Importing by mail or courier (2024)

Any item mailed to Canada may be subject to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and/or duty. Unless specifically exempted, you must pay the 5% GST on items you import into Canada by mail. The CBSA calculates any duties owing based on the value of the goods in Canadian funds. The duty rates vary according to the type of goods you are importing and the country from which they came or were made in. Depending on the goods or their value, some other taxes may apply, such as excise duty or excise tax on luxury items.You do not have to pay the GST on the following goods that are imported into Canada by mail:

• goods worth CAN$20 or less; and
• gifts from family members or friends who live abroad when the worth is CAN$60 or less.

The Government of Canada has entered into agreements with certain provinces to collect the HST at a rate of 13 percent. If you live in a participating province, you will have to pay the HST instead of the GST.

Note: The PST and tobacco tax rates vary from province to province. To obtain a listing of the rates currently in place, please refer to Appendix A of Memorandum D2-3-6, Non-commercial Provincial Tax Collection Programs.

Date modified:

2021-08-13