haggis88

Very naice...

So I'm down here in Houston for another couple of weeks, and naturally the prices are pretty good for certain wines and liquors, even with the shite exchange rate. (How good is SPECS btw?!?!)

So I'm planning on bringing back a lot more than the allowance (don't care about overweight luggage) and wondered how they would work out the fees.

Is it based on the percentage of the alcohol?

Looking at maybe 2ltrs of rum, 2ltrs of Vodka and about 6 bottles of wine.

It's not just 5%GST on the receipt cost of the booze is it? I've kept my receipts anyway but just wanted to know what to expect from CBSA

Shirtback

Travellers - Residents Returning to Canada

Scrub that, alcohol isn't in the list. Try this:
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-vo...rc-eng.html#a5

Your province of residence will determine how much you can bring in & how much it will cost you.

dbd33

It is perhaps sad that I looked at that list and thought "a lot?".

I often bring wine back from Buffalo, always declaring it. Usually for that sort of amount the guard doesn't bother collecting the duty. When they do the cost of the taxes and whatnot is usually about the same as the initial price of the wine so you have to be sure that what you're buying is either very cheap or unobtainable up here.

Aviator

Try this
http://www.canadiandutycalculator.ca/

haggis88

Haha thanks DBD! It's a hell of a lot more than the allowance, which is kinda what I was getting at...i may end up getting more if there's a sale on haha and yes, it is unobtainable...certainly in AB!

Thanks for the replies folks, i just want a "worst case scenario" kind of idea!

beckiwoo

If bringing back into BC do you have to pay the 7% Prov tax as well (I know AB doesn't have this)?

Aviator

Yes. You pay WA state tax on purchase in WA, plus any Canadian Federal and provincial taxes on import.

Former Lancastrian

Read Appendix B of this link to see mark up and fees on alcohol imported into the various provinces and territories
D2-3-6 Non-commercial Provincial Tax Collection Programs

NOTE ; this is taken from the CBSA public website and could be out of date as these rates constantly change after both Provincial and Federal budgets.

Jericho79

Wait. You're going to the United States AND America?
That's a lot of travel!

Aviator

Another problem is CBSA often get the duty and PST collection wrong, charging the wrong rate and/or charging PST for non taxable items. They don't like being told they are wrong or being given commodity codes.

Former Lancastrian

Im not going to disagree but thats usually down to a lack of training and experience and CBSAs concept of a BSO is competent in Traveller Processing, Commercial Importations and a raft of other regulations etc.
So as you know the HS classification system of classifying goods and is used by over 200 countries. The HS is structured upon a six-digit nomenclature however in Canada we use a 10 digit classification number for commercial entries.
So for example you own a business that imports Stranded wire, ropes, cables, plaited bands, slings and the like, of iron or steel, not electrically insulated.
The 1st HS code you see is 73.12. You then scroll down and see the following
7312.10.00 -Stranded wire, ropes and cables which is an 8 digit HS number but wait you need 10 digits so you scroll down even further and see the following


- - - - -Stranded wire, alloyed steel:
11 - - - - - -Of a diameter not exceeding 5 mm................................................ ...... KGM 12 - - - - - -Of a diameter exceeding 5 mm................................................ ............ KGM
- - - - -Stranded wire, non-alloyed steel:
21 - - - - - -Of a diameter not exceeding 5 mm................................................ ...... KGM 22 - - - - - -Of a diameter exceeding 5 mm................................................ ............ KGM
- - - - -Ropes and cables, containing not more than eight strands, new:
31 - - - - - -Of a diameter not exceeding 25 mm................................................ .... KGM 32 - - - - - -Of a diameter exceeding 25 mm but not exceeding 50 mm ................ KGM 33 - - - - - -Of a diameter exceeding 50 mm................................................ .......... KGM
- - - - -Ropes and cables, containing more than eight strands, new:
41 - - - - - -Of a diameter not exceeding 25 mm................................................ .... KGM 42 - - - - - -Of a diameter exceeding 25 mm but not exceeding 50 mm ................ KGM 43 - - - - - -Of a diameter exceeding 50 mm................................................ .......... KGM 50 - - - - -Ropes and cables, used.............................................. ........................... KGM

If you frequently import the same items you become very familiar with HS codes however to be fair we deal with a lot of importers who import once a year and choose not to use a broker so when you present me with your B3 have you filled it out correctly? Thats why CBSA have people being paid more than me to determine correct HS numbers when appealed as I can only give a guesstimate of what it is based on the info given to me so if you don't know the thickness of your steel cable how can I get an accurate 10 digit HS number
BTW the last 2 digits of the HS number are for Stats Canada who can then inform whoever that they had 2 million kilos of-Ropes and cables, containing not more than eight strands, new:
- - - - - -Of a diameter not exceeding 25 mm under HS # 7312.10.00.31

as opposed to Ropes and cables, containing more than eight strands, new:
- - - - - -Of a diameter not exceeding 25 mm under HS # 7312.10.00.41

beckiwoo

Probably not worth it then

haggis88

I totally forgot to post here after the fact but....

Declared it to CBSA and they let me through with no fees...just a "Thank you, here's your landing card back"

Good guys

Former Lancastrian

OMG you have actually put that in writing
It wouldn't surprise me that someone else somewhere in Canada did exactly the same as you and got charged taxes and they are now calling us ***holes.
Some you win some you lose.

not2old

FL

could it simply be the lack of training of CBSA officers or [what they retained) or the fact they don't give a crap like a lot of workers in other jobs, that goes to show they are human after all