Going to Canada and back w/ my metal detector

I want to go over to Windsor for a few hours and show a friend my
metal detector. He may even want to buy it.
Canadian Customs offices are closed weekends, so I can't find out any
information today about what's involved in bringing it over.
Do any of you know?
I'll have to declare it, but will I have to pay some sort of tax? US
citizens take all kinds of things back and forth don't they as tourists?
Radios, CD players etc...
Any information including a direct email is greatly appreciated.
(delete the NOSPAM)

R N wrote:

I want to go over to Windsor for a few hours and show a friend my
metal detector. He may even want to buy it.
Canadian Customs offices are closed weekends, so I can't find out any
information today about what's involved in bringing it over.
Do any of you know?
I'll have to declare it, but will I have to pay some sort of tax? US
citizens take all kinds of things back and forth don't they as tourists?
Radios, CD players etc...
Any information including a direct email is greatly appreciated.
(delete the NOSPAM)


If it looks new stop at US customs and register it so you can bring it back
other wise just take it its for personal use so Canada will not bother you

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R N wrote:

I want to go over to Windsor for a few hours and show a friend my
metal detector. He may even want to buy it.
Canadian Customs offices are closed weekends, so I can't find out any
information today about what's involved in bringing it over.
Do any of you know?
I'll have to declare it, but will I have to pay some sort of tax? US
citizens take all kinds of things back and forth don't they as tourists?
Radios, CD players etc...

I doubt that Canada Customs cares if you are bringing in a metal detector,
and there is no need for them to know that your friend may be buying it.
That will be his problem if he tries to bring it into the country. You may
want to check with US customs to let them know that it yours so that they do
not try to charge you duty when you bring it back.

R.N.:
I want to go over to Windsor for a few hours and show a friend my
metal detector. He may even want to buy it.

Dave Smith:
I doubt that Canada Customs cares if you are bringing in a metal
detector, and there is no need for them to know that your friend may
be buying it.

They certainly do need to know. If you're bringing something into the
country with the intent of selling it, that's importing, and unless
it falls under some exemption, you have to pay duty (I have no idea
how much) and sales taxes (15%) based on its value, which you might
have to prove.

Browsing around the CCRA web site, I find no clear reference to the
importation of items that you might or might not be re-exporting --
they seem to assume that you know which you intend. But at one point
in http://www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca/E/pub/cp/rc4161/rc4161-e.html it says:

| Although rare, the customs officer may ask you to leave a security
| deposit for your goods, which will be refunded to you after you show
| that the goods were exported from Canada. If this happens, Form E29B,
| Temporary Admission Permit, is issued when you arrive. When you leave
| Canada, you have to present your goods and the E29B permit to Canada
| Customs. You will be given a receipt copy of the form and the security
| deposit will be refunded to you by mail.

It seems a reasonable guess that this procedure would cover the case
in question -- you leave a deposit equal to what the duties and taxes
would be, and if you don't sell the thing, you stop in at the Canada
Customs office on your way out of the country, and eventually get the
money back. You should be able to use a credit card for the deposit.

But, as you can tell, I've never actually done this. I also observe
that the requirements could get more complicated if the value you state
at Customs isn't the same as what you actually sell it for.

That will be [the buyer's] problem if he tries to bring it into
the country.

No; if he buys it, it's *already* in the country.
--
Mark Brader, Toronto | "A good programmer is someone who looks both ways
| before crossing a one-way street." -- Doug Linder

My text in this article is in the public domain.

you've got to be kidding

bill