Duty Free from US to Canada?

My first post! The people on this site are fantastic. Great info. Just joined and hope to help others in the future with my experiences.

I'm from Canada and CPAP.com is quoting a price 60% less than what I can get locally in Canada. They are saying that they mark the item as medical equipment which makes it duty free.

Are there fellow Canadians out there that can share their experiences with any import duty? Successful? Problems?

Thanks for your help!

You got it right!!!!! If the package is marked medical equipment, there is no duty, even when we trade masks and parts with each other. As long as you state on the customs declaration that its medical equipment you do not have to pay duty. We trade masks and stuff all the time back and forth, as a matter of fact I am waiting on some pillows from one of the members in the U.S. and I told him to mark it medical equipment. I've been trading and buying from other members and cpap.com for over two years and have not had to pay duty yet......yipppppeeeeee
Cheers
Nan

Been ordering from Cpap.com (and others) for years and the only time it I had to pay (and eventually got that back) was when someone forgot to stamp 'medical... device" (or whatever) on the box. No problem at all.

I can't say why but I have never paid customs when I buy something from cpap.com.

I have paid when is not written medical equipment that's exact. Some people are reticent to write medical equipment I don't understand their reasons.

I just received today a reimbursement from Canada Customs; taxes and customs fees. I bought a CPAP used from a particular, it was written it was a ''CPAP Medical device'' but I forgot to ask to write it was used. I can tell you in the past I communicate with customs office and ask why they had classified one CPAP mask I bought as a '' Fantasy Mask'' imagine that fantasy wear a CPAP mask . They told they didn't have a number for a CPAP mask, so I don't know if some of them know what a CPAP is.

I tried to find if in Quebec we are supposed to pay taxes for a CPAP and I found nothing about it, it doesn't means it doesn't exist you know. But I get the total for provincial + federal + customs fees reimbursed.

Play safe make write it is used if it is the case, medical equipment for pulmonary disease if you are in Quebec. If I remember well it was something like that what had the tax exemption.

I bought another used machine two weeks ago. It was declared as used, the box was opened by Canada Customs,they put a yellow tape stating they had opened it. This arrived last week. It was declared in the US customs form as '' CPAP accessories used from private individual'' which is true. As you see it was not stated it was a Medical Equipment, I was not charged with any charge although the amount declared was $285 but they verified if it was really used. I don't understand how they function.

Make it the clearest possible and if you are charged taxes or duties and you think you are not to pay that ask for a review of charges. You do that in the paper the Post Office ask you to sign. Join pictures, PayPal invoice, e-mails you exchanged with the seller, prescription all what could prove you have been charged unjustified, etc. You will have your money back.

Rosie

Professionally, I work in the area of supply chain management and import/export. It's rare that my expertise is useful in general conversations, so I'm jumpin in on this thread!

Duty rates are based on a world-wide classification system that assigns a tariff number (otherwise called the Harmonized Tariff Code or "HTS") to the item being imported. The HTS is based on the item's specific characteristics, and there are about 10,000 different classifications! Each country will determine what duty rate (percent) to charge for each and every HTS imported into its borders (unless there is some type of trade agreement with the country of origin, the same duty rate applies regardless of in what country the shipment originated). The charge is then calculated by multiplying the rate times the invoice value of the goods (there are other means of calculation, but those would not apply in situations most of us encounter).

Based on the nature of CPAP equipment and parts, these would be classified as HTS 9019.20.00.00. This HTS pertains to "....artificial respiration or other therapeutic respiration apparatus [including] parts and accessories thereof". Both Canada and the US have assigned a 0% duty rate for this HTS....so whether a CPAP-related product is imported into the US or Canada, there is no duty assessed. Again, this applies to any items falling under this HTS, regardless of the country of origin.

There is no "catch-all" or classification for simply "medical equipment". If people have been successful avoiding duty payments by using this terminology, it's probably because medical equipment -- in general, though there are exceptions --- is not assessed a duty rate. In most developed countries, the Customs agencies just aren't staffed to scrutinize all the mail, UPS and Fedex parcels that are crossing borders, so they probably just "waive through" items designated as "medical equipment" since most likely there won't be a duty assessment anyway.

Regarding Dizzy's comment that the cost from CPAP.com is 60% less than what is available locally in Canada: this makes no sense to me, as I'm sure any DME in Canada knows how to import this equipment in a duty-free manner, as I explained above. It's possible that the Canadian DME is just price-gouging and/or is recovering costs for importing (transporting) and storing large quantities of good manufactured in other countries.

