How should I declare car parts shipped to Canada?

[AZ_Jason_S]

I am shipping some stereo stuff out of an e39 to Canada. How should I declare the stuff? What service should I use(UPS,USPS)?

[rickm]

If you can ship UPS (or FedEx) go for it. I sent a friend in Toronto some gifts via normal mail, Canada Post returned it after a single delivery try.

Declare it as to what it actually is. If you give the item a $50.00 value for insurance purposes and it gets trashed you might have a hard time collecting more than that. Also, KEEP YOUR RECEIPTS until the item arrives and the person you sent the stuff to confirms.

[Tiger]

You gotta watch out! Canada is a pain to send item to. I sent two over there... one via Fedex Ground... and another via UPS. Fedex Ground got poor control on the VAT, they delivered perfectly but did not collect the brokerage and tax at time... instead they billed them afterward. Guess who got stuck with the bill? ME!

UPS got better control... they collect VAT and brokerage fee before handing it over.

Both are criminal at brokerage fee... I don't care how much you declared... brokerage fee is $17+ on top of shipping... and plus tax... You only pay the shipping fee. If it comes back to you, I think there is another fee.

They got a rule there... Only $50 or under can be declared as gift... anything over that, it cost you money too... Imagine that! If you got a relative over there and want to send them any gift, they (or you) still have to pay brokerage fee and more tax!

[632 Regal]

Nothing like free trade huh?

[DueyT]

...well, that and universal health care (believed by many to be sliding steeply in quality) and unemployment insurance....

[AZ_Jason_S]

Yeah, it sucks shipping there, thats why I sought advice from this board. Well that and the fact that there are plenty of resident Canadians here.

I shipped there one time and I remembered declaring it as a gift. I didn't know about the $50, but I knew there was some kind of restriction.

[Garlic Breath]

UPS will charge the recipient a brokerage fee. Total rip-off! It's a pain to go to the post office but it will cause less grief for the recipient. Whatever value you declare , will determine how much in duties they pay. Check the gift box $0.00 and be done with it.

[SharkmanBMW]

Declare Them As "warranty Replacements" And You Will Be Set!!!

[Dave M]

"warranty". I won't say from where, but many a deal can be had when ordering parts shipped to Canada if you speak nicely to your shipper. No duty, brokerage, or taxes, mmmmmm, free trade. Say what you may about UPS, but they've never lost anything (of mine) and make tracking possible. Saved me a bundle to boot.

Dave M


Declare Them As "warranty Replacements" And You Will Be Set!!!

[SharkmanBMW]

I recently received 110$ usd of medical supplies that should have been taxed, dutied...
but we asked them to "warranty" it and it was here with no problems - otherwise it would have cost about 50$ canadian in ******** duty, tax, brokerage....

[talltorontoguy]

If you're doing this on the up and up...

The best carrier to use for small / medium things is the good old United States Postal Service. They do not charge brokerage fees. UPS and others will charge $30 USD and up just for brokerage fees. Overweight / Oversized items will require a UPS / DHL / FEDEX.

You will have to complete forms (regardless of carrier used) and fill out the description and value of the item being sent. I think you have to complete 3 of these, but if you call the carrier they will tell you what you need to do. You can download these. You will also need to supply a bill of sale.

The person receiving the package in Canada will have to pay a duty charge. This charge is 6% on goods not actually manufactured in USA - regardless of new or used (example: Germany = 6%). Apparently car parts made in USA are duty free.

The recipient will also have to pay two taxes; 7% GST (federal tax) and a provincial tax (8% in Ontario, about the same elsewhere). This is usually paid separately.

If you ship with false info into Canada and get caught there may be penalties like double duty etc.

I've heard that some Canadians living near the US border have things shipped to a USPS station or UPS depot near the border and then drive across and pick it up and install in right on the spot, avoiding the extra 20% cost. Not that I would recommend anything like that.

Take care eh...

Rod
Canada; near the border :-)

[Tiger]

Fedex Ground also charges brokerage fee.

[AZ_Jason_S]

I ended up shipping USPS. I declared the stuff as "Used Car Parts" and I declared a value of $175. I would have declared less, but I wanted insurance and I didn't want to insure for more than I declared.



If you're doing this on the up and up...

The best carrier to use for small / medium things is the good old United States Postal Service. They do not charge brokerage fees. UPS and others will charge $30 USD and up just for brokerage fees. Overweight / Oversized items will require a UPS / DHL / FEDEX.

You will have to complete forms (regardless of carrier used) and fill out the description and value of the item being sent. I think you have to complete 3 of these, but if you call the carrier they will tell you what you need to do. You can download these. You will also need to supply a bill of sale.

The person receiving the package in Canada will have to pay a duty charge. This charge is 6% on goods not actually manufactured in USA - regardless of new or used (example: Germany = 6%). Apparently car parts made in USA are duty free.

The recipient will also have to pay two taxes; 7% GST (federal tax) and a provincial tax (8% in Ontario, about the same elsewhere). This is usually paid separately.

If you ship with false info into Canada and get caught there may be penalties like double duty etc.

I've heard that some Canadians living near the US border have things shipped to a USPS station or UPS depot near the border and then drive across and pick it up and install in right on the spot, avoiding the extra 20% cost. Not that I would recommend anything like that.

Take care eh...

Rod
Canada; near the border :-)

[kick7ca]

"I've heard that some Canadians living near the US border have things shipped to a USPS station or UPS depot near the border and then drive across and pick it up and install in right on the spot, avoiding the extra 20% cost. Not that I would recommend anything like that. "


I highly recommend anything like that. F*&% customs. I had injenctors cleaned in the US, got them shipped back and recieved a bill for $107 which was sales taxes on the insured value of the package. Smuggling saves you money just don't get caught - install over there and your perfectly safe. Wheels and tires are the best this way.

[talltorontoguy]

See my signature line on the above post...

[GS535i]

I've received many auto parts from various US sources: USPS/Canada Post is by far the better option if the item(s) fall within USPS weight and 108" 'girth plus length' rule. Parcel Post Priority is usually the best service class to select.
For the US shipper, the customs declaration form is the only change from normal mailing: It's free, and needs a simple statement "used car parts - muffler, etc.", plus the $value.
Pay the postage as usual, and you're done. Canada Post delivers here as usual, and if GST/HST is required (~15% total), that is paid at the Post Office + a $5 fee. Many items slide on through with no additional fees - and there is no possibility of any backcharge to the US shipper!.
That is all quite fair - and far better than the hammering of brokerage fees by UPS/Purolator/FedEx.