Why am I charged import duty on some books and not on others. The books are all over 60 years old.

[neknorps]

Why am I charged import duty on some books and not on others. The books are all over 60 years old. I never use to pay anything before Pitney. Canada customs never charged me.

[reallynicestamps]

I never use to pay anything before Pitney. Canada customs never charged me.

CBSA has an unofficial policy that they will not assess items valued under something like ~$100 , probably on the basis that it makes no sense to spend more on assessing than can possibly be collected.

BUT - from time to time they do.

The law is that duty AND TAXES plus a service fee are collected on any import valued over $20CDN (about $16 USD). Always expect to pay this, and be pleased when it doesn't happen.

The books are all over 60 years old.

Age is irrelevant. Sixty is vintage but not antique or antiquarian.

There would be no duty on a used book (or toy or fender or hammer or whatever).

There would still be SALES TAX on used items.

And the shipping company will charge a service fee on the processed item (between PitneyBowes' $5 and UPS' $25).