paying US customs duty when importing a tuba...

[Alex C]

When I imported a tuba about 6 years ago, the import tax was around 5%. The tuba was shipped to me and had to go through an import agent who did all of the paperwork and probably screwed me but I couldn't tell.

I still have no idea who found the import agent, it all just happened. duh, huh?

[Donn]

In my case, I paid the shipper some money for a couple of forms (quite a bit of money, considering.) I presented one of those forms at the Customs office, and that was it - no charge. It was a used tuba, though, and may have fallen below some minimum value threshold.

[quinterbourne]

The rate of duty depends on where the item is being shipped from, as well as the type of product. Certain countries give sizable subsidies to their industries, so the import duty on products from that country will be higher.

The amount of duty from, let's say, China or India will be high because those governments heavily subsidize their industries. That compared to countries like Germany, where the duty will be low because of no (or very little) government subsidies.

It is my understanding that an item such as a tuba will be duty exempt because it is considered an educational item. For example, Custom Music does not pay any duty on their inventory (mainly shipped from Germany/Switzerland). I have not confirmed this.

However, you know how the government works... and 5% sounds right to me. If you're paying more than a 7 or 8 percent duty, then you are probably paying too much, but remember each country is treated differently.

I've tried researching the Customs laws (here in Canada) over the internet and I got nowhere. Your best bet is to speak to a customs broker or perhaps an accountant. If you pay for a professional to deal with it, you will end up saving money (ie more than what you paid for the professional) and headaches.

Very often you will have to pay a lot of money up front when you make a purchase in Europe (taxes and duties). The amount of these taxes and duties are much higher (about double) than what you should be paying. I think they call it "VAT" or something in Europe. So, it is your responsibility to get your government to reimburse you. Good luck!

[dave]

I have bought a fair number of used and new instruments from Europe and Canada, and never paid $.01 for customs. I had to pick up an Alex tuba that I had shipped from the factory at customs at San Francisco Airport, so I asked them about it, and they said that musical instruments have no duty coming from Germany. I don't know if there are exceptions or if it varies by country.

-Dave

[finnbogi]

Very often you will have to pay a lot of money up front when you make a purchase in Europe (taxes and duties). The amount of these taxes and duties are much higher (about double) than what you should be paying. I think they call it "VAT" or something in Europe. So, it is your responsibility to get your government to reimburse you. Good luck!

In fact, it is the government that claims the VAT (value added tax) that should reimburse you. Having bought my tuba in Germany, I got the VAT (16% - if I recall it correctly) back from the customs office at the airport when leaving the country with it.
When importing it to Iceland 3 hours later I had to pay an even higher VAT (24.5%) to the Icelandic customs. On the other hand there are no duties to be paid when importing instruments to Iceland.

[rwiegand]

http://dataweb.usitc.gov/scripts/tariff2005.asp

Is a link to the page that describes duties on "Wind musical instruments, o/than w/elect. sound or ampl., brass-wind instruments"

Looks like 2.9% is the answer for MFN countries-- although I've often found that the duty is not charged to a private party shipping items in quantity 1 by mail, FEDEX or a smilar shipper, even when the contents are fully disclosed.

Roger

[rwiegand]

sorry-- I didn't get the link to the actual results page. Type catagory 9205 into the search field on the form that the link in my previous message takes you to.

[billeuph]

When I imported a used B&S PT-3 back in 2001, I handled the paperwork myself. Picked up the papers at Lufthansa air cargo and hand carried them next door to the cusoms agency. No big deal, and certainly not worth paying someone else to do it. The customs agent told me that USED musical instruments from Germany pay NO duty. I had expected to pay a small amount based on the customs web site (3% sounds right, but I don't recall exactly). The agent said that duties are paid only on NEW instruments. Once he stamped the papers, the air cargo folks released the instrument to me. The entire process took about 30 minutes.

Bill Anderson

[Lee Stofer]

A one-time importation of an item by a private party is a bit different than the Customs process required of businesses.

The freight forwarding company that transports the instrument to a US Port of Entry should provide you with the needed paperwork, which you would take to the Customs Office there. Although the rate will probably vary by country, figure on approx. 5%. For a one-time importation, a broker would probably incur unnecessary expense for you.

[LoyalTubist]

I have bought a fair number of used and new instruments from Europe and Canada, and never paid $.01 for customs...

True. I brought a couple of instruments in: one from Asia--entered the U.S. at Los Angeles (post-9/11) and one from Eastern Europe (during the Cold War, and I had been living behind the Iron Curtain)--entered at Kennedy in New York. I had my paperwork ready and the Customs agents waved me through.