Question about import customs fees

[Shub 78]

I have a shipment of household goods inbound (by boat, separate from me, I arrived on July 3rd) -- books, DVDs, 2 complete computers, 1 office chair (about 12 medium sized boxes + the chair, and no other furniture whatsoever) just to give you an idea if that matters -- and the customs broker just told me that I'm being charged $115 because US customs X-rayed my stuff.

I was wondering if that's normal and to be expected (the lady told me it is normal for household goods), and if anyone has had that experience.

Basically I'm checking if I'm being ripped off or not, as I expected all expenses to be covered by what I paid my movers in my home country.

Thanks for your help!

Edited August 28, 2007 by Shub

[Lansbury 19]

You are not being ripped off. About 2% of shipments are pulled aside for examination and if that happens there are extra charges to pay.

The shippers do not include these charges in their costs as it is only a minority of people who are unlucky enough to have their shipment examined. Our container was x-rayed at LAX and we paid about $400. Pickfords had warned us before it left the UK this might happen and if so we had to pay the agent in the US for the extra charges.

In fact this will become more common as the aim is to examine every shipment arriving in the US. How long it will take them to get to that stage I don't know.

Edited August 28, 2007 by Lansbury

[Shub 78]

Alright then, thank you. The lady I was on the phone with said 95% of shipments get the same treatment mine did. That's a lot more than the 2% you said, but whatever I guess. Thanks again for your answer

[Griffon64 0]

Pickfords warned me of this, too. My shipment wasn't X-rayed, but I was made aware of the possibility and the costs.

[L_n_O 3]

What's a good shipping company for good from Canada to the US?

I guess it doesn't have to be a "ship" per say, just a moving company that sends it.. =)

[StillThePrettiest 3]

I was told by an international moving company that the customs fees were only payable if you weren't personally in the country to receive the shipment... looks like that's rubbish then...?

how do they work out the fee? is it a percentage of perceived value? I was planning to take a whole lot of stuff but this might change my plans

[Kathryn41 3,205]

What's a good shipping company for good from Canada to the US?

I guess it doesn't have to be a "ship" per say, just a moving company that sends it.. =)

We used United Van Lines. I faxed them a copy of my stamped visa and the I-94 verifying I was legally in the US and my belongings were allowed to follow when I crossed the border and activated my K-1. They picked my stuff up (a friend met them at my apartment), packed the china since I had left that for them to pack ( I packed and labeled everything else myself), created their itemized list of boxes (label your boxes as to content) as they loaded the van, completed the necessary custom documents I had left with them (they provided the forms) and then transported it from Chatham, Ontario to just south of Atlanta, Georgia. My belongings arrived a week after I did, in perfect condition.

They had 3 'shipments' on the van coming from the same part of Canada and arriving in the same part of the US - another Canadian moving south and a returning American.

I suggest you go through the yellow pages, contact movers in your area and have them come by your place to give you a quote. They need to see the volume and determine the weight of the load in order to give you a quote. That being said, I was very satisfied with the service offered by United.

[Lansbury 19]

I was told by an international moving company that the customs fees were only payable if you weren't personally in the country to receive the shipment... looks like that's rubbish then...?

how do they work out the fee? is it a percentage of perceived value? I was planning to take a whole lot of stuff but this might change my plans

I think you are mistaking customs duty and fees. Import duty can be payable if you are not already in the USA when the shipment arrives. The fees being discussed here is the fee levied by customs if they single a container out for a more detailed inspection and don't just clear it on the shipping documents. In this case the contained was subjected to x-ray examination.

[StillThePrettiest 3]

ah, ok, thanks; I didn't know to make that distinction... so is that fee pretty much random? that seems pretty weird if so

[Lansbury 19]

ah, ok, thanks; I didn't know to make that distinction... so is that fee pretty much random? that seems pretty weird if so

The fee depends on the examination they undertake. If they are not happy with the x-ray and decide to open the container I was told they charge more. The shipping agent should be able to give you a close estimate of any possible extra fees.

The figure I gave for our payment was from memory looking back at my records it was $200

When we shipped last year the examinations were at 2%, but the Department of Homeland Security is working towards 100% and as someone else was told 95% it sounds as if they are almost examining each container.

[Lansbury 19]

Another point for the difference may well be the OP appears to have shipped "part container", so probably was only charged a percentage of the fee. We shipped a full container so paid the full cost.

[StillThePrettiest 3]

wow, it still sounds pretty random to me... what are they looking for? and why might they not be 'happy' with the x-ray?

(sorry for all the questions, by the way, and thanks for your patience and informative answers )

[eau_xplain 2]

why might they not be 'happy' with the x-ray?

(sorry for all the questions, by the way, and thanks for your patience and informative answers )

USCBP (or still more commonly called US Customs) might see something that they want to look at more closely. It could be an oddly shaped item that shows up on the x-ray exam or anything that could ring some bells for them.

If that happens, they will call the container for an intensive exam.

Edited August 29, 2007 by eau_xplain

[Lansbury 19]

wow, it still sounds pretty random to me... what are they looking for? and why might they not be 'happy' with the x-ray?

(sorry for all the questions, by the way, and thanks for your patience and informative answers )

As already said anything which looks out of place from what is listed on the manifest. Customs officers are very good as finding things which just seem wrong. Of course in this day and age they are also looking for terrorist related items as well as people smuggling stuff and not declaring it.

One thing which I was told is 100% certain to get them to open the container is if they think there is alcohol in the shipment. If it is shown on the manifest Pickfords told me it will be searched. My son was quite pleased when I was told that, he inherited my single malt whiskey cellar, well what I failed to finish he inherited.

[Lansbury 19]

Just a thought, as customs seem to be checking all containers now your shipper might include this charge in their price as they would do the other port handling costs. If they don't include it, by now they should have a quite accurate idea of what it will be, just ask.