Tell me about Duty-Free shops

[Impossibles]

I don't understand them.

How can you buy something in the US 'duty free'?

How do they differ from just buying from a regular store in the US?

Do you really not have to pay duty when you declare at the border?

Do you really save money at them if just going into the states on a day trip? (particularly, I'm talking about booze)

[Ebola]

It basically means the following:

#1 . All duty free stores are export only, so you can only buy at them on your way out of the country. (You can come back right away, but you have to go out with the stuff you buy first.)

#2. What duty free means is basically the duties and taxes have not been assessed on the goods (namely booze and tobacco) like they would be in stores in the US or in Canada. So you buy them at a much cheaper price.

#3. Coming back into Canada, you will pay duties and taxes on booze and tobacco if you do not have an exemption. These exemptions can be found on the CBSA website and in countless places on the forums, I don't feel like regurgitating them right now, I'm not at work. Basically, you need to be gone 48hrs to bring back some booze or tobacco without taxes or duties.

If you went down on a day trip, you WILL pay GST , PST, and Duty on booze. Which will make it virtually the same as buying the booze at a Beer Store or LCBO. (not an absolute... but it's a general rule of thumb.)

The big thing to remember is this. Just because the store is called duty free, does not mean you don't have to pay taxes or duties. They are not the CBSA, nor the US CBP, they are simply a store.

[Siefer999]

i think you are allowed to bring back one carton of cigs OR one bottle of hard liqour OR one case of beer OR one box of cigars

they usually have a 2 box of cigs for $xx.xx so you have to be with someone in order to get an amazing deal on them but if you choose them, then you need give up the bottle of booze that you were planning on buying. booze usually have buy 2 - get a deal specials too.

[aimfox]

i think you are allowed to bring back one carton of cigs OR one bottle of hard liqour OR one case of beer OR one box of cigars

they usually have a 2 box of cigs for $xx.xx so you have to be with someone in order to get an amazing deal on them but if you choose them, then you need give up the bottle of booze that you were planning on buying. booze usually have buy 2 - get a deal specials too.

my parents brought 3 liquor through Canada from the states and it went successfully.. but that was 10 years ago

[cwb27]

The Duty Free story staff will almost tell you ANYTHING to make the sale.

I dealt with it when a couple guys who went shopping but a 3L bottle (err, jug) of Canadian Club Whiskey, the Duty Free store staff said they did not have to tell the Canadian Officers about it, but if the officers found it we would give them a refund.

Long story short, we found the bottle, seized it (i.e. they don't get it back) and had to explain to them they were lied to and ripped off by the store staff.


DO NOT RELY ON DUTY FREE STORE STAFF FOR ANY CUSTOMS INFORMATION!

[Ebola]

i think you are allowed to bring back one carton of cigs OR one bottle of hard liqour OR one case of beer OR one box of cigars

they usually have a 2 box of cigs for $xx.xx so you have to be with someone in order to get an amazing deal on them but if you choose them, then you need give up the bottle of booze that you were planning on buying. booze usually have buy 2 - get a deal specials too.

Close but no "cigar:.

If you are gone for 48+ hrs, each person of majority is entitled to:

24 beer (355ml)
or
1.14L liquor
or
1.5L wine
or
a total of 1.14L of wine and liquor (split however)

and

200 cigarettes;
and
50 cigars or cigarillos;
and
200 grams (7 ounces) of manufactured tobacco; and
and
200 tobacco sticks.

So all of the above for tobacco after 48 hrs, with one choice of the above mentioned quantities of alcohol.

Anything above those quantities is subject to duty and taxes.