The Bar Towel

I was wondering if you can herlp me on this. Someone probably know the answer to this off hand.

First, how much beer can I bring into Canada from the US(for personal use), arriving through Niagara? If I exceed that, what is the duty or tax?

Secondly, does anyone know how much Canadian beer I can take back to the US(through Niagara or Detroit?), and again, what is the duty or tax if I exceed the limit?

Peace
WC

Cass has all the information here: http://www.bartowel.com/premier.phtml

My advice is to be honest and open with customs. I've on occasion exceed my limit by a small amount, and I've never had to pay duty. My trips into the U.S. have been at least 24 hours. I would assume, however, if you made a same-day round, they would make you pay the duty regardless.

Don't know how much you can bring in--but I've not encountered difficulties and I've brought in upwards of a case-and-a-half.

Cheers, Joe.

P.S. Strange place for this discussion.

Thanks. I'm clear on the rules for bringing into Canada. Can anyone shed some light on what the duty is for bringing Canadian beer into NY/USA? Iknow the limit is 1 liter duty free. What is the tax for beer over the 1 liter limit?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: WeaselCat on 2003-07-03 15:22 ]</font>

You're American, right WC? That means a different set of rules for you. I've brought over a lot of beer for "personal use" into the US, and have had few problems coming back. Even on same day trips, I'll bring 8 or 9 bottles back. All you need to get through without paying duty is a guy somewhere in the process. The female border guards always want to charge you duty, but even when they send you inside to customs if it's a guy he'll probably just rip the slip up...they've got better things to do than process the duty on nine beers.

Moving the topic here. I've never brought beer from Canada to the U.S., so I'm not sure on the rules. They probably differ from state to state, just like in Canada.

When I was researching the rules for bringing back into Ontario, I contacted the LCBO (Customs was no help). Perhaps you might want to contact state liquor boards?

Josh-yes, I'm American.

I will be returning to the US via NY State border crossing, most likely. I've gotten on US customs web sites, and called NY Liquor board, but so far no definitive answers to my questions.

How much beer can I bring back?

What do I have to pay on the beer that's over the limit?

I know probably everyone on here but me is Canadian, so I understand if you don't knwo the answers, but I was hoping someone might know or could help me.

Peace
WC

WeaselCat,

With NAFTA, I would assume that Canada and the U.S. have harmonized these sorts of limits. I have taken booze and beer (the late, great Unibroue mix-12 was always popular) across to in-laws in Michigan, and frankly found the U.S. guards to be okay, even when I once told them I had 3 bottles of licquor when we should only have had two.

So here's my two cents worth, a totally non-authoritative, anecdotal version.

The Canadian limit (as I'm certain that Cass points out elsewhere on the site) is a bottle of licquor, a litre and a half of wine (two bottles, say), a case (24) of beer, and a deck of smokes, all limits *per adult*. These limits are available after 2 days. The Canadians now enforce "2 days" strictly as 48 hours, whereas you used to be able cross over at 11:59pm Friday and cross back at 12:01am on Sunday and be covered. Dollars to doughnuts it's the same in both Michigan and New York State.

When you are crossing in, they enforce the same limits basically, so long as everything is for "personal use" -- don't tell them the booze is a gift or will be shared with a Canadian resident.

All limits increase after 7 days.

The duty-free stores only carry the most dunder-headed brands of major brewery beer. If you buy duty-free, the clerks in the stores will enforce laws just as strictly as the guards, so be careful what you say. My ex once told the clerks that we hadn't been over long enough, but we weren't going to tell the guards that, at which point the clerk refused to sell me two $8 bottles of rum. I should have left her then, standing at the Duty-Free booth in Port Huron.

And the clerks will ask you for your license plate number -- transpose a couple of the figures for plausible deniability. The duty free stores cooperate with the two border enforcement agencies, and that information is sent straight to the border gaurds. But basically it's none of their damned business.

Throw out all receipts, newspapers and documentation which may indicate you haven't been out of the country quite long enough. And keep hotel receipts which indicate you have been out long enough. Documentation is the key.

But finally, U.S. border guards are entirely pre-occupied with security and immigration concerns. Only a real dick is going rip apart a car with a holiday-making family just to collect an extra $10 in customs duty. Have your documents in order and ready when you cross (valid passports if you got 'em), and take your sunglasses off. They may ask to speak to everyone in the car in order to hear your accents -- if you are the driver, don't try to answer all the questions, unless you are specifically addressed. Be business-like, don't make small talk, and smile. Anything you say to a border guard is regarded, for legal purposes, as a formal declaration -- never joke.

Just a few tips to make things pass more smoothly.

Also suggest you try to pick up the Éphémère 8-pack from Unibroue. There's a treat. Try one of the downtown Beer Stores.

-Uncle Bobby

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Uncle Bobby on 2003-07-08 14:17 ]</font>

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Uncle Bobby on 2003-07-08 14:53 ]</font>

And here is the brochure from the U.S. Border Patrol.

http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/xp/cgov/ ... _brochure/

Uncle Bobby-

Thanks a lot. Your replies were very helpful.

Lets say I take back 3 cases(36 pints of Canadian beer back to the US). I guess I get an exemption for 1 litre( about 2 pints).

Does anyone have any idea what I would pay in duty for the rest? $5? $10 $50? I really cant tell from the US border brochure. I'm just wondering if anyone knows from experience.

Peace
WC