Federal Export Agency Plans Major Fee Hikes

The U.S. Commercial Service is proposing its most significant overhaul of user fees in years, with major consequences for small and medium-sized companies.

Small companies that utilize the agency’s export services face triple digit percentage fee hikes, with proposed increases ranging from 67% to 520%.

The planned changes, outlined in a June 22 Federal Register notice, are scheduled to take effect on July 22, 2026, following a public comment period.

USCS is proposing to eliminate longstanding discounts for small and medium-sized businesses, introduce a standardized pricing structure across all company sizes, and add several services that previously were not included in the fee schedule.

The agency, part of the International Trade Administration within the Department of Commerce, is following a directive from the Office of Management and Budget.

Fee Hikes

Under the current fee structure, businesses pay different rates depending on their size.

Small businesses typically receive the deepest discounts, with medium-sized companies paying higher rates and large firms paying the highest fees.

The fee hikes are expected to have the greatest impact on smaller exporters, which historically are the primary users of USCS programs.

For instance, a small business currently pays $950 for a standard Gold Key Service package, while medium-sized firms pay $2,300 and large companies pay $3,400.

Under the proposal, all companies will pay $3,250 for the Gold Key program—a 242% hike for small firms, a 41% increase for medium-size companies, and a 4.4% decrease for large firms.

The proposal also expands the official fee schedule to include several services that were previously offered but not formally listed.

Programs that now face fees include those administered through the Rural Export Center, such as Matrix reports, One Country Reports, Potential Partner Lists, and REC Check services.

Economic Impact

USCS programs had a $428 billion economic impact nationally in 2025, with $138.6 billion in investments and $289.4 billion in exports, while supporting 1.29 million U.S. jobs.

From fiscal 2022 through fiscal 2024, the agency assisted 960 Connecticut firms and handled inquiries from another 6,949—with 82% being small and medium-sized companies.

Those programs accounted for $2.5 billion in Connecticut commodity exports and investments and supported 11,377 jobs in critical growth sectors such as advanced manufacturing, energy, and technology.

Exports play a critical role in Connecticut’s economy, with companies exporting $17.74 billion in goods in 2025—a record high.

“These fee increases will have negative implications for both the Connecticut and U.S. economies.”

CBIA’s Chris DiPentima

CBIA president and CEO Chris DiPentima said the agency’s programs were essential for opening international markets to smaller companies that do not have the resources to expand.

“The return on investment from these programs is phenomenal and that’s testament to the quality of the services that USCS provides,” he said.

“These fee increases will prevent many small businesses from expanding internationally and that will have negative implications for both the Connecticut and U.S. economies.”

DiPentima urged companies to comment on the fee hikes through the online Federal Register notice before the July 22 deadline.