tariffs for electronics shipped across the border

[Turbonium]

Does anyone know any details on what the tariffs are for any electronics shipped cross-border from USA to Canada?

 

[BoomerD]

Gotta be expensive. Sending technology "overseas" is prohibited under a variety of laws...buying exceptions to those laws costs big bux...😛


It really all depends on the items being sent. Why not contact your local customs office for a better answer?

 

[Red Squirrel]

A lot. A coworker ordered a small factor server rack that costed 300 bucks and he had to pay 60 bucks of tarifs. Yeah, and it's not even something electronic. The metal was probably mined in Canada yet we have to pay a tax to get a product made from it brought to the country.

He's fighting it though, since he ordered it from a Canadian site, so it's not his problem if they had to back order it oversees and he should not have to pay that.

 

[Turbonium]

Well if that's the case, then I guess the FS/WTB forum is a hell of a lot less useful than I thought it would be. 🙁

 

[mallik]

If you're getting anything shipped from the US to Canada, do not under any circumstances use FedEx or UPS or any other courier. You will get killed in brokerage charges. Only use USPS/Canadapost.

The max allowable value when using USPS/Canadapost is $20 ($60 if it's a gift). Anything over that and you will get charged GST/PST plus a $5 brokerage fee.

 

[SSSnail]

There are no taxes on gifts or samples.

 

[frostedflakes]

Yeah I've shipped or received a few things from Canada using USPS or Canada Post and haven't run into any fees. I've read that marking the package as a gift of low value helps as well, but don't know if this is true. There probably are tariffs, but it doesn't seem like they're enforced.

 

[Firebot]

If most of the item was made outside of USA / Canada / Mexico, you will pay duties for stuff over 100$ or so. Declaring it as 'gift' won't help you if they see it's brand new equipment.

 

[WildHorse]

``

 

[sandorski]

There are No Tarrifs on such items between Canada/US. You will pay Sales Taxes and Brokerage Fees(depending on whom Ships).

 

[Colt45]

99.9% there won't be any duty, but you still have to pay GST and PST (or HST...).

And then you have to pay canada post $5 ($8 on express stuff) for the honour of taking your tax.. and for UPS it starts at $40 IIRC. fuck them.



With govn't mail, it's kind of hit and miss whether they ding you or not. I guess it depends what mood the customs dude is in. There's been times where I haven't had to pay on $400 items, and times where I've had to pay on $15 dollar stuff. They generally don't ding you on stuff in the sub $50 range though, IME.


So - in ontario (your profile)

$100 item
+ $5 GST
+ $8 PST
+ $5 tax handling whatever rape charge
= $118.

but if they only ding it every second time, average it out to say $109.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Wow I would kill for a $100 item to only end up being $118 after shipping. Even within Ontario I usually end up paying AT LEAST 20 bucks of shipping. It's worse if it's a big or heavy item like a UPS.

 

[haygar]

I got this information from a fellow forum member:

As a general rule, the Canadian recipient must pay the following:

All Shipments - Taxes: Federal GST (5%) and Provincial Sales Tax (8% for Ontario; varies by Province)

UPS Standard: Brokerage fees and taxes on brokerage fees.

UPS Worldwide Express / Expedited etc: Brokerage is included in the shipping rates, but they are typically MUCH more expensive especially for larger packages (i.e. those that may be harder to send USPS).

FedEx Ground: Brokerage fees are similar to UPS IME

FedEx (Express): No additional charges beyond the taxes.

USPS: Brokerage fee of $5-8 (may be slightly higher now - I can't find that at the moment). No additional taxes on that amount.

 

[Colt45]

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
Wow I would kill for a $100 item to only end up being $118 after shipping. Even within Ontario I usually end up paying AT LEAST 20 bucks of shipping. It's worse if it's a big or heavy item like a UPS.

I didn't mention shipping.