In the coming weeks I'm going to make a run to Buffalo to pick up a few North American treats to take to Australia as gift to a mate getting married. I'm just wondering if anyone who has done the run before can recommend whether it's better to do it as an overnight trip, and get the beer duty free for staying in the US longer than 24 hours, or just do it on the same day and pay the duty. I'm trying to work out if the duty paid would be less than the cost of hotel overnight. If I come back into Canada on the same day what am I likely to pay in duty assuming I'll probably bring back the equivalent of at least a case of beer in volume? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Cheers!
If you come back <48 hours later (not 24) you will pay 100% markup/taxes on the price of the beer when entering Canada. A border guard may feel nice and not make you pay, but the likelihood of that decreases the more beer you have.
Yeah a case will very likely incur duty. Anything more than 5 or 6 bottles a person is pushing it, and even that often incurs duty - at least when entering BC. Not sure if it's different in Ontario...
I went to NY last week for a one day trip to Syracuse from Ottawa. Me and a buddy each had about 12 liters/$120 and declared it at the border. The border guard sent us in to pay duty/tax on it (first time in a long time that has happened) and the bill came to a whopping $23 each. Ontario is quite reasonable when it comes to bringing beer back across the border. You are allowed to bring up to 45 liters for personal use as long as you declare it and pay all applicable taxes and duties. You will need to have all your receipts and know the volumes of each bottle/case you are bringing. You would need to stay in the US for 48 hours to be allowed to bring back 8.5 liters (24x355ml) duty free...so that would be at least one nights stay at a motel.
Or you get lucky, they don't ask about booze, and or they just ask if how much you have to declare, and tell you to move along...
True...I have crossed half a dozen times since last fall and have only been questioned in depth once about beer/alcohol. Most of the time it has been a bored look and "welcome home".
