Hey guys, how do I determine the duty I need to pay if i'm ordering a guitar from Japan at 50000 JPY? I know their are a TON of circumstances that we can take into variable instances, but does anyone know how I determine the exact amount?? The guitar is made in Japan.. If that helps... I can try to give you guys more info if need be, but I'm really just looking to get on the right track of determining it.. I have never dealt overseas before and really need some help understanding terminology and pricing.

Thanks guys
Your words of wisdom flourish forever

A buddy of mine recently got a guitar from Japan that cost about 80,000 yen and I believe he paid about $150 Cdn duty on it.In his experience the price fluctuates as there have been times when he had to pay little or nothing.I will ask him to get back to you as he is also a forum member.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Hi |Searcher_Mark|: import duties are levied by the appropriate government department in your country. I don't know which your country is so I can't give you precise information on that, but if you Google "customs import duties" for the country in question you'll hopefully find the website of the relevant section of government. In my country that department is called Customs and Excise. Maybe it's something similar where you are.

You may find the online information complicated and perplexing if you are new to it but, where I live at any rate, there is also a freephone number so you can talk to a human; I find that a quicker, easier way of getting the answers.

Import duties are charged on the value of the goods and vary depending where in the world they are coming from and any trade arrangements your government may have with that country. You may find that your government has various charming little tricks for raising the amount you have to pay, too. Such as levying tax on the value of the goods plus the price of shipping. They have arguments for doing that which you may or may not find convincing.

An alternate way of gaining information is to talk to the shipping company (DHL, FedEx, or whoever) if you happen to know which one the goods are being sent by. The shop can tell you that.

All in all you are about to discover how tiresome and expensive governments like to make it for you to import stuff. They'd rather you shopped at home and they want to sting you for not doing so.

If later you feel like coming back to this thread and telling us - with numbers - how you got on I'm sure several people would be interested.

Good luck - C

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So what information can I give you guys that would help me out??
Im importing from Japan into the United States.. Any more information that you guys need, to an extent, that I can give you, let me know.. I really would like to get to the bottom of this. Also, do you pay at the door, or afertime.

Hey I found this site

http://www.import-duty.com/

and one of the questions mentions instruments, and it says their is no duty to be paid for them. The question is "Are there any imported items exempt from import duty?"..

Opinions? Help?

I get it: You have a 'yen' for a Japanese guitar!

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You dig?

Bigtime, but I have to figure out this duty stuff..

Seriously, maybe the place you're buying it from can give you some idea or direct you to a definitive authority.

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You dig?

No dice. "Contact your local customs duty". I mean, I have never done it before, I really need some help on this guys..

You will pay import duty on a luxury item. If you re-read the statement



It states instruments are exempt if you bought them, then earned a living with them, overseas.

Sadly not if you buy them from a offshore website and have em shipped in.

There may be ways to evade taxation by bringing them in through Mexico or Hawaii or some other place. A lot of people avoid import duties in the UK by shipping first to the Isle of Mann then onto the mainland. The main problem is that you need someone you trust in that country/island. Then if you get caught, they'll throw you in chokey.

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No no and no

It doesn't say that at all. It says:

That's talking about instruments you took out of the country to use professionally and then brought back again.

However, you are working along the right lines with that website. We could use it to track down the duty you will have to pay - or you could do your legwork for yourself.

Go to.

Cheers - C

EDIT: oops, replicating what Nick was writing at the same time...

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Ok, got it, onward to helping figure the duty..

I'd just call the local customs and excise office for help.
I'm sure if you tell them what you're bringing in and how much it costs they can crunch the numbers for you.

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He who dies with the most Strats wins.

But how do I find the number or site for the loacal customs office? I cannot find it anywhere.. Any links to sites?

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No no and no