I have never purchased anything from Australia. That said, books specifically, are tariff-exempt, and "always have been," even with all the changes. The seller needs to use the correct Harmonized Tariff Code (49) on the paperwork:

https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1145?language=en_US

https://beautifulbooks.info/2025/09/us-book-tariffs/

What AI says:

"books exempt from tariffs

Printed books are generally exempt from U.S. import tariffs because the government classifies them as protected "informational materials". [1]

What is Exempt

Printed Matter: Novels, textbooks, comics, graphic novels, Bibles, and children’s picture books qualify for this exemption. [1, 2, 3]

Harmonized Codes: Ordinary books fall under Chapter 49 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, which usually has a base duty rate of zero. [1, 2]

Emergency Tariffs: Protections like the Berman Amendment shield books from extra emergency duties or broad reciprocal tariffs. You can read more about how these rules apply on BookWeb. [1, 2, 3]

What You Still Need to Know

No Free Pass on Paperwork: The old rule letting small packages under $800 enter the U.S. duty-free (de minimis) has been suspended. [1, 2]

Customs Declaration: Even though the tariff rate on the book itself is 0%, every package must go through formal customs clearance. [1, 2]

Special Codes: Senders must use correct 10-digit HTS codes (such as 4901.99.00.00 for printed books) and add a specific Chapter 99 exemption code on shipping forms. Without these codes, customs workers might mistakenly charge a flat tariff rate. [1, 2, 3]

What is Not Exempt: E-readers, blank notebooks, raw materials like ink and paper, and mixed merchandise packages do not get the free informational exemption. As noted by Substack Report, antique books or items with mixed classifications can also trigger extra fees or confusion. [1, 2, 3, 4]"

The "99" codes in the Beautiful Books article above apply to the Section 122 rules as explained. Also as explained, those should be gone by now. However, it would be useful to be aware of both codes "just in case." 49 codes are Harmonized tariff, 99 codes are Section 122 rules.

Communicate with your seller. Find out how experienced they are at shipping books. If they have experience, they should already know this and handle it for you. If not, you should work with them to help them send it duty free, contacting US Customs for help if necessary. You should not have to pay customs for a book.