Shipping bicycle into USA, import costs ?

[Stefaan_Leslie 10]

Hey, I found on the web a lot of people who import a bicycle from the USA into their country and they have to pay import costs when the bicycle passes customs.

My question: do I have to pay import costs when I import a bicycle into the USA ?

Thx

[Jojo92122 1,924]

http://answers.usa.gov/system/selfservice.controller?CONFIGURATION=1000&PARTITION_ID=1&CMD=VIEW_ARTICLE&ARTICLE_ID=9823&USERTYPE=1&LANGUAGE=en&COUNTRY=US

Imports: Personal Effects

According to Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a person moving to the United States is entitled to bring personal and household goods for personal use (collectively, personal effects). Goods available for personal use, or in the person's household for at least one year, may be imported on a duty-free basis by their owner. Personal effects entitled to duty-free entry do not need to accompany their owner when he or she enters the United States, but shipped separately to their owner's U.S. address. Household goods less than a year old that are shipped separately are subject to the applicable duty corresponding to its Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) classification number. CBP can assist you if you have any questions related to importing personal effects. Please contact them directly at 1.877.CBP.5511 (1.877.227.5511) or 1.703.526.4200.

You must complete a Form 6059B - Customs Declaration to import personal effects accompanying you when you arrive in the U.S. For personal effects shipped separately, you must complete Form 3229 - Certificate of Origin (PDF document). CBP provides both of these forms. Because these forms act like a packing list, they should contain a complete inventory of items and not broad categorizations. When shipping personal effects, you may assign Power of Attorney to a friend or relative in order to clear the shipment through Customs. You do so with a notarized letter addressed to the "Officer in Charge of Customs." Either a consular officer at a United States Embassy or Consulate, or a foreign notary public, may notarize the letter.

Your shipment must either clear Customs at a CBP port of entry, or be sent through the In-Bond Program to a more convenient port of entry. Your shipping company, not the CBP, is responsible for advising you when the goods arrived in the United States. The shipment must clear Customs within five working days to avoid storage fees. Goods not cleared within 30 working days are warehoused and auctioned off by the CBP after six months.

Considerations for Returning Residents

If you are a returning U.S. resident, you are entitled to a duty-free exemption for newly purchased goods up to $800, provided they accompany you upon your return. Goods in excess of $800 are dutiable at a flat rate of three percent for the next $1,000 in value. Anything over $1,800 is assessed duty in accordance with the item's HTS classification number. Items shipped separately are subject to the duty rate applicable to their HTS classification.

If you are returning with a firearm previously owned in the U.S., you must present proof that it was part of your household when you moved away. Proof includes an original sales receipt, insurance document, or Form 4457 - Certificate of Registration for Personal Effects Taken Abroad. If no proof of purchase exists, or if you bought the firearm abroad, you will need to arrange for a registered dealer to import it on your behalf.

[Stefaan_Leslie 10]

According to Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a person moving to the United States is entitled to bring personal and household goods for personal use (collectively, personal effects). Goods available for personal use, or in the person's household for at least one year, may be imported on a duty-free basis by their owner. Personal effects entitled to duty-free entry do not need to accompany their owner when he or she enters the United States, but shipped separately to their owner's U.S. address. Household goods less than a year old that are shipped separately are subject to the applicable duty corresponding to its Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) classification number. CBP can assist you if you have any questions related to importing personal effects. Please contact them directly at 1.877.CBP.5511 (1.877.227.5511) or 1.703.526.4200.

You must complete a Form 6059B - Customs Declaration to import personal effects accompanying you when you arrive in the U.S. For personal effects shipped separately, you must complete Form 3229 - Certificate of Origin (PDF document). CBP provides both of these forms. Because these forms act like a packing list, they should contain a complete inventory of items and not broad categorizations. When shipping personal effects, you may assign Power of Attorney to a friend or relative in order to clear the shipment through Customs. You do so with a notarized letter addressed to the "Officer in Charge of Customs." Either a consular officer at a United States Embassy or Consulate, or a foreign notary public, may notarize the letter.

Your shipment must either clear Customs at a CBP port of entry, or be sent through the In-Bond Program to a more convenient port of entry. Your shipping company, not the CBP, is responsible for advising you when the goods arrived in the United States. The shipment must clear Customs within five working days to avoid storage fees. Goods not cleared within 30 working days are warehoused and auctioned off by the CBP after six months.

So I put the bike in a box and send it to a port of entry (instead of my house) close to were i live, I wait until my shipping company gives me a sign and I pick my stuff up ?

[Jojo92122 1,924]

So I put the bike in a box and send it to a port of entry (instead of my house) close to were i live, I wait until my shipping company gives me a sign and I pick my stuff up ?

Ship your bike to your home. Don't worry about the paperwork. Declare on any custom forms asked for by the shipping company. Th bike is a personal item so no taxes or duties.

This isn't a $10,000 bike right??? Lol.

