OT - are there taxes for lenses, from Canada, entering the USA?

I remember I had to pay customs for my canon IIb with lens as its value was over 50$...They said anything entering with a value over 50$ even it is gift you have to pay tax...correct me if I am wrong...
 
Let me start the "flame war" on this......

Let me start the "flame war" on this......

You can check with your local postal inspectors, but I operate under the illusion and advice that all "optical instruments" entering the USA from other countries are exempt from customs duties (ie taxes), and that cameras/lenses are included in that exemption.

I have purchased numerous camera's from foreign sources in many countries (mostly via eBay) and never been charged, nor for that matter, inspected for such, as far as I can recall. A number of camera/lens items from Canada as well.

I seem, however, to have misplaced my law degree, and cannot recall actually having had one. Old age is a Beeeaaaatch!
 
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There are customs broker fees when sending to/from US/Canada when sending via UPS or Fedex. This is NOT a tax. Both carriers use private customs broker services to deal with Customs; they pass on part/all of the fee to the consumer.

There is NO such fee with USPS, since they deal with Customs themselves.
 
NAFTA is for stuff produced in North America.

There are no duties for importing photo gear that I know of, I've looked it up on the US harmonized code. I've imported from many countries and never paid any duties.
 
There is no duty, but you do have to pay HST/GST. As someone said above use USPS, not FedEx or UPS (unless you like paying obscene brokerage fees).
 
kxl said:
There are customs broker fees when sending to/from US/Canada when sending via UPS or Fedex. This is NOT a tax. Both carriers use private customs broker services to deal with Customs; they pass on part/all of the fee to the consumer.

There is NO such fee with USPS, since they deal with Customs themselves.
Click to expand...

If you ship with UPS/Fedex expedited or priority those fees are included, not in UPS/Fedex ground shipping option though.
 
I have never paid a customs tax on anything bought from Canada that was shipped by the Canadian Postal Service.

The only time that I paid customs was on a shipment, used photographic equipment, sent from Hong Kong via FEDEX. They billed me for about 5% of the value.

Do not ship out of the country using FEDEX and UPS. Additionally, some of the higher-priced Global Express will sub to such services in some countries. I had problems sending an item to France due to this, but never shipping International First Class.
 
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