cpsqlrwn

Not really a C&V topic (please move if there is a more appropriate location), but I wanted to know what to expect on customs costs for a bike coming from Europe, Italy I believe. Is there a minimum value that is customs free and is there a ratio, say a certain amount per $1000 or per $100, that one would expect to pay. Thanks for any help!

rccardr 

I'd be surprised if you had to pay anything at all unless it's super-duper high priced. By the book, up to $800 in item value can be brought into the country by a citizen at a time, but in practice they tend to be pretty reasonable about values, especially on consumer items that depreciate as soon as you pay for them.

KonAaron Snake 

I flew my custom over from Italy and did not pay any additional taxes...VAT/Customs/Duties...anything.

Now let's get to the important part...WHAT IS IT? Got an "in build" pic?

cpsqlrwn

Waiting on pictures at the moment.

KonAaron Snake 

Taking bets!

I'm going Peg.

StanSeven

That's for items you purchased abroad and bringing with you re-entering the country. That's not the same as what the OP is asking.

You can easily check Customs info online. You need to find the applicable tariff schedule first and then match with the country or origin. I know the duty rate is 11% for UK but never looked up Italy.

randyjawa 

Getting nailed by customs is always a crap shoot. Generally, a "used" item and it needs to be marked "used" on the shipping manifest and custome declaration, will attract no attention. New items are more likely to catch a custom officer's eye.

At least, that has been my experience.

Citoyen du Monde

Please do not give information if you are not sure of what you are speaking about. What you have written is totally incorrect. The personal allowance that you are speaking about only applies to items that accompany personally. There is another allowance for personal goods of those that have resided abroad for a certain minimum time period. For goods shipped from abroad, one should always expect to see the applicable duty rate applied to the items that you import. You can verify which duty rate applies by checking out this link: https://hts.usitc.gov/ once you have opened this link, go to chapter 87 and then scroll down until you reach the codes starting with 8712. Most racing bikes fit under harmonized tariff code 8712.00.25.00 insofar as they have both wheels that exceed 63.5 cm in diameter and they weigh less than 16.3 kg. This results in a duty rate of 5.5%. Be forewarned that the shipper must specify the harmonized tariff code number and that the size of both wheels is greater than 63.5 cm in diameter and that the bike weighs less than 16.3 kg otherwise the duty rate will be assessed harmonized tariff rate 8712.00.15.00 and result in 11% duty. Please also be advised that duty is not only applied to the value of the bike but also on the value of the shipping cost, as it is actually based upon the landed cost, so here too the shipper must indicate whether the price indicated in the shipping document includes shipping or is net of shipping.

As mentioned above, you are correct about the allowance only applying to things accompanying you personally or under special circumstances. You are however mistaken as regards the proper duty rate. The 11% duty rate is the default rate for bicycles when one does not specify what type of bicycle it is. For most bicycles you can actually get a lower duty rate with a bit of research and a diligent shipper who properly prepares the shipping documents. I have never paid more than 5.5 % on any import that I have made from Italy (I always prepare the shipping documents for the shipper). If you look into more detail in chapter 87 of the harmonized tariff listing you will further see that many if not even most bicycle components can be imported completely duty free if they are properly documented and the appropriate harmonized tariff code is indicated on the shipping document. If a bicycle is fully dismantled in the box, with an itemized listing of all the components, you can generally get the actual duty rate owed to less than 4%.

Randy, you live in Canada and this has its own rules and regulations. In the US, my experience has been that any shipment imported into the country over a certain weight and dimension that is physically imported into the country by a courier service (UPS, FedEx, DHL...) will see duty applied. If on the other hand, it is imported into the country by the post office itself or by one of the foreign post offices, it is rare that duty will be applied, event though it is legally owed. Since the OP is asking about Italy, it is my experience that if you ship by priority post (the only one that allows for proper online tracking), the shipping is actually handled by UPS and UPS will collect duty on any box the size of a bike or frame. They will also apply the default duty rate of 11 % if the shipper's documents do not explicitly detail why a lower rate should be applied. If on the other hand, you are a trusting soul and know the shipper, and you decide to ship economy (i.e. without full tracking), the shipping cost will be about half as much and the USPS will not come after you for duty. The fact that USPS does not collect the duty does not however mean that you are off the hook as customs can retroactively claim the duty at a later date (not that I believe anybody has ever had to retroactively pay up the duty). Indicating that the bike or part is used should not have any impact whatsoever on the application of duty.