International Shipping Customs and Imports

As a buyer, it’s your responsibility to check which customs and import charges may apply to your purchase and to pay those charges. 

Your seller might be able to give you info about import charges, but before you bid on, or buy an item, you should check with your country's customs office for more specific details.

You may still have to pay customs, import fees, and taxes when your item arrives.

About Import Charges

Import charges are in addition to the customs duties and taxes imposed by country tax and customs officials.

Import Charge Criteria

Import charges are generally based on the

• Item’s price
• Item’s weight
• Item’s dimensions 
• Item’s country of origin 
• Taxes, duties, and fees added by your country 

 Import charges include: 

• Sales, goods, and services
• Value added taxes
• Duties
• Tariffs
• Excise taxes
• Other amounts assessed or levied by any government authority in connection with the importation of goods into the applicable country of importation
• Third-party brokerage fees (including advancement and disbursement charges as well as customs brokers’ handling and filing fees)
• Penalties
• Classification charges associated with the assignment of a Harmonized System (HS) classification code
• Charges for export compliance screening and verification and the assignment of an Export Control Classification Number (ECCN)
• Charges relating to the management of variances between the quoted import charges and actual costs

Customs 

Canada Customs Policy

The value for duty must be established using one of the six methods of customs valuation identified in sections 48 to 53 of the act:

1. Transaction value method
2. Transaction value method of identical goods
3. Transaction value method of similar goods
4. Deductive value method
5. Computed value method
6. Residual basis of appraisal method

Note: The transaction value method, must be used whenever possible to determine the customs value of imported goods. If the value for duty of the imported goods cannot be established using this first method, the alternative methods must be considered in the sequential order in which they appear in the act, in order to identify the method that is appropriate.