Help, Customs is calling me from ups?

steveo

steveo

100 kW
Joined
Oct 6, 2007
Messages
1,786
Location
Woodbridge, Ontario
Hey guys,

I was wondering what i need to do in my case, customs is calling me asking if i have a broker for my packages, or if they want me to use their broker for my package or if it is a personal item?.

I don't want to be charged any brokage/custom fees, and it is a personal package i would say? do you guys think i'll get charged anything if i say its a personal package gift?

-steveo
 
Ping marked my package as "gift" and assigned a low value of something less than $100. I think it would have been considered a personal item.

How was your item declared on the form by the shipper?
 
i was charged $15 brokerage at the door for my last batch of magnets that had a total of $56 from mags for less. if you can handle the drive and are old enough to buy beer id find a shipping/receiving outfit like the one i use http://www.shiphappenssumas.com/ . they charge $5 a package , my bike was 2 boxes but considered 1 package . then you are your own broker and you get cheap beer as a bonus.
 
I don't want to be charged any brokage/custom fees, and it is a personal package i would say? do you guys think i'll get charged anything if i say its a personal package gift?
Click to expand...
Hey steveo... UPS brokerage charges are cheap compared to some brokerage houses. Dunno the declared value shown on the paperwork but most duties these daze are very low as a percentage. They will assess 5% GST (which you get back as an input tax credit, if you are in biz and GST-registered.) Ya can tell `em whatever ya like but if the paperwork from the shipper isn't "right" eg noting "gift", or listing some nominal value... Ya can pay the charges then submit corrected paperwork for a refund... all quickly gets to be more trouble than its worth...
Lock
 
thanks guys

i don't have an offical business; however i just noted it as a personal item; they told me the duties/brokage fees would be less then 20$

-steveo
 
steveo said:
Hey guys,

I was wondering what i need to do in my case, customs is calling me asking if i have a broker for my packages,
Click to expand...

This happened to me once. I just went to the customs office (at the local airport), talked to the guy and got the item. In my case they didn't understand what the item was (a floatation sponson for a foldable kayak...), and mainly wanted an explanation. Value was 20USD, and they didn't ask for any fees.

To Canada items are free of customs, GST etc if under $20 and you ordered it, or if under $60 and it was an unsolicitated gift. If they want payment I'm not sure if you would pay any extra brokerage fee if you go to customs in person yourself (as opposed to hiring a broker to do it). I would think not.
 
PAY UP SLAVE, how dare you have something sent to yourself without our permission!




- Happy slaves are slaves that think they are free.



- Customs is just bureaucratic extortion.



If you live near the border customs office you can clear it through yourself for free often or a small fee and it will take anywhere from 30 seconds to 30 hours depending on the level of pain they wish to impose on you. Hilarious thing is if you say F#$%#$% they will send you a bill for destroying the item (read they took it home and sold it).

Just present them with the Free trade classification number.

The following list of parts is free of the following Duties and tarrifs.
MFN, GT, AUT, NZT, CCCT, LDCT, GPT, UST, MT, MUST, CIAT, CT,CRT

4011500000 Tires
4013200000 Tubes
7312102010 Cables
7318221000 screws bolts
7326901010 Irion/steel parts
8714999020 Bicycle wheels
8714960000 Pedals and cranks
8714920000 Wheel rims and spokes
8504409091 Battery Chargers
85044090 Controller for bicycle electric motor



Of course the hilarious thing is you paid for shipping to your home and by clearing it yourself essentially you paid for shipping to the customs office.
 
Just have UPS broker it for you.

When you ship large amounts ( like sea freight or pallets worth ) it's good to have a prefered customs broker or an account with out to make your life easier. But for personal items such as this don't sweat it, just have UPS deal with it and pay up. ( Duties = Taxes, Brokerage = fee charged by the broker )

don't elude to what's in it, just pay up. :lol:, if they ask .. " It's a dry cell battery for my uhm, laptop .. yeah that's it.. it's an extended runtime for my dell " lol..
 
Ypedal said:
Just have UPS broker it for you.

When you ship large amounts ( like sea freight or pallets worth ) it's good to have a prefered customs broker or an account with out to make your life easier. But for personal items such as this don't sweat it, just have UPS deal with it and pay up. ( Duties = Taxes, Brokerage = fee charged by the broker )

don't elude to what's in it, just pay up. :lol:, if they ask .. " It's a dry cell battery for my uhm, laptop .. yeah that's it.. it's an extended runtime for my dell " lol..
Click to expand...

DUDE WE DON'T WANT TO PAY FEES MAN LOL

-steveo
 
If someone is willing to share, it might make a nice info thread for "someone" to explain what all this customs stuff means/is/how to deal with it from China to US/Canada/Australia/EU... for small packages to a container full of stuff. This thread has a nice start on it...
 
i can say with some degree of confidence that used parts to canada are free of most of the sting :wink: so how "flexible" is the shipper ?
 
http://sbinfocanada.about.com/od/importandexport/Import_And_Export.htm

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/menu-eng.html


http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/sme-pme/i-guide-eng.html


NEVER EVER use the same company as shipper and customs clearance. They will deliberately screw up as a shipper to cause a delay on paperwork for customs clearance then charge YOU demurrage fees for the delay.
 
Not true.

All carriers want to pick up and deliver packages as quickly and as efficiently as possible, the longer a parcel stays in the system the less profit is made ( costs in administration, handling, etc.. ) for a shipper to have a customs permit they have to obey the laws and when a box ends up in the system with shotty declaration and suspected to be prohibited items, they are supposed to question it and make sure it's safe to ship.

To some people's advantage, the post has too much stuff in the system to question every single box, so most of it just makes it across unquestioned.. others (fedex, ups, etc ) don't have the luxury of risking the fines that come with them not following the rules and getting caught.
 
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