S or S+) but remember blanket tariffs could apply. Duties & tarrifs are determined by country of origin AND 10 digit HTS code. 

If CUSMA approved why am I seeing fees?

  • If your SKU is approved for CUSMA duty-free treatment you will see the following fees
    • Postage cost
    • Chit Chats Insurance (optional)
    • Merchandise processing fee (MPF)
      • Calculated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and may change at their discretion. It is a flat fee per shipment (1.35 USD flat fee*).
    • Shipment items fee 
      • Individual item processing fee for broker to process the individual HTS coded items in the shipment (0.15 USD / line item*).
        • Example: You are shipping 1 tshirt, 2 mugs and 3 pins = 3 shipment item
  • *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 pay duties on top of postage costs up front. 


I made a mistake how can I cancel my CUSMA submission?

  • Currently you will have to wait to resubmit a new CUSMA request. Our team is working hard to continue to improve this new system. 

Tips:

  • If importing from a store and you have a SKU for each variant, you can use import settings to automatically set one SKU for importing to reference with CUSMA.
  • Alternatively, there is a method for quickly entering info in the CUSMA certification using the import automation tool product feature.

While we are experts in shipping logistics and providing solutions to get your goods into the U.S., we are not licensed customs professionals and do not specialize in tariff classifications or trade compliance matters.

Trade Commissioner

For questions specifically related to HTS codes, country of origin, CUSMA regulations, we strongly recommend consulting a licensed customs broker or trade compliance expert. That said, we’re always here to help guide you through the process and connect you with trusted resources when needed. Our goal is to make your cross-border shipping experience as smooth and efficient as possible.