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Customs when buying from Canada

Swilton

Swilton

Member
I don't know if this is the right place to ask this question, but I'm looking at buying a used McIntosh amp from a private party in Canada. Do I have to pay any duties or import fees when shipping to the U.S.? Does the amp have to go through customs? Any insight would be appreciated.

Swilton
 
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When shipping internationally the shipper will be asked what the value of the item is, it is important to note that this is not any sort of insurance but is how customs determines what import duties you will be charged. So if your buddy is sending you a $20,000 amplifier you will pay duties on $20,000, if he is sending you a $1 heavy ass paper weight then you pay much , much less.
 
Seems to me that theres no duty on used electronics (been wrong before). Probably want to check to make sure, but I have never been dinged or even questioned crossing with that kinda stuff in the truck. Not sure why it being shipped would make that any different.
 
bobaloniny said:
Seems to me that theres no duty on used electronics. Probably want to check to make sure, but I have never been dinged or even questioned crossing with that kinda stuff in the truck. Not sure why it being shipped would make that any different.
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Well I have never paid any sort of duty when carrying something with me but shipping is another story.
 
Quadman2 said:
Check to see if it might be declared as an antique and will be duty free.
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Also possibly uninsurable ... Not sure about now, but there was a time shippers limited "antique" and "classic" and "vintage" to $200 max ...
 
When it is Canada Post who is making the delivery I have never had to pay duty but when someone uses UPS to ship, they always ask for a duty fee when they drop off the package at my door. It seems that duty is a 3rd of the price of the product.
 
I bought a Nakamichi PA-7 about 15 years ago, I think I paid about $800 for it on Agon. I got a note from UPS telling me to come and get it ... thought it was odd. They hit me up for over $100 in duties before they handed it over. I was pretty pissed ... I had no idea I was going to get hit over the head like that. What started out as a pretty good deal, pretty much sucked.

You can look it up on-line but it reads like divorce papers ... not sure how to get past it without outright lying, which Is obviously breaking the law.
 
I would think there would be no import duties since it was manufactured in the USA.


Tapatalk
 
I've bought used JBL drivers from Canada, no duties… Used, made in USA.

I've bought new transformers from Pliton, duties. New, made in Canada.

I've bought new transformers from Japan, made in Japan, no duties.

So hard to tell, YMMV
 
Coming for outside the USA into the USA you shouldn't have to pay a taxes. Shipping from the USA to another country is a different story.
 
Thanks for the responses. I did some more research too, and as best I can tell, there are no duties on this. :D
 
It's not usually "Customs duty" that one pays, when importing goods into Canada. Rather, it's sales tax. In the US sales taxes are state-controlled, so the federal govt doesn't get involved. When an item hits the Canadian border, the Canadian federal government wants their federal sales tax. As well, they have an agreement with the individual provinces to collect the provincial portion, also. Canada Post will let an item, marked as 'gift' slide, if value is less than $60CAD. Over that, gift or not, they are getting 13% for the sales taxes, plus $5 for collecting the tax. UPS typically charges $29.99 and FedEx gets, IIRC, $35. UPS/FedEx fees are on top of the 13% sales taxes that they collect and remit to the government. So, for example, a $100USD receiver, sent USPS to an AKer in Toronto is going to have the price converted to CAD, shipping charges added in, making the total, let's say, arbitrarily, $145CAD, for the receiver and shipping. The feds want 13% of the $145 or $18.85CAD. Canada Post collects that money, and adds on their own $5, for a total of $23.85CAD.

Your $100USD receiver has now cost you a total of $168.85CAD, to get it into your house. Don't like USPS/CP? Send it UPS and add another $25 or FedEx and add another $30CAD. Your $100 receiver just cost you $200CAD, by the time it gets into your house.
 
If you are carrying stuff across the border, into Canada, on a day trip, typically, the border officer will decline to charge sales tax on declared amounts less than $200. 'Rule of thumb', as it were, since there is a cost to having an officer prepare the paperwork to collect $26 in tax. Stay overnight/multiple days, and trip exemptions come into play.

Don't be fooled, however. That is not "The Rule". The Rule is that EVERY importation is subject to applicable taxes. I got sent in to pay taxes on $22 in records, complete with cash register receipt. Took half an hour to pay $2.86 in sales tax. The inside officers were pissed that their colleague sent me in, with so little to pay. There was something going on, and I was just a pawn, as other people were paying similar petty amounts that usually get waived. One guy started yelling and swearing about how stupid this was. That didn't go well, at all. I waited my turn, said, "Thanks", and went on my way. I don't ever give them any reason to think that I might be problematic. I cross too frequently, with records and stuff, to find myself having pissed off some border officer, and get a red flag beside my name. :no:
 
Only Canucks get spanked with the tax, not the States. I had someone buy me a ps4 in NY, so I paid the NY state tax and then they retaxed me coming across the border- they simply don't care how much you pay. And if you say it's a gift they don't care either- pay the piper.


We are a lucky bunch.
 
jeremyjustic said:
When shipping internationally the shipper will be asked what the value of the item is, it is important to note that this is not any sort of insurance but is how customs determines what import duties you will be charged. So if your buddy is sending you a $20,000 amplifier you will pay duties on $20,000, if he is sending you a $1 heavy ass paper weight then you pay much , much less.
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Maybe. They can, and quite rightly will, question a $1 paper weight that looks like a $20,000 amplifier. Make sure your paperwork is realistic.
 
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