Update policy
Customs rules change frequently. Here is how often we re-verify each type of rule, what triggers an out-of-cycle re-check, and how to subscribe to changelog updates.
Re-verification cadence
| Category | Cadence |
|---|---|
| Sanctions regimes (OFAC, HMT, EU CFSP) | Weekly |
| Vape / e-cigarette rules | Quarterly |
| Cannabis status | Quarterly |
| Drone laws | Quarterly |
| De minimis thresholds + duty/VAT rates | Bi-annual |
| Lithium-battery air-cargo rules | Bi-annual |
| Country profiles (overview, allowances) | Annual |
| FTAs + rules of origin | Annual |
| HS chapter references | Annual |
| CITES + cultural-property regimes | Annual |
| Long-stable items (e.g. drug-control schedules) | 2-yearly |
What triggers an out-of-cycle re-check
- A user-reported correction with an official source.
- Major news of a rule change (e.g. new tobacco import ban).
- An automated link-health probe failing on a primary source.
- A new sanctions designation list.
- A scheduled trade-policy review or FTA ratification.
How updates are logged
Every substantive update goes into /changelog and into the machine-readable feed at /api/v1/changelog.json. Where a rule changes, the corresponding rule's lastVerified is bumped, and any previous state is captured in changedFrom.
Subscribe to updates
- RSS / Atom feed: /feed.xml
- JSON changelog feed: /api/v1/changelog.json
- Watchlist (in-browser): /watchlist
Related: /methodology, /source-health, /coverage.