[Stefaan_Leslie 10]

I checked the website of the Belgian Post.

I have to add the invoice because the value is higher than 1000$ and a basic customs form.

Or should I declare a value lower than 1000$ and just give it a try ? (i also want to put some cycling clothes and sports goods in the box)

[Jojo92122 1,924]

I checked the website of the Belgian Post.

I have to add the invoice because the value is higher than 1000$ and a basic customs form.

Or should I declare a value lower than 1000$ and just give it a try ? (i also want to put some cycling clothes and sports goods in the box)

This is a personal item that you are sending to yourself. The US is not going to tax it.

How much is this bike worth if you had to sell it today? That's the value of the bike. List what you think is a fair price.

The declared value on the form serves several purposes, the main one is to tax imports. Importing your bike falls under an exception for personal items. So, you don't need to worry about the value for tax purposes. The other reason to declare an accurate value is if you intend to insure the bike. If you declare something less than fair value, then that is what you are going to get if the insured bike is damaged or lost during transit.

Best of luck.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

Little story.

I used to be really big with bicycles, still have some really cool ones. I once built a Merlin mountain bike for my dad as a Christmas present. Needed to ship it early in December of 2001, yep, after 9-11. I had an account with Burlington air, so in a huge box that thing went and off to LAX. They had extra security based on the Twin Towers attack and initially they didn't even want to transport it. Quoted me $240 to Germany plus some extra cost. When all was said and done, I had to pay them over $600 for transport and import duties.

You can't imagine how p*ssed I was.

[Dan and Judy 614]

Just go to the goodwill store and get a bike for 20 bucks. They have wheels and pedals and everything.

[Stefaan_Leslie 10]

This is a personal item that you are sending to yourself. The US is not going to tax it.

How much is this bike worth if you had to sell it today? That's the value of the bike. List what you think is a fair price.

But how do they know it is a personal item ? I can write that down on a paper, customs form and attach that to the bike or the box but will they believe that, are they keeping track of what comes in the country ?

I think the bike is worth around 4500-5000$

[Boiler 43,870]

I brought both of mine as part of my baggage allowance.

[Moomin 292]

"used personal belongings(sport equipment)" on outside of box in big writing. When you ship it you or the post office with declare value and content on a note - I wrote "used personal items for K-1 visa holder" and the value. When you're an immigrant you have a certain amount of time to import your personal belongings without paying the import tax.

I personally put a note inside the box saying the same thing as on the outside, and if an item was of greater value or looked new, put a copy of the receipt with it.

But how do they know it is a personal item ? I can write that down on a paper, customs form and attach that to the bike or the box but will they believe that, are they keeping track of what comes in the country ?

I think the bike is worth around 4500-5000$

[Jojo92122 1,924]

"used personal belongings(sport equipment)" on outside of box in big writing. When you ship it you or the post office with declare value and content on a note - I wrote "used personal items for K-1 visa holder" and the value. When you're an immigrant you have a certain amount of time to import your personal belongings without paying the import tax.

I personally put a note inside the box saying the same thing as on the outside, and if an item was of greater value or looked new, put a copy of the receipt with it.

Putting $4000 pm the side of a box could be an invitation for theft. On the custom firms supplied by the shipping company, you declare the items as personal items. CBP only care about your official declaration. Nothing wrong with writing personal item of immigrant on the side, but I would leave off the value.

[Moomin 292]

Putting $4000 pm the side of a box could be an invitation for theft. On the custom firms supplied by the shipping company, you declare the items as personal items. CBP only care about your official declaration. Nothing wrong with writing personal item of immigrant on the side, but I would leave off the value.

Yes and so would I but it had to be declared on the custum form I filled out - at the postal office, not through a shipping company. Besides, I didn't say the value should be written with big letters on the box - only "used personal goods/items/belongings". On the custum declaration form it asks for value. The value of a bike purchased for 4000$ isn't 4000 worth anymore. I have never tried to leave it blank since IMO it just gives a reason for opening it, causing a delay.

OP also has the option of bringing it as checked baggage and it might be cheaper to do it that way depending on the airline. I did this with some belongings as got tired of "less than a container" quotes, the rest through the mail.

[rlogan 2,036]

Little story.

I used to be really big with bicycles, still have some really cool ones. I once built a Merlin mountain bike for my dad as a Christmas present. Needed to ship it early in December of 2001, yep, after 9-11. I had an account with Burlington air, so in a huge box that thing went and off to LAX. They had extra security based on the Twin Towers attack and initially they didn't even want to transport it. Quoted me $240 to Germany plus some extra cost. When all was said and done, I had to pay them over $600 for transport and import duties.

You can't imagine how p*ssed I was.

Yes, but look how much safer you are. Nobody was killed by that bike.

Geez, a $5,000.00 bike? Must be made of titanium.

Edited September 28, 2011 by rlogan

[Boiler 43,870]

The Titanium are nice, more comfortable than Carbon.

But no longer I think the province of really high end.