How To: Exporting Duty Free Items to USA under $2000

[dipmicro]

We had a thread on this board where we discussed exporting to USA for the purpose of shipping by USPS. I have learned a great deal here and do this twice a week now.

A member approached me to help him with exporting.

The official information is here:

http://www.canadabusiness.ca/servlet/ContentServer?cid=1085667968866〈=en&pagename=CBSC_ON/display&c=GuideInfoGuide

The method I am describing and have experience with is Informal Entry (see the link above).

I usually prepare two pieces of paperwork. One is form 7523 and second is details spreadsheet.

DETAILS

Example (my recent paperwork w/ blanked out customer names) is available at the following link:

http://www.dipmicro.com/temp/INV-20090702-USPS-SAMPLE.xls

I am using OpenOffice and although it's Excel file, I do not know if it works from Excel. If you like this spreadsheet, feel free to use it, otherwisemodify it or make your own up to your company standards. If you use this one, do not forget to set the address.

Fill Sheet1 and make sure Form7523 contains all H.S. codes used on Sheet1 (go to row 15, enable autofilter and when clicking the arrow in the H.S. checkbox, there are all used codes sorted). Information on Form7523 should autocalculate. Verify completeness by selecting all values on Form7523 and sum in bottom right status should match Subtotal field on Sheet1.

H.S. codes can be located at the following link:

http://www.usitc.gov/tata/hts/bychapter/index.htm

Form 7523

Use the following web based form, fill it up right in the browser and print:

http://forms.cbp.gov/pdf/CBP_Form_7523.pdf

Field #2 (Port Code): if you know, use port code (Lewiston is 0901). I seen truck drivers typing port name here as well.
Field #3 (Date): Today's date
Field #4 (Vessel): your vehicle license plate
Field #5 (Arrival Date): date of crossing
Field #6 (Country of Exportation): type "Canada"
Field #12 (Agent Signature): sign after printing
Field #16 (Date): today's date

Insert printout back to the printer and print sheet Form7523 from the details spreadsheet over it. The printing margins on the spreadsheet are set so it should print directly into fields 8,9 and 10.

When coming to the border, enter commercial lane. It may say "Autos prohibited", ignore it. Hand it to the officer together with the passport. They may take approx 2-5min, always ask questions, once I had to pay $10.70 US for processing.

That's all.

[ameroindustries]

Thanks for the information 🙂

[surplusdealdude]

Field #4 (Vessel): your vehicle license plate

I usually also put a short description of the vehicle in and the border guards have indicated that they'd also like to see "(Ont)" in it as well, so they can identify the jurisdiction the plate is from.

I also fill in the "Carrier's section" - carrier is "Self" and then I sign.

You also need to fill in the information of who the exporter is - your name and home address.

Once you get to the border, the Border Patrol Officer may also send you to X-ray ( they'll tell you where it is), or for further inspection.

They have the absolute right to do this and they wear guns, so do NOT argue with them. -------------------------------------------------------------------

If there were in the world today any large number of people who desired their own happiness more than they desired the unhappiness of others, we could have paradise in a few years.
- Bertrand Russell

[mmarway]

They have the absolute right to do this and they wear guns, so do NOT argue with them.

So what your saying is, you should not ask them to use the words " PLEASE" if they do not? : )

[jakeeangel]

HAHAHAHA!!

I was thinking about that guy too when I read the post. LOL :^O That guy was an idiot & the news stories made it seem like he only said it once before the USCBP guy pulled the gun on him.

The guard told him 3 times to turn his engine off before he pulled the gun on him & yanked him out of the car. The geezer in the car replied 'say please'. LOL um....it wasn't a request, it was an order dummy! LOL I did searches on it to find more indepth articles on it. This guy deserved to go to jail if you ask me. You're supposed to obey what these guys tell you. sheesh

It was good for a laugh though. I can't believe people actually do that.

[surplusdealdude]

So what your saying is, you should not ask them to use the words " PLEASE" if they do not? : )

Exactly.

One guy did that at Windsor and the officer pepper-sprayed him.

The first commercial shipment I ever took across the border was at Detroit.

The guard mumbled something and I said, "pardon?", SO HE PUT HIS HAND ON HIS GUN TO IMPROVE MT HEARING.

Worked, too.:O -------------------------------------------------------------------

If there were in the world today any large number of people who desired their own happiness more than they desired the unhappiness of others, we could have paradise in a few years.
- Bertrand Russell