Duty charges

[cldcad_udeatxc]

Hello, I was charged $21 for duty charges for an eBay order.  I live in Canada and have bought from eBay before but haven’t been charged duty charges.

Is this normal?

[pjcdn2005]

In some cases ebay does charge tax and/or duty for items shipped through their eBay international shipping program.  But even when they don’t charge at the time of purchase, Canada customs may charge duty and tax on packages valued at a certain amount when the package is delivered. 

When there are no custom fees assessed ahead of time and the package is being delivered by a courier, they are obligated to collect the tax and duty if applicable.  They also charge a brokerage/handling charge.  When the package is delivered by Canada Post, the customs department does not always assess the package so that’s why you haven’t had to pay on the past.  

[martin2001]

It depends on the declared value of the content. Around 2018 there was a treaty between US, Can and Mex to increase the so-called de minimis threshold which is the monetary value for courier shipments that can enter Canada without payment of duties and taxes:

• Goods with a value for duty of CAD$40.00 or less will have any applicable customs duties and taxes waived when imported from the United States or Mexico only;
• Goods with a value for duty of CAD$40.01 or greater, up to and including CAD$150.00, will be free of customs duties (however, taxes will remain applicable) when imported from the United States or Mexico only; and
• Goods with a value for duty CAD$150.01 or greater will be subject to any applicable duties and taxes when imported from any country, including the United States or Mexico

As you can see, it all depends on the declared value. Being charged $21 seems a very large declared value. You should investigate that further if you order was less than 150 CAD$

[pjcdn2005]

$21 isn't necessarily a high amount.  Even if there was just tax sales with no duty, it can add up. Sales tax varies from 5-15% here.  Plus if Canada Post is the one collecting the money for customs, they add on $9.95 for brokerage/processing charges.  Couriers may have higher brokerage fees.

If it was the EIS that charged the duty upfront, I'm not sure what sort of handling/processing charge they are adding on.