USA Shipping Tips
Working with The UPS Store in Brooklin can make shipping to the United States a little easier. Here are some things you can do before visiting us to help avoid problems with your cross-border shipments.
Taxes & Duties
Only the U.S. Government can decide if duties and taxes are owing on a package entering that country. We cannot predict the taxes ahead of time.
All duties, taxes and import fees are billed to the receiver in the U.S. That person or business may need to provide a Tax ID number.
Documents
Sending documents to the U.S. is relatively simple, provided those documents have no commercial value.
For example, contracts or property deeds do not have commercial value because these documents cannot be sold. However, a book does have commercial value.
Be clear and specific when filling out your customs declaration to avoid confusion and delays at the border.
Prescription Drugs
Before sending prescription drugs to someone visiting the U.S., be sure to have all the paperwork ready.
This includes a copy of the receiver’s Passport Identity Page, the prescription from a Canadian physician, and the pharmacy receipt. The receipt must show the drug name and DIN number, and the pharmacy’s address.
Be Prepared
United States Customs Officers need to know where your items were manufactured. Before you ship, check the labels and make note of where these items were made.
Also write down the amount you paid in Canadian dollars.
If you are selling items to a customer in the USA, you may need to provide a Certificate of Origin and details about all the materials in the product.
Be Truthful
Sending items across the border is similar to entering the U.S. for business or a vacation.
You would not try to hide something in your luggage, so do not try to hide something in your shipment.
There are potential consequences for leaving something out of a Customs Declaration. It may also become harder to ship something in the future.
Be Specific
It is not enough to make generic customs declarations. For example, you should not say that your package contains “clothing.”
Itemize everything with details such as size, brand name, material, where it was made, and the price you paid. Make a list and bring it with you.
Some items cannot be shipped by UPS to the USA or anywhere else. This may include things like beverage alcohol, some types of batteries, biological items, weapons, and more. If you have questions, please call ahead and we will let you know.
We can help you every step of the way.