# Duty free "bike parts"



## cervelott (Mar 18, 2010)

Understand that bike parts are duty exempt when shopping overseas and importing them. Anyone have a reference for this from CCRA or a government document?. Can't seem to find the reference.
Thanks!


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## MercRidnMike (Dec 19, 2006)

cervelott said:


> Understand that bike parts are duty exempt when shopping overseas and importing them. Anyone have a reference for this from CCRA or a government document?. Can't seem to find the reference.
> Thanks!


AFAIK, it's not the case. Any bike part I've ordered from the US gets hit with GST (no PST where I am) and an inspection fee as a minimum.

IME, bringing stuff in from the UK is less likely to get hit by CCRA, but it still does happen.

If it is the case, then they owe a lot of cyclists a lot of money.


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## cervelott (Mar 18, 2010)

MRM, I am not talking about tax exempt but "duty" exempt. Of course I can expect taxes charged (often am not charged) but my understanding is that no duty is to be charged on bike "parts" while bicycles, for example, are not duty exempt.

I bought a saddle and was charged tax *and duty* and the assessment was on "a bicycle" not on parts. LOL the package was 12"s by 6"s...a bicycle...right.


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## Chainstay (Mar 13, 2004)

I once appealed a customs charge where they nailed an entire order for 5% duty even though there was only one small item of clothing. The appeal form is on the back of all that paper that comes in with the shipment. I talked to an agent and he looked it up. It seems that clothing, wheels and complete bikes attract 5% duty and parts are duty free. 

I don't have a document.

I won the appeal btw and got a $67.00 cheque


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## cervelott (Mar 18, 2010)

Thanks CS, yes learned about that the other day and sent in my appeal yesterday. Keeping fingers crossed.


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## MercRidnMike (Dec 19, 2006)

My bad...yes, some parts have duty, others don't. Here, this should help (thanks to the Vancouver Cruisers)...

"A complete bike falls under customs tariff #8712.00.00 - this category has a 13% tax rate PLUS GST/HST, pretty heavy especially if it's an older bike. However this rate only applies to "complete' bikes. The subcategories therein are all based on wheel size - if there's no wheels though it's not a complete bike. If you don't want to pay that 13% "complete bike' tax then get the wheels shipped separately or not at all.

Wheels are the next highest taxed category. An assembled bike wheel adds 6.5% plus GST/HST to the cost. However an unassembled wheel has no extra duty, just GST/HST! If you just want the hub anyhow then get the seller to cut out the hub and ditch the rest. Besides avoiding the 6.5% duty your shipping charges will be less since the package is going to be way smaller!

If you're just buying parts the best advice I can give you is have the seller be as specific as possible. The following items do not have anything but GST/HST added:

Forks, fork parts, frame parts (including bearings, shocks, cable guides, fork tubing, etc)
Wheel rims or spokes
Hubs of any type
Brakes of any type
Saddles
Pedals and crank gear and parts thereof (including bearings, etc)

There are two different categories on the tariff labeled "Other" and I think it's more or less up to the customs agent to determine what category things fall in to. Remember a customs agent doesn't necessarily know anything about bikes and they're probably going to just run down the form until they find the first category labeled 'Other' - this one is "Frames and Forks, and Parts Thereof - Other'. I honestly can't think of ANYTHING that would fall in to this category as practically every part of the frame and fork has already been accounted for.



If you can, get the seller to label things very specifically, ideally with the actual customs tariff item number. Here are the numbers and their tax rates all together:



8712.00.00 - Complete Bikes - 13%
8714.91.10 - Frame lugs, bottom bracket shells, forks, fork tubing sets, fork bearing assemblies, hydraulic shock absorbing cylinders, spring shock absorbers, rear pivots, cable stops, cable guides and back, chain and seat stays - 0%
8714.91.90 - Frames and forks and parts thereof, OTHER than the above - 5%
8714.92.00 - Wheel rims and spokes - 0%
8714.93.00 - Hubs, other than coaster braking hubs and hub brakes plus free-wheel sprocket wheels - 0%
8714.94.00 - Brakes, including coaster braking hubs and hub brakes plus parts thereof - 0%
8714.95.00 - Saddles - 0%
8714.96.00 - Pedals and crank-gear, and parts thereof (I'd put chainrings in here too) - 0%
8714.99.10 - Bicycle wheels (I'm assuming assembled) - 6.5%
8714.99.90 - OTHER bike parts - 0%

Remember customs officers are at work just like the rest of us and the more you do to make their job easier the better! Obviously they're still going to check your package but if you save them the time of having to figure out what everything is and what particular category it should fall in to then you'll probably find you can get things through customs with a lot less hassle."


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## cervelott (Mar 18, 2010)

Outstanding, where did you get that reference as I could not find it on the CCRA site.
Looks like my saddle was duty exempt after all, so my appeal should be successful.
Great!


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## MercRidnMike (Dec 19, 2006)

cervelott said:


> Outstanding, where did you get that reference as I could not find it on the CCRA site.
> Looks like my saddle was duty exempt after all, so my appeal should be successful.
> Great!


The Vancouver Cruisers club summarized it, but it comes from this document:

http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/trade-commerce/tariff-tarif/2012/01-99/ch87-2012-eng.pdf

which is a royal pain in the saddle to read through...but using those reference numbers above you can find the right sections.


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## cervelott (Mar 18, 2010)

MRM, I'm starting to think you must work for the CCRA!
Many thanks again.


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## Majorca (Sep 23, 2012)

I just got hit with 18% duty for "clothing" on an order from Wiggle. The package was not opened or the invoices checked - and the contents list - several pairs of pedals was clearly visible on the package. I will be appealing, it's good to know that someone else has had success at this.

Not Wiggles fault at all and I have already placed another order with their current discounts.


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## cervelott (Mar 18, 2010)

Ribble declared the value of my saddle's LIST price+shipping and did not deduct the 10 GBP coupon value either. Sloppy, and it ends up costing the consumer. In their defense they are refunding me the custom's taxes on the declared value error but needless waste of time for all involved. Have brought their error to CCRA's attention as well because that is applicable in their appeal process.


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