Will I pay duty on a gift ordered from the US?
By the HelpFindGifts editors · Updated
Short answer
Sometimes. A gift mailed to you worth CAN$60 or less is exempt from duty and tax, but items you buy online and have shipped to yourself or someone else are imports, and the courier may collect tax, duty and a brokerage fee at delivery.
The mailed-gift exemption
The Canada Border Services Agency says a gift you receive by mail from outside Canada worth CAN$60 or less is not charged duty or tax. Some goods, including alcohol and tobacco, do not qualify.
That exemption is for a gift sent from one person to another. A purchase from an online store is a commercial import, even if you intend it as a gift.
What happens with online orders
When a US store ships by courier, the courier clears the parcel through customs and bills the recipient for any GST, HST, provincial sales tax and duty owed, often with a brokerage fee on top. The recipient may have to pay before the parcel is handed over, which is an unwelcome surprise for a gift.
Stores that say 'duties and taxes included' or 'no surprise fees' at checkout collect these amounts up front. That is the safer choice for a gift shipped directly to someone else.
How to avoid the surprise
A few habits remove the risk entirely.
- Prefer Canadian retailers and Canadian storefronts of international brands; they ship from inside Canada.
- Check checkout for 'duties included' before ordering from a US store.
- Ship a US order to yourself, then wrap and deliver it, rather than having someone else pay at the door.
- Give an instant gift if the only seller is outside Canada and the date is close.