You need a passport now to return from Canada. This changed a couple of years ago. I don't know if they will make you declare a pin or not.
Even though no money is changing hands, have him sell it for $1 with a receipt.

I thought read somewhere a pin made in the US doesn't need duty paid on the way back into the USA.
I could be wrong, though.

I'm not sure about a US citizen bringing one from the US to Canada,

Sorry, that may have been a bit specific. From what I understood, some things being 'repatriated' back to the USA have no duty.
Again, I can't back up my claims with anything solid.

There was a thread about customs here:
http://www.pinballrevolution.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=1822&p=15368&hilit=duty#p15368

(of course, that thread being on a Canadian site, it's likely mostly about Canadian citizens bringing a US pin back to Canada)

_{Post edited by tim_sanderson: amendment}

I'm guessing you should be ready to pay 13% tax on the value of the pin you're bringing in.
If this is the case, you may want to do some research to see what evidence you have (websites) to show the value of the pin. If they base the value on Ebay, you might end up paying more.

Guessing you should call the border to see if taxes will be charged on a zero-net trade?

This is something I don't understand about US/Canada trading. NAFTA would have seemed to have made these kinds of trades 'Free' but perhaps Free Trade is only for big corporations, not the little guy.

I agree in theory but then anybody buying anything would say "it's an even trade, no cash exchanged." For any two items. 2 pinball machines, a car and a rock...
Impossible for customs to police this sort of thing.

You can bring the pin in without duty,but will have to pay duty on the pin you are bringing back

You will need a written receipt with price, sellers name and phone number.

Isn't it the other way around?
You can't bring a pin into Canada without paying taxes. Once in Canada, you can take it into the US without taxes, as that's the country it was made in.

Even if it's a net zero trade, you may get hit with taxes.
Good though. Seems as though it mostly depends on who stops you and what kind of mood they're in at the time.

I paid 5% when I brought a pin into Canada. I was prepared for the possibility I'd have to pay 13%. I'm still not sure exactly what I did or said that made things work out.

Try looking up laws for bartering or swapping rather than trading.

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/bsnss/tpcs/gst-tps/gnrl/txbl/ntwrks-eng.html

http://www.swapsity.ca/questions/index/2/26

Maybe take out a fuse and tell them it does not work and just for parts ?

According to the Canada Border Services Agent web site. There is no Tariff fees on Pintables. Chapter 95 T2014. Tariff number 9504.20.00. You may have to still pay a tax though.

Was it brought into Alberta,we only have 5% gst here.
The Gst will apply,should be it.
You might not get charged anything,because you are still the owner bringing it in.

I've made two cross border trades with both of my American trade partners bringing the machines over to me. On both occasions, neither of them had to pay any taxes or duties. I would suggest you do keep your trade communications (PM's, emails, texts, etc..) with you just to show as proof of the trade and the terms both parties agreed upon.

With that all being said, always cross into Canada expecting to pay 13% on value of the machine.

It was brought into Quebec.

I've always thought a pinball machine would be a great way to smuggle stuff across the border with all that empty space under the playfield.

Tax will apply coming into Canada, no question. It will be either 5% or 13%. Should be 13%, however, like someone said earlier, sometimes only the 5% tax will be charged. Prepare to pay 13%, if 5% gets charged, just keep your mouth shut and pay it. Sometimes things do slip through the cracks. Just provide all information (PMs, texts, emails) and let the officer make the decision.

The reason tax is being charged: if your Canadian trade partner had found someone to trade with within Canada, in theory, both of those machines would have been tax paid at some point. In your case, your non-tax paid machine will be traded for a taxed machine...the tax on your machine has to be accounted for. Its an expense you'll have to pass along to the buyer.

As for your trip back into the US, I think I know, but I don't want to guess, as it would only muddy the waters.

Good luck!

Rob
creditdotpinball.com

My understanding is that 5% is charged to a business entity. Personal is supposed to be the full 13%.
Having said that, when Teekee brought AFM up, he was only charged 5%.
Sometimes you just get lucky.
And yes, it's just the tax. There are no tariffs or duties paid.

That's what I said. Canadian bringing American made product into USA costs nothing. Canadian bringing pin back from states will cost 12% declared value where Iive. You will need receipt with sellers info. Don't get cute with the sale price. Be realistic.

Interesting thread. My wife and I own a condo in Vancouver, BC. She's a dual citizen and I'm currently only American. I'll be retiring in a few years and spending roughly half of the year in BC. I would like to get a pin or two for the condo and I can see going down to WA to get the games. Any suggestions?

Get ready to pay taxes. Welcome to Canada.

LOL The prices of things like raw chicken and electronics in BC boggle my mind compared to GA. I'll be making the flight in late August and my wife already has a list of things like hard drives and wireless headphones she wants me to bring up for her family. She drove a U-Haul from GA a few months ago to make it under some sort of deadline from when we purchased the condo to bring things in w/o fees. Unfortunately, she didn't list any pinball machines when she first crossed over maybe two years ago or I'd already have one or two there.

Move them with your belongings and pay nothing,it's your stuff.
Hide them in the moving truck

The GST and PST should be paid on the game coming into Canada, but the border officers have discretion on things like this, and they can just decide to waive it thru. As an American bringing it in, you have a much better chance of that happening than a Canadian does, still not sure why that is.

Should be no problem for you taking the game back into the states, just have a bill of sale.

You got off lucky. I had to pay Canadian taxes on my trade bringing it across the border.

I'm glad everything went well going back. I hope you enjoy the BDK, I'm sure enjoying the Family Guy

I might take you up on that

Once when returning from Seattle driving to Vancouver. The Canada Customs Officer asked us, Are you both Canadian citizens? We replied 'Yes'. He said ok, 'drive on'. 'Thanks', I said.
That was years ago, but we sort of still laugh regarding that quick border stop.