American Duty

[Old Fulica]

I know Americans get a break on the currency exchange but I was wondering what percentage of duty is applied (if any) when taking a new trailer across the border into the states?

[Rossue]

Hi Len, fortunately for us Yanks it's zip, zilch & zero That's why Escape delivers it to Sumas so one would not have to seek a refund of CA duty after returning home.

[float5]

We pay a sales tax to our state and that differs state to state. No duty.

[Old Fulica]

Thanks Rossue. Sounds like a real bargain.

[Rossue]

The exchange-rate is great for US buyers; the "escape " from the duty is nothing new.

Love the bear- reminds me of our mascot here in La Canada de Los Osos.

[Old Fulica]

Originally Posted by float5

We pay a sales tax to our state and that differs state to state. No duty.

Thanks Cathy. Our provincial tax also differs between provinces.

[Old Fulica]

Originally Posted by Rossue

The exchange-rate is great for US buyers; the "escape " from the duty is nothing new.

Love the bear- reminds me of our mascot here in La Canada de Los Osos.

Here are some more "oso" pictures Rossue. Next year we hope to see more of them but this time in our Escape.
Focused on Fauna (and a little flora) : Grizzlies Oct. 2,3,4 2014

[Rossue]

Wow- great shots of the Great Grizzled One. Only been lucky enough to see one near lodge at Grand Teton. Any Moose with palmate antlers in your repotoire? Saw some during a 1976 trip but in the last six have been skunked.

[GRINGOandTICA]

Originally Posted by Old Fulica

Thanks Rossue. Sounds like a real bargain.

My state sales tax had me writing a check for $1900.00USD. When I do my taxes, I think it can be counted towards my deductions.

[Brian B-P]

Generally there is no duty or other tariff on products crossing the Canada-U.S. border (in either direction) if they were made in either of our countries, due to the North American Free Trade Agreement. Since Escapes are made in Canada, there is no duty to bring them into the U.S.

[float5]

I understand that there is no duty on items for personal use. Escape does not have a duty on what suppliers in the U.S. sell them? That applies to businesses also?

[gbaglo]

No duty. From Wiki:

The goal of NAFTA was to eliminate barriers to trade and investment between the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The implementation of NAFTA on January 1, 1994 brought the immediate elimination of tariffs on more than one-half of Mexico's exports to the U.S. and more than one-third of U.S. exports to Mexico. Within 10 years of the implementation of the agreement, all U.S.-Mexico tariffs would be eliminated except for some U.S. agricultural exports to Mexico that were to be phased out within 15 years.[10] Most U.S.-Canada trade was already duty-free. NAFTA also seeks to eliminate non-tariff trade barriers and to protect the intellectual property right of the products.

[float5]

Thanks, Glenn. Even when I talked to a border person, she acted as if there would be a duty even on our items being sent up. And what I saw looked as if there were a duty on items for businesses. Guess not.

[gbaglo]

It depends where the item was manufactured. If made in the US or Mexico, then no tariff.

[float5]

Yes, I do know they asked about that.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by float5

I understand that there is no duty on items for personal use. Escape does not have a duty on what suppliers in the U.S. sell them? That applies to businesses also?

The only significance of "personal use" is

1. travelers can carry items for their use during a trip, which they are taking back at the end of the visit
2. travelers are exempted from duty on a limited value of stuff they back home from a trip (amount depending on type of stuff and duration of trip)

As others have explained, although neither of these apply to businesses, stuff made within a NAFTA country doesn't get charged duty crossing between NAFTA countries anyway, so there's no exemption needed.

[float5]

I was referring more to imports by mail where I saw something on no duty for imports for personal use. Canadians, however, travelling back home can import items for personal use made in Canada, the U.S. or Mexico with no duty, according to the Canada Border Services Agency.

I was talking to the border about what I had seen in regulations about personal use, about what we were having sent by mail and that it was for personal use to be installed in a trailer. The agent said that they would have no way of knowing that at the border when a package is received. We were not, however, charged any duty that I know.