de minimis

Borrowed from Latin de minimīs, ablative of minimus (“smallest, least”); shortened form of the legal maxim de minimis non curat lex (literally “the law does not concern itself with trifling matters”).

de minimis (not comparable)

1. Concerning things that are so minor as to be negligible, trivial, or trifling. Often used to describe exemptions in government rules and regulations.

   The tax is not payable on amounts below the de minimis limit of £100 per year.

   The de minimis rules on import duty mean that alcohol for personal consumption is exempt from any charge.

   • 2025 February 7, Lauren Aratani, “Trump delays key piece of China tariff plan amid threats to other countries”, in The Guardian‎^[1], →ISSN:

     On Tuesday, the US Postal Service briefly halted all incoming packages from China and Hong Kong after Trump ended a de minimis provision that allowed low-value packages from China to enter the US duty-free.

   • 2025 May 2, Elisabeth Buchwald and Ramishah Maruf, “A massive tariff on millions of Americans’ purchases just went into effect — cue the chaos”, in CNN‎^[2]:

     The de minimis exemption, as it’s known, allowed shipments of goods worth $800 or less to come into the United States duty-free, often more or less skipping time-consuming inspections and paperwork.

   • 2025 August 30, Aime Williams, “US launches small packages tariffs as duty exemption ends”, in FT Weekend, page 3:

     The White House said that between 2015 and 2024 the volume of de minimis shipments entering the US annually increased from 134mn to more than 1.36bn.

2. (law) Beneath the notice of the law; so minor as not to warrant a penalty or remedy.

   The behaviour of the accused was technically assault, but the judge found it de minimis and entered an acquittal.

• de minimis non curat lex
• don't sweat the small stuff
• infra dig
• infra dignitatem

de minimis (uncountable)

1. Ellipsis of de minimis exemption.

   the death of de minimis [in U.S. commerce]

   • 2025 April 17, Vidhi Choudhary, “The death of de minimis is likely to lead to price hikes in e-commerce. The nearly 100-year-old law was popular in the e-commerce industry for duty free shipping”, in Retail Brew‎^[3]:

     The de minimis trade loophole will be buried in the Cathedral of Congress on May 2. De minimis, or Section 321(a)(2)(C) of the Tariff Act of 1930, was first cleared by Congress in 1938. The de minimis trade exemption permitted shipments costing less than $800 to enter the US duty-free and with minimal paperwork and verification. Assuming the White House follows through on its executive order signed on April 2, this so-called trade loophole—that saved several brands thousands of dollars in shipping costs, will cease to exist from May 2.

   • 2025 September 10, Theodore Quinn, “The Death of De Minimis and Its Impact on Premium Retail: A Cautionary Tale for Lululemon”, in AInvest‎^[4]:

     The demise of the de minimis threshold—a regulatory lifeline for global retailers—has quietly reshaped the cost structures of premium brands like Lululemon […] The death of de minimis is more than a regulatory footnote—it is a harbinger of a new era for premium retail. For Lululemon, the challenge is to navigate this landscape without sacrificing the brand equity that has fueled its rise. Yet, as tariffs and supply chain costs persist, the line between premiumization and price sensitivity grows thinner.

• minimised