Duty On Items from US to Canada

Canadian · #1 10-12-2003, 01:37 AM

Hey, anyone have a lot of experience having items shipped from the US to Canada? I want to bid on some golf clubs on eBay and have them sent to a friend's house in California, and then have her send them to me as a gift. I was under the assumption that gifts were duty exempt, but I've just been informed that any item in excess of $60 is subject to duty charges. I've had things shipped from the US as gifts from private citizens in the past and haven't been charged duty, so this is news to me.

So if anyone has any experiences or ways to avoid paying duty on gifts it would be greatly appreciated. I really don't want to pay another couple of hundred dollars in duty on a set of irons.

Nullig · #2 10-12-2003, 01:47 AM

Have them send you one at a time...

Stretch · #3 10-12-2003, 01:48 AM

Hard to say, Phone Customs Canada and ask them, and what you/ your friend will have to do in order to get those clubs

EmilyB · #4 10-12-2003, 02:31 AM

I don't see any problem with her shipping you used golf clubs as a gift.

Son Of Skyline · #5 10-12-2003, 03:50 AM

You can have them sent to Blaine and just pick them up there. Throw them in your trunk and say they're yours when you come back across. Since they're used I doubt they would question it.

Canadian · #6 10-12-2003, 05:57 AM

Nah, they're actually new clubs, and with heightened border control measures that's not a risk I'm willing to take. Plus the cost of the ferry ride and trip would equate to paying a big chunk of the duty anyway.

StirCrazy · #7 10-12-2003, 02:20 PM

http://www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca/customs/b...ee-e.html#gift

whare in the us are they? I am going to sandeigo at the end of november and it isn't to hard to bring that kinda thing back.

Steve

Bob I · #8 10-12-2003, 10:51 PM

Under free trade there should not be duty on anything made in the USA. I have brought in a number of things, and there is never any duty. You of course have to pay the infamous Gouge and Screw Tax, and now that they can't charge duty, Customs always charges a $5.00 handling charge.

Canadian · #9 10-15-2003, 01:33 AM

Thanks for the offer Steve! I ended up finding a guy in Canada (Red Deer) selling the same clubs for roughly the same price so I bought them from him just to avoid any hassles.

Bob, I phoned Customs Canada the other day and the lady I spoke to told me the same thing - nothing made in North America is subject to duty. So I'll keep that in mind for my future purchases (bidding on an Odyssey White Hot #8 putter right now)