Import duties

[ymc226]

I am thinking of buying from Hong Kong a German made Leica lens (new) as it is significantly less expensive. What are the general import duties I can expect and understand that they do not get applied consistently. Just want to know worst case.

 

[View Range]

None. The current situation is that no duty is charged for lenses or cameras. Of course that could change any minute of any day based on the President's mood. If you want a more formal answer, call US Customs at LAX or SFO.

 

[Shac]

One thing to watch out for if the item is shipped by a courier service (e.g. DHL, ) are brokerage fees. These can be higher than duty IME.