A lot of customers getting ready to move to the US open with the same question: "I hear US customs duties are really high. I'm shipping over a whole houseful of used furniture, how much tax will I owe?" The answer: used personal household goods that qualify enter the US completely duty free. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) offers duty-free entry for personal effects belonging to people entering the country for the first time with the intent to settle. If you qualify, an entire house of used furniture and household goods comes in with no duty at all. This article draws on data from over a thousand Seapoe US customs clearance cases and covers eligibility, the documents you need, and the mistakes people make.

1. Who qualifies for duty-free entry on a US move

To clear personal effects duty free in the US, you have to meet both of the following conditions:

1. Status. You must be entering the US for the first time with the intent to settle, and hold one of these statuses:

Worth noting: a Combo card (issued during the I-485 adjustment of status stage) works as valid proof of 365 consecutive days of residence in the US and fully meets the duty-free requirement.

• New immigrants (first entry after receiving a green card)
• F1 students entering for the first time (with a valid F1 visa and I-20)
• Work visa holders entering to settle for the first time (H1B and similar)
• Green card holders moving back to the US (Combo card / I-485)

2. The goods. Everything must be used personal effects that you have already used in China for more than six months:

• Customs may levy duty on large brand new furniture or bulk quantities of new goods, so shipping a houseful of new furniture is not advisable
• New items in small quantities that are genuinely for your own use can still come in duty free, but it is best to remove packaging, tags, and manuals in advance and declare them as used

Meet both conditions and it does not matter how many cubic meters you ship. It all enters duty free, with no customs duty to pay.

2. Core documents: missing one can hold up clearance

2.1 Document checklist

2.2 Filling out the clearance paperwork

• Every signature must match the signature in your passport exactly. US customs is strict about signature consistency, and a mismatch means the paperwork gets sent back for re-signing, which costs you time
• Value the goods at their depreciated figure. Furniture you have used for 3 years can be declared at 30% to 40% of the original price; there is no need to declare full retail value
• Your US address has to be accurate, including the ZIP code, street number, and apartment number. Any error there causes problems with delivery

3. Common misconceptions and what is actually true

Misconception 1: I am already in the US. Can I still ship? Is it still duty free?

Yes. As long as you entered the US less than a year ago and meet the status requirement, you can still clear your shipment under the new immigrant duty-free policy. Have your documents ready and you can apply.

Misconception 2: I am an F1 student with only an I-20 and no SSN. Can I still get duty free?

Yes. An F1 student visa qualifies on first entry as long as you hold a valid I-20. Without an SSN we handle the clearance as a special case, and it does not affect your duty-free status.

Misconception 3: If the whole shipment is used goods, will it definitely be inspected?

Inspections are random. If you declare honestly and your documents are complete, the odds are low. Even if your shipment is pulled, nothing goes wrong as long as the goods meet the duty-free requirements. You just lose a few days.

Misconception 4: I packed a few brand new small appliances. Will I definitely be taxed?

No. A small number of items genuinely for your own use, with the original packaging and tags removed and declared as used, still come in duty free. Only bulk quantities of new goods get taxed.

4. Seapoe Relo handles the whole China-to-US move

Many customers read through the policy and say, "These rules are complicated and there are so many documents. What if I cannot handle it myself?" Seapoe Relo has run US routes for more than 10 years and has served over ten thousand customers moving to the US, building up plenty of hands-on experience along the way. From packing at your door in China to delivery at your door in the US, a professional team handles every stage.

4.1 Service in China: from packing at your home to loading and departure

• On-site survey and quote. An advisor visits in advance, measures the volume, checks any special items, and gives you an accurate quote. No price increases once we are on site
• Professional packing at your home. Trained packers arrive with proper materials and standard methods, and fragile items get double reinforcement to cut the risk of transit damage as far as possible
• Free storage in China. If your goods are ready but the sailing date is not set, they can sit in our China warehouse for 30 days at no charge
• Our documentation team prepares all your customs paperwork and checks it before the ship departs, so nothing gets held up over a document problem

4.2 Ocean freight: space secured, sailing tracked throughout

• Long-term partnerships with several major carriers let us lock in space ahead of others, so your shipment still loads and departs on time in peak season
• Our customer service team tracks the sailing from start to finish and tells you right away if there is a delay or port congestion, so you can adjust your plans

4.3 US clearance and delivery: from customs to your door, under our control

• Dedicated clearance team. We work with a professional customs brokerage in the US that knows the personal effects duty-free rules and handles all the clearance coordination for you
• Our own and partner warehouses in Los Angeles. LA is our main hub on the US West Coast. We run the operation ourselves rather than subcontracting, so once your goods arrive we have control and you do not run into the information gaps that come with third-party handoffs
• Clearance followed end to end. If anything comes up during clearance, our team deals with it immediately. You never have to face customs on your own
• Delivery on schedule. Once clearance is done, we book a delivery time with you in advance, deliver to your door, unpack, assemble simple furniture, take the packaging away, and leave the place tidy

5. FAQ

Q: Does a customs inspection cost extra?

A: Yes. Inspection fees are passed through at cost, usually a few hundred dollars, and whoever gets inspected pays. That is a fee charged by US Customs, not by Seapoe.

Q: For a first landing in the US, when should the shipment be scheduled?

A: Enter the US first and get your housing sorted, then ship from China. That gives you time to sort out the address and clearance documents, and it avoids your goods arriving before you do and racking up storage fees.

Q: Once my shipment arrives at port, how long until it reaches my home?

A: After clearance, delivery is usually arranged within 3 to 7 business days, depending on the distance between your home and the warehouse.