Customs regulations provide guidance for the importing of goods into a country serving two main purposes:

1. To prevent any items that are classed as illegal or prohibited from entering the country.
2. Determining if goods being imported into the country are liable for import tax and duty

If your country is part of the EU your consignment will NOT be subject to import charges in the form of duties and taxes but may still undergo customs clearance for the reasons mentioned above. 

You can find a full guide to countries in the EU (European Union) here.

Customs regulations provide guidance for the importing of goods into a country serving two main purposes:

1. To prevent any items that are classed as illegal or prohibited from entering the country.
2. Determining if goods being imported into the country are liable for import tax and duty

If your country is outside of the EU your consignment will be subject to import charges in the form of taxes and duties calculated on the value of the goods you are importing. The customs department of your country will directly correspond with you and these taxes and duties will be wholly payable by you before receiving the consignment. 

Every item falls into an import category where it is allocated a 'commodity code' (or Tariff code), these codes are globally harmonized by international customs however each country defines the amount of duty and tax payable for each code. You can find the full tariff code directory here.

Not all imported goods are liable to import duties and taxes, most countries have a value threshold (or duty free limit) where products under a certain value are not dutiable.

There are a few main reasons for a customs delay:

1. Delay in communications between the receiver and the customs office of their country
2. Customs querying the declaration on the customs invoice (tariff code or consignment value)
3. Customs have an issue with the Billing and Delivery Addresses provided

US Customs has several importing procedures depending on the courier service, these are outlined below:

• International Postal Service - If you purchase a small item from us (less than 100 cubic mm) we will post it using this service. If the item is less than $2000 in value US Customs will prepare the paperwork, assess the duty and release it for delivery to your address. Duty and Taxes will be applies and are payable at your local Postal Office. Customs may apply a processing fee in addition to your duties and taxes.
• Courier Shipping - We ship the majority of our parcels with international couriers, and this service means a simple importing process for you with quick and reliable delivery straight to your door. The courier company will assess the items being imported and apply any duties and taxes which are then payable by you to the courier. 
• Freight Shipping - If you've purchased a large consignment we may send it by Pallet/Skid. This service will deliver your goods to your nearest port of entry where manual clearing will be required at which time the goods will be assessed and duties and taxes applied.

Personal Vs Commercial Use
Imports under $2500 in value are classified as 'for personal use' can be imported by an 'informal entry' which is very straight forward however if on import your goods are deemed to be for commercial use you will be required to file a 'formal entry' which can require extensive paperwork and a customs broker to complete the transaction. If classified as commercial you will have an opportunity to appeal this decision providing evidence that the goods are for personal use. 

Note: Any delays in the import process may result in additional 'storage' fees payable by you the buyer. US Customs hold you (the buyer) responsible for any duties and taxes. On some occasions the receivers TAX ID code will be required in order to clear customs our team will contact the named consignee for this information when required. 

Our Advice for purchases from ideas4lighting.com
If your order is over $2500 and for personal use contact us to split the order into several consignments on the hope that informal entry will be applied. We advise always using your personal address for both billing and delivery to reduce the risk of a formal entry requirement.

Expected Duty
We cannot advise the rate of duty applicable on any purchase however based on this US Tariff and Duty document we estimate US Duty on the import of our products at 3-7% in most cases. US Tax is paid in addition to this.

Goods under the value of AUD 1000 will not be subject to duties and taxes and will undergo what's known as 'Self-Assessed Clearance Declaration' which is taken care of by the cargo company.

Goods of more than AUD 1000 will require an import Declaration with duties and taxes payable at customs by you the receiver. 

Other Information
Australian customs do not provide refunds on duties and taxes paid in the event an item is returned to the supplier. You can read more here at the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

Expected Duty
We cannot advise the rate of duty applicable on any purchase however based on this AU Tariff and Duty Guide we estimate Duty on the import of our products at approx 5% in most cases. Australian Tax is paid in addition to this.

Whether you are a private individual or a commercial entity, you must pay import duty and taxes when importing goods to Russia. The valuation of the cost is based on the complete shipping value, including:

•  the price of the imported goods
•  the cost of freight
•  insurance

Expected Duty
If the import’s value is under 5000 RUB, no tax and duties apply, otherwise we estimate the import of our products will receive a duty of 7.8% on average and 15% in some cases. Tax is payable in addition to this.

Important
Russia imposes a restriction on the importing of goods from a commercial business (i.e.: a business selling goods into Russia) to a person (rather than a business). We strongly advise customers to make any purchases through their business or a third party business to minimize the potential of restricted trade.

Helpful Guides by DHL

• Russia Fact Sheet
• Easy and Quick Customs Clearance in Russia

Sorry, we are still compiling this information

Shipments valued under AED 1000 can enter the UAE free from Duty and Tax, all imports over AED 1000 are fixed at 5% duty payable at UAE customs by the buyer/receiver.

Goods entering into the UAE require a 'Certificate of Origin' which we can provide on an EC1 form. If you wish to acquire an ABCC1 form we can arrange this at an extra charge - usually AED 150 with a delay of 3-4days. 

For More information you can visit the website of Dubai Customs.

Canada's Duty free allowance of $20 CAD is much lower than most other countries meaning any purchases from us will be liable for import duty and Canadian Goods Tax (GST). Canada's importing system operates under participating province agreements as per below:

• GST & PST Liable: British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec, Saskatchewan
• HST Liable: New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island
• GST Only Liable: Alberta, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon

Courier Low Value Shipment Program (CLVS)
Personal use imports under $2500 CAD in value are eligible for the CLVS program where our courier will arrange the documentation required for entry to Canada and your state. The courier will then contact you with an invoice for the payment of duties and taxes allowing them to complete the delivery. Commercial use imports (goods for resale) are a little trickier and will require a 'customs broker'.

Please note: we are not responsible for the classification of your shipment.

Expected Duty
Using the Canadian Border import guides we have determined are products to classify as Category 4 which will attract the following rates:

• Duty at 8%
• GST / HST at 5%
• PST unrecorded

Please note: this information should only be used as a guide and we accept no responsibility for inaccuracy of the above data.

For more information on the duty applicable please use the Duty and Taxes Estimator available of the Canada Border Services Agency website.