Food sent to the United States by international mail has always needed Prior Notice, the same as a container shipment. On September 25, 2025, FDA published a final rule (90 FR 46045) that adds two items to Prior Notice for food arriving by international mail: the name of the mail service and the mail tracking number. The requirement started on October 1, 2026. In October 2026, however, FDA issued guidance saying it will not enforce the new data items until May 1, 2027, because the electronic systems that receive Prior Notice are not yet able to accept them.
What the final rule requires
Under 21 CFR 1.281(b)(10), a Prior Notice for an article of food arriving by international mail must include:
- the name of the mail service, for example the national postal operator that carries the parcel; and
- the mail tracking number.
FDA's reason is coordination. With the tracking number, FDA can work with the US Postal Service and US Customs and Border Protection to find a specific parcel that its screening flags as a possible risk. Without it, a mailed package with a valid Prior Notice is much harder to locate.
The rule also confirms that Prior Notice for food arriving by international mail can be submitted through either CBP's Automated Broker Interface/Automated Commercial Environment (ABI/ACE) or FDA's Prior Notice System Interface (PNSI), under 21 CFR 1.280(a)(2). The same final rule also set a timeframe for Prior Notice submissions made after a shipment has been refused or held. Senders of refused mail should check that requirement rather than assume they can resubmit at any time.
What the delay covers, and what it does not
FDA's guidance, "Enforcement Policy to Delay Requirements to Submit Mail Service Name and International Mail Tracking Number Until May 1, 2027", is limited. FDA does not intend to enforce the requirement to include the mail service name and tracking number until May 1, 2027. The delay does not suspend Prior Notice for mail. Food sent by international mail still needs a Prior Notice submitted before the parcel is sent, with the rest of the required information, and the confirmation number must accompany the package. FDA has also said it will review whether the systems are ready as May 1, 2027 approaches and may update the policy, so watch for changes.
Who this affects
- Online sellers that ship packaged food, spices, tea, coffee, sweets or supplements directly to US consumers by post.
- Exporters that send product samples to US buyers or trade shows by mail. Samples are food, and Prior Notice applies to them.
- Diaspora food businesses and gift-box sellers that rely on postal services instead of express couriers.
Express courier shipments are not "international mail" in this sense. They are filed through the courier's own entry process, but they still need Prior Notice. Our guide to Prior Notice for imported food explains timing and content for each way of shipping.
How to prepare before May 1, 2027
- Change your order process so that the postal tracking number exists before Prior Notice is filed. Many sellers create the label and tracking number only at dispatch, so the order of these steps will need to change.
- Record the mail service name exactly as the carrier presents it, and use it consistently.
- Make sure the food facility that made each product is registered with FDA, because Prior Notice asks for the manufacturer's registration number for most foods.
- Print the Prior Notice confirmation number on, or attach it to, every parcel.
- Keep a simple log for each shipment: product, quantity, tracking number, mail service and Prior Notice confirmation number. If a parcel is held, this log is your fastest route to an answer.
What happens if Prior Notice is missing or wrong
Food that arrives with no Prior Notice, or with an inadequate one, is subject to refusal and can be held. For mail, that usually means the parcel never reaches the customer and the seller pays twice. Our guide to why shipments get held or refused covers the most common causes, and our overview of what happens when an FDA-regulated product arrives at a US port shows where Prior Notice fits in border screening.
FDABridge prepares and submits Prior Notice for the agreed food articles in a shipment and returns the confirmation reference. Facility registration, if your manufacturer does not have one yet, is a separate food facility registration service.
Sources
- FDA guidance, Enforcement Policy to Delay Requirements to Submit Mail Service Name and International Mail Tracking Number Until May 1, 2027: https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/enforcement-policy-delay-requirements-submit-international-mail-tracking-number-and-mail-service
- FDA guidance document (PDF): https://www.fda.gov/media/195075/download