Buy a used bike from USA (i'm in Canada)

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Author	Message

Luuk85

Posted: Sep 10, 2013 at 16:49	Quote
I am looking to buy a used bike from USA and send it to Canada with UPS. Will I have to pay tax and duty for the bike?

kent

Posted: Sep 11, 2013 at 1:33	Quote
More than likely its the govt. they want a cut of EVERYTHING

kent

Posted: Sep 11, 2013 at 1:41

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Oh and taxes and brokerage fees are based on Canadian values of the product NOT what you actually paid. Whether the customs people bother to actually research it will depend on how their day is going and the value of said parcel.

I have ordered 2 sets of saint brakes at different times, 1 set for me and a few months later I ordered a set for a buddy. Paid $450 ish each set. 1 got like $75 tax duty brokerage charge the other was $170.
Needless to say I called and had both bills and was told the first parcel didn't get researched and was based on paid value to get it thru customs quick as the guy must have been busy/lazy that day the 2nd package listed the Canadian value at about a $1000 so duties are based on that.

rangerdan

Posted: Sep 11, 2013 at 11:06

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Is it used from a shop or a private sale? Private, there shouldn't be anything as far as taxes are concerned, possibly duties but I kinda doubt that. If its from a shop, you may be on the line for at least GST, possibly PST (not sure, I'm in AB so PST is a non-issue) One thing I would definitely recommend is STAY AWAY FROM UPS. They're a bunch of clowns. More likely than not, they'll come to your door and require you to pay a brokerage fee (on top of shipping fees) for them to have cleared your shipment with the Canada Custom... You can refuse the package and do a self-clear, but I just went through this with them and it was an absolute gong show (mostly because they don't even understand how it works) Anyway, using USPS, I've found, has been a much better experience. no surprise charges, and even though their rates may possibly be higher for shipping, that's all its going to cost you. It will arrive in Canada via Canada Post. Good luck with it!

kent

Posted: Sep 11, 2013 at 13:53	Quote
My buddy has a smuggling charge for buying used racing seats for a car off a guy in Seattle and not declaring them at the border..... It also came with a large fine

bowness8

Posted: Sep 11, 2013 at 15:34	Quote
Like Rangerdan says, anything UPS ships they will clear through their own brokerage house. You end up paying sales tax based on the value of the product, UPS charge to do paperwork - about 45 bucks and then individual item charge of about 6 bucks per item. Use Fedex, no brokerage charge in my experience.

Cackerman

Posted: Sep 12, 2013 at 7:53

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I have imported several bikes from the US.

You won’t be able to use USPS, as the box will be too big.

Any of the courier companies (UPS, FedEx, etc) will charge a brokerage fee. A brokerage fee is the Canadian sales tax (GST and/or HST and/or PST) plus the fee to do the paperwork for collecting the tax. Expect to pay $100 to $125 in brokerage fees for a $1000 bike.

There are several shipping options available from the courier companies which the seller can select which avoid brokerage fees. Anything couriered air mail has the brokerage fees included due to different customs rules for air freight. UPS has a shipping method called Super Saver Ground which does not charge brokerage fees on delivery (the shipping method that Jenson USA uses to ship bike parts into Canada). Whether an average person shipping a single item can qualify to ship with these brokerage free methods I don’t know. FedEx charges brokerage too, the poster above must have received FedEx parcels using a shipping method from FedEx that avoids brokerage—but I don’t know what that method is called.

You technically pay brokerage for USPS too. Canada Post collects the tax and a flat brokerage fee (was $6, now I think it is $10). It seems though that Canada Post is flakey on collecting it, sometimes they charge you and sometimes they don’t.

You can legally pay your own taxes and avoid the brokerage fees. Problem though is the government makes it convoluted and nearly impossible to do for an average citizen. In Edmonton, the office to pay these is in a building near the airport. They don’t accept taxes mailed. Their phone number for general inquires is a restricted number that customs & immigration cannot give out, nor is it posted on any website. My understanding is that office is only infrequently staffed. So, the only way to pay is to drive out to the airport, find this hidden office and cross your fingers that someone is in. Seriously, I am not making this up.

You pay taxes and brokerage fees on the declared value of the item. So long as the declared value of the item seems reasonable to the customs officer, everything is peachy. Customs officers can hold items if they feel the declared value is wrong. I have been contacted twice now by customs and had to prove the declared value of an item. I just emailed a PDF of the paypal receipt and they were happy. I would assume that if the declared value cannot be proven, customs officers have the authority to assign a value themselves. Whether there is some formula they use or whether they just pull a number out of the air, I have no idea. Chances are good though if they are assigning a value, it won’t be in your favor. So, don’t pay $1000 for a bike and try to get the sender to declare it for $10 or anything silly like that.

Quebec2010DH

Posted: Sep 12, 2013 at 13:45	Quote
Had a TR250 shipped in a bike box via USPS, so they will accept it. Decalred value for customs was $2000, got dinged $110 for taxes, at $8.50 for canpost brokerage.

Luuk85

Posted: Sep 13, 2013 at 23:15	Quote
Thx for all the help, id not buy the bike from the U.S. it became too expensive. Will try to find a bike in Canada instead so I do not have all the customs and tax

kmeindertsma

Posted: Oct 12, 2018 at 13:09	Quote
similar situation that I am trying to solve. I had a used bike shipped to my US PO box in the US. I am wanting to drive down and bring it back with me. Any ideas if they will charge duty and all taxes in BC? I have tried to get a straight answer but nothing concrete. Thanks!

Crgettle

Posted: Oct 24, 2018 at 21:24	Quote
I'm hoping someone can answer this also. I'm driving all the way from saskatchewan to California for a holiday. So Im curious if i was to buy a used bike (private sale) while down there and bring it back, would they even know I bought it down there?

bretuzi

Posted: Aug 1, 2021 at 20:40	Quote
hi im trying to buy a bike from cali n im in b.c canada anyone know best wat for the shipping

chris2200

Posted: Jan 18, 2022 at 17:16	Quote
Still the case? People getting stung on buying used? Im looking at a bike from 1999, with a worn drivetrain. Mostly want the frame and wheels.

Jeremietremblay

Posted: Feb 22, 2022 at 19:04

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Crgettle wrote:

I'm hoping someone can answer this also. I'm driving all the way from saskatchewan to California for a holiday. So Im curious if i was to buy a used bike (private sale) while down there and bring it back, would they even know I bought it down there?

I'm a bit late but did you finally do it? I'm also wondering...

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