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Can you return things bought at duty free?

Don't Canadians have to pay a duty on things bought in the US and taken back across the border to Canada?

  • I live in a US border town to Canada, and have always wondered how Canadians are able to buy large amounts of items in the US, and bring them back across the border with the OK from customs agents.

  • Answer:

    Yes, we do, on many things, but there are duty-free allowances with the amount depending how long you've been out of Canada. Mostly, we would shop down there because the prices can be cheaper and sometimes there are things you can buy in the US that you just can't get here. You guys have much better selection in stores than we have here. The price differences seem to be smaller than they used to be, but there are still some things worth doing cross border shopping for even after paying duty and sales tax. The US customs has nothing to do with things people take out of the US. It's the country into which you're bringing things that charges duty. You don't check in with customs on the way out of a country, only on the way in.

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Remember NAFTA? Anything made in the US, Canada, and Mexico can go across our borders duty free. If something is make elsewhere, like Japanese electronics, then duties have to be paid. Canadians will have to pay sales taxes, but, for small items, they just let you go through normally, especially if you have been away for a while. Things can be cheaper in the USA. Economies of scale for one, and standards. E.g., appliances: Canada's safety standards are a bit higher, which makes things (toasters, etc) more expensive here. So, many buy in the US. It works the other way too: a few years ago, the US dollar was really high against ours, so things were cheaper in Canada. Not, the Canadian dollar is higher, so, the bargains are in the USA.

capitalgentleman

Depends on how long you are in the US - there are different amounts of goods you are allowed to bring in duty free, depending on whether you have been gone for a day, a week or a month.

old lady

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