On November 6th, the Belize Postal Service held an informational session at the House of Culture in San Pedro, unveiling significant changes to the process of shipping goods to the United States. The session, led by Postmaster General Dr. Marsha Price and key postal team members, directly engaged residents and business owners on the new regulations and steps required before mail and packages can be accepted for U.S.-bound shipment.
The session follows recent changes in U.S. Customs policy and an executive order requiring prepayment and advance calculation of duties and fees on all packages destined for the United States. “As you know, with the U.S. government executive order, we can no longer send goods to the United States without paying the customs duties in Belize before reaching United States Customs,” Dr. Price explained. The new Customs Declaration System (CDS) aims to avoid delays and rejections at American ports, with all calculations to be handled through kiosks or a forthcoming mobile application expected to roll out in the coming months. Database administrator Brian Jones stated, “We will be working with Zonos, which is a U.S. company that offers persons and businesses a customs service, including managing tariffs, calculating duties, taxes, filing invoices, and making payments to U.S. Customs.”
Attendees also heard from Jones, who demonstrated the new online CDS step by step. “You log into the system by scanning the QR code. First, the sender must fill out all their information. The system will then direct you to the recipient page, where you can enter full address information. Once that is complete, the user will be prompted to the content page. This includes a full description of the package, HS code, country of origin, value in Belize dollars, and weight. You will then be taken to a section confirming fees, including duty and tax. Once confirmed, users will receive a Declaration ID. This is the number that helps us retrieve all that information,” he explained. Jones emphasized the importance of accurate digital submissions and the system’s ability to calculate tariffs based on declared country of origin and product classification. “For the duties on the total value, the duty will be calculated automatically… so we can process your package as smoothly as possible,” he assured. He also previewed a mobile app designed to simplify the process and minimize user errors, set to launch soon.
According to the Postal Service, the roadshow is a response to global shifts in cross-border mail enforcement and Belize’s reliance on U.S. routes for personal and commercial shipments. The CDS represents a coordinated response to changes under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and shifting global trade tariffs. Dr. Price highlighted that “If we’re sending something from Belize, it must be from Belize to qualify for the 10% tariff. If the product is from another originating country, it goes according to that country’s rate.” Previously, many shippers learned of additional charges only after their items arrived at or were delayed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The current campaign aims to reduce confusion by walking users through the new forms, declaration requirements, and digital interfaces step by step.
Belize Postal Service staff are committed to ongoing education and support as the new standards are phased in. “We are doing everything we can while we have a testing platform so that you can become familiar before the full rollout. We don’t want any hiccups,” Dr. Price affirmed. The Postal Service encourages the community to seek guidance from its local post office. It anticipates that public feedback will help refine the system as Belize adjusts to the new U.S. shipping requirements.
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