I am ordering a number of DVDs from a private seller in Belgium. They run approximately $82.00. He has inquired if I know the duty rate or how to avoid such. I have NEVER had to pay a duty on any DVD I have purchased so am entirely in the dark. I went on the US Customs site and have just now scraped my brain back into my head. It exploded when, after typing in "DVD", I was given rate specs for BOVINE MACHINERY!!! Does anybody have any info they can share? Thanks!

The magic number for the US seems to be $400, so you should be fine.

i know its un ethical but if its a privet sale them simly mark the box as gift and put value of goods as $0.

I believe (just my belief) that NAFTA nations enjoy $400 to and from the US. I think elsewhere it's $200.

I have these numbers because I have a customs declaration form that says $400 (for Canada, Mexico, Caribbean etc) and $200 elsewhere.

$82 is well under either number. It's always nice to have them mark "GIFT" on the customs duty form.

It appears from the info on the US Customs' website http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/about/internat.htm that import duty is waived for personal shipments under $200 and shipped via international postal services -- but not those shipped via courrier services.

I'm interested in hearing what the experiences have been with US import fees -- both custom duty and broker fee if any -- for DVD purchases shipped via courriers services like Fedex and UPS.

The magin number for UPS/FEDED/DHL is US$25, gift or no gift. This doesn't mean they'll charge you----but they might, especially if you import stuff often. They like to collect the $5 brokerage fee.

Jeff
HKFLIX.com

Thanks, everybody!!

Well grease me up and call me piggy. I just got a letter from UPS saying I owe them about $12. $5 brokerage fee = 2.7% of the declared value.

I can't remember the exact wording; but they said they paid the estimate duty on my behalf and payment was due immediately to them.

Without proof of that, I can't obligate myself to fork over any $$$ to them. This is the first time I've gotten one of these... hmmm maybe they read these boards

axolotls return - howsabout letting us know how the UPS thing turns out? Are you going to ask them to show you proof that they actually paid duty fees?

Seems that I lost the letter they sent me...