OK, that's my Customs 101 dissertation for now. Given how many of you are interested in all the technical stuff about OSA, CPAP, etc, maybe even a few of you found THIS dry Customs stuff interesting too.

You are golden as long as you can live without Resmed.

Roobin, thanks very much for the HTS number for the CPAP and related items. Now I can tell the customs my CPAP mask is not a fantasy mask but a 9019.20.00.00 , GREAT !

The big problem for me hasn't be the duty but the GST (goods and services federal tax) and the PST (product and services provincial tax) it seems to be complicated for customs to determine whether they charge it or not at least here in Quebec. Any way I think you don't need to pay that for second hand products bought from a particular individual (other than a car, a boat or a house, big things like that), that's what an accounting told me.

Cpap.com has a setup, wth the Postal Service, that allows shipment to Canada without any duty, customs or tax charges. Their shipping cost to Canada is reasonable.

Some online sellers don't have the same setup. I have ordered from some others. There are no duty or customs charges, if it is shipped via the Postal Service, but sometimes tax will be charged (GST). You can get a form to reclaim this if you prove that it is a medical necessity. The prices are so much better from a US online seller that I have never bothered to try to reclaim the taxes.

Be sure that you don't order from an online seller that will ship it to you via a Courier ( Fedex, UPS, Purolator, etc). They will charge a brokerage fee.

Roobin wrote:It's possible that the Canadian DME is just price-gouging and/or is recovering costs for importing (transporting) and storing large quantities of good manufactured in other countries.

I believe that this is the case with Canadian cpap suppliers. Also the Canadian system for insurance reimbursement is not like the US insurance system where the insurance companies disallow a large portion of the inflated price that the US DMEs initially bill. Not all Canadians have the extra insurance to cover cpap and when they do it is normally a flat dollar amount which is way less than what the Canadian DMEs will try to charge and this can vary between provinces. Often it takes an act of God to get an RX for APAP machine from a Canadian supplier.

Fantastic news. Now I can order without worry.

Great info on the duty codes. Fantasy mask LOL! As if.

I was quoted $2025 for a PR System One REMStar 60 Series Auto CPAP Machine w/ Heated Humidity and Heated Tube which includes the PR mask I'm using which seems to be the going price in my province. This would also include follow up visits with my Respiratory Therapist.

I found one Canadian web site that quoted $1400 which coincidentally matches my lifetime private health plan coverage maximum cap.

I can get the same from CPAP.com for about $800.

Only difference that I can see is that the unit I've been renting is a DS561S and CPAP.com lists it as a DS560S. Anyone know the difference?

My RT was very surprised with the lower price saying that they must get a huge discount by buying in large quantities and asked if it included 3-yr warranty. is fine with it and she said if I supply the unit, they can just charge me by the visit ($50 for machine setup and $30 per visit after that) which is fair.

Thanks to all for your help!

I know that Resmed will not allow US online sellers to sell and ship any Resmed items to Canadian customers.

I am not sure about Philips Respironics. You will need to check that out.

I use the Devilbiss Intellipap Autoadjust now and they will ship that to Canada. I don't know the current situation with Philips Respironics. I used that for years but like the Intellipap better.

Yes CPAP.com told be they can ship this unit to Canada. My trial with it has been very successful so far after my first week. It has a heated tube which I think will be needed to minimize condensation during our Canadian winter climate when my room is cooler.

Why do you like the Intellipap better?

Great! I'm glad you checked that out. I order, with complete confidence, from cpap.com and have NEVER been disappointed. Of course, I have never used a Resmed machine. I did order Resmed masks from cpap.com when they were allowed to ship internationally.

I have pruchased a PR System One from them and a Devilbiss Intellipap Autoadjust. I have purchased numerous parts (Filters, hoses, software, etc) from them as well. I try to stock up on filters, tubing and other lightweight items when I order from them because it does save on shipping.

No, I don't work for cpap.com!!

hello everyone, the canadian customs are taxing medical cpap mask now! I got taxed for the whole amount including shipping. $ 31.50 therefore I am sending a dispute form back to claim my money, but it is written that what ever the outcome there is a 10-12 dollars of processing fee. ( What a cheat ).

What online company did you order from for this mask? Some online companies do not have as good a setup for shipping to Canada as others. With some companies you will be charged the tax. Online companies usually state that you may have to pay tax and/or customs and duty. Also, if the online company sneds the item by courier, you will have to pay a brokerage fee and maybe tax as well.

Unless something has changed recently, with cpap.com, no tax is charged and they ship via the Postal service.