# Canada Border Customs.....how much are we allowed to declare?



## HOTasFCUK (Oct 21, 2007)

I was wondering how much we are allowed to declare in duties for a visit under 24 hours to the USA!? Last year i heard it was $50 and now i'm hearing its zero dollars for the first 48 hours!!! Can someone confirm this? I'm going to Buffalo this week and do not want to get booked and taxed at the border!!! Thanks!!!!


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## user79 (Oct 22, 2007)

Check the Canada customs website, I am pretty certain they will have all those rules listed.


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## captodometer (Oct 23, 2007)

Don't know.  I used to live in Rochester, NY.  I was allowed to bring back US$200 duty free if I had been in Canada less than 48hrs.  I'm guessing that Canadian customs has a similar rule.

But people easily get around this rule all the time.  Canadians come to The Galleria in Buffalo to shop all the time.  They spend the night in a hotel near the mall, and remove the tags from most of the stuff that they bought and put it in their suitcases.  They leave a few items with tags and receipt in the store bags, but less than whatever the customs limit is.  You should see the parking lot at the mall on Saturday...removed tags and empty bags blowing around everywhere.

I did the same if I went shopping in Toronto: they have IKEA and a MAC pro store. I would declare the stuff I bought at IKEA, but the stuff from MAC I would remove from the packaging and put in my makeup bag.

I don't quite get why customs is even an issue for US/Canadian citizens who travel back and forth regularly.  Thought NAFTA was supposed to eliminate most problems but guess not. Doesn't matter if the shopping is being done in Buffalo or Toronto: the economy benefits anyway.  Those international shoppers bought gasoline, paid highway tolls, and purchased several meals along the way


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## tropical_smiles (Oct 24, 2007)

I don't know if this is too late but i think it is 0. maybe i'm wrong. but definately be honest about it..I gave him $300 in receipt last time and the dude let me drive off without paying duties. Mind you, I gave him a nice smile. ha ha.


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## gigglegirl (Oct 24, 2007)

To the above mentioned "check Canada Customs website". In theory--great, practically, the site has gone downhill. I searched myself for quite a bit of time and didn't get a definite: $X for <24hrs, $X for >48hrs, etc, as I used to be able to get, oh about 4-5 years ago. SO please, if people bookmarked/found the part of the site, please share. The site is a NIGHTMARE!


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## user79 (Oct 25, 2007)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *gigglegirl* 

 
_To the above mentioned "check Canada Customs website". In theory--great, practically, the site has gone downhill. I searched myself for quite a bit of time and didn't get a definite: $X for <24hrs, $X for >48hrs, etc, as I used to be able to get, oh about 4-5 years ago. SO please, if people bookmarked/found the part of the site, please share. The site is a NIGHTMARE!_

 
Took me like 2 minutes to Google...

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publicati...-eng.html#P021


 Quote:

  After each absence of 24 hours or more

You can claim up to CAN$50 worth of goods without paying any duties. This is your personal exemption. You must have the goods with you when you arrive and you cannot include tobacco products or alcoholic beverages in this exemption. If the goods you bring in are worth more than CAN$50 in total, you cannot claim this exemption. Instead you have to pay full duties on all goods you bring in.
After each absence of 48 hours or more

You can claim up to CAN$400 worth of goods without paying any duties. You must have the goods with you when you arrive. Although you can include some tobacco products and alcoholic beverages, a partial exemption may apply to cigarettes, tobacco products or manufactured tobacco. See the section called "Alcohol and tobacco" for more details.
After each absence of 7 days or more

You can claim up to CAN$750 worth of goods without paying any duties. Although you can include some tobacco products and alcoholic beverages, a partial exemption may apply to cigarettes, tobacco products or manufactured tobacco. See the section called "Alcohol and tobacco" for more details. With the exception of tobacco products and alcoholic beverages, you do not need to have the goods with you when you arrive.

To calculate the number of days you have been absent, do not include the date you left Canada but include the date you returned. Dates matter, not times. For example, we consider you to have been absent seven days if you left Friday the 7th and returned Friday the 14th.


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## gigglegirl (Oct 25, 2007)

yeah see I'm actually looking for other things, a pretty detailed list about what we pay duty on and what we don't. IE there are things such as office furniture and some electronics like digital cameras on which we don't pay duty as they are exempt--was listed in a newspaper article and then I tried searching the gov't site which gave me a headache. Sorry I guess I started meshing it in my head what I was looking for and should have stated clearer, like is cosmetics duty free like office furniture? I can only dream!


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## goink (Oct 25, 2007)

Quote:

  When you return to Canada, duties and taxes are applicable on all purchases unless you qualify for a personal exemption.  Personal exemptions allow you to bring goods of a certain value into the country without paying the regular duties. If you have been outside Canada for:

24 hours or more, you can bring in CAN$50 worth of goods free of duty and tax;
If the goods you bring in are worth more than CAN$50 in total, you cannot claim this exemption. Instead you have to pay full applicable duties and taxes on all goods you bring in. 
 
48 hours or more, you  can bring in CAN$400 worth of goods free of duty and tax; 
7 days or more, you can bring in CAN$750 worth of goods free of duty and tax. 
 
 
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/media/fac...s/060-eng.html

So if you return within 24 hours, you get $0.
I declare my goods on my one day shopping trips to US, but I only had to pay duties and taxes once out of (let's say) 5-6 times.


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## HOTasFCUK (Oct 26, 2007)

Yup i found that site too! I'm just going to claim everything i buy. I posted on a canadian site asking if anyone had any tips or advice for not having to pay so much duties or not declare anything and everyone bit my friggin' head off! Everyone on Specktra is so much sweeter and helpful! It sucks we can only declare $50 after 24 hours when the Americans can declare $200(i think) for 24 hours!!! Big difference! Oh well hopefully i'll find some good deals down there so it will all be worth it in the end. I'm hoping that i'll be posting a wicked haul on Sunday for you guys to see!!!! Thanks for all your help!!!


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