Great news may be on the horizon for U.S.-based trading card collectors: PSA grading turnaround times could see a significant improvement — at least temporarily — as the company has paused all international submissions to its U.S. facilities due to newly expanded tariffs.
Following a wave of steep tariffs announced by the U.S. government, PSA has decided to suspend submissions from all international customers to avoid burdening them with costly import fees. Just a month ago, PSA had already paused direct submissions from customers in Canada, China, Hong Kong, and Mexico. Now, this suspension has been expanded globally, including Europe.
“PSA is reluctantly taking these measures to protect our international customers from significant tariff expenses,” the company explained in a statement. “The newly imposed tariffs are against the value of the items in the order rather than on the PSA service fee.”
This means that, for the time being, only U.S.-based collectors can submit their cards directly to PSA in the United States — potentially resulting in reduced backlog and faster turnaround for domestic customers.
PSA Grading Now Harder for International Submissions
Meanwhile, international collectors are being directed to use regional alternatives where available:
- Customers in Japan can still submit cards through PSA’s full-scale Tokyo facility.
- Collectors in Canada can continue submitting through the Halifax, Nova Scotia submission center.
- PSA is working on solutions for other regions via its network of Authorized Dealers.
The change comes in response to new U.S. tariffs, which include a 20% tariff on goods from the European Union, a 24% tariff on Japan, and 25% on South Korea. Items from China are facing combined tariffs of up to 54%, according to the Associated Press.
While the suspension presents a challenge for international hobbyists, it could provide short-term relief for U.S. collectors, who have long faced extended grading wait times due to overwhelming global demand. With international cards temporarily out of the queue, U.S. submissions may move through the system faster than usual.
This development may also impact card pricing and resale timing for international collectors, who may now need to delay or reroute their grading plans until PSA finalizes alternative channels.
For now, U.S. hobbyists might find this a rare silver lining in an otherwise complex trade situation.
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