Buying from the US

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jasoyeom

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I've been looking around where to get the best deal for a BCD396XT scanner. Scannermaster.com caught my eye but they state that Canadians have to have a radio license as required by the Canadian Government. Has anyone bought a digital scanner from them and did they give any hassles about the 'radio license'?

Jason
 

VE3JSO

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i have the radio shack pro 106 that i got from the states and when i got to the border with the scanner canadian customs ask how much i spent and sent me to secondary showed the my invoice they asked me what is told them it was a radio scanner and i just paid the tax and they where happy as for license it does not apply for scanners
 
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bigcam406

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its an old law Industry Canada doesn't enforce.when I bought my PSR500 from Durham Radio,they made me fill out a form,as the owner stated Industry Canada drops in tine to time to check their paperwork.i wouldn't worry about it.
 

jasoyeom

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Thanks for the info. I was thinking of buying from Scannermaster and was wondering if they give you any issues about the so called Canadian License?
 
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i have the radio shack pro 106 that i got from the states and when i got to the border with the scanner canadian customs ask how much i spent and sent me to secondary showed the my invoice they asked me what is told them it was a radio scanner and i just paid the tax and they where happy as for license it does not apply for scanners

Curious,why not just ditch the box,toss it in your go bag?..Would they still make you pay tax?..Then pay tax every time you cross the border?
 

mciupa

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I've bought the HomePatrol from Scannermaster, had it shipped by US Postal and paid brokerage fees for Canada Customs. Wait time was ~ 8 days.

I've bought a BCD536HP from Bearcat Warehouse, had it shipped Fedex Ground and paid nothing extra. Wait time was 9 days.
 

unlisted

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Curious,why not just ditch the box,toss it in your go bag?..Would they still make you pay tax?..Then pay tax every time you cross the border?

You can try that, but if you do, and you are caught (and theres a chance you'd get caught) they confiscate any unclaimed items, and give you a very nice parting gift, normally totaling in the thousands, and quite possibly a criminal record. Also you may not ever see your item again.

Be Sure . . . Declare Everything - Travel.gc.ca

But back to the OP's inquiry- the license is nothing to worry about.
 

EJB

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You have no licences to worry about. At the same time that MCUIPA bought his Home Patrol I bought mine. It was shipped via Post and I had to pay the GST (before the taxes were harmonized). Took about 8-10 days.

Scannermaster are a good company, I have also bought software and software keys from them. If you are going the U.S. route I would recommend them.

You might have options to buy scanners here in Canada. There are people in this website who sell, no taxes, no waiting, they can step up and make there presence here if they have scanners.
 

EJB

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Curious,why not just ditch the box,toss it in your go bag?..Would they still make you pay tax?..Then pay tax every time you cross the border?

I am curious if you are a Canadian or American citizen. If you are American please note that your government has made it more difficult to just cross the border. You need a passport, a special drivers licence that you pay extra for here or Nexus. We have Nexus and we are pretty much pre-approved to cross into the States without the hassles as we have interviewed with both the CBSA and American customs people. Membership has its privledges.

If we were to buy anything on our day trips we are required to submit our receipts to customs coming back into Canada and are forced to pay the duties or taxes on these items with a credit card that is attached to our membership.

When we do purchase items in the states on day trips we generally cross back into Canada using regular lanes on regular bridges (Nexus has its own bridge, only for members crossing into N.Falls N.Y.). Generally, as long as you are not making large purchases, for booze or smokes they will let you cross. But buying a scanner for over $300, if you get caught, you will pay duty and taxes.
 

mikewazowski

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I usually buy from ScannerMaster. Their prices are typically equal to other resellers.

To avoid the hit at the border, I use UPS 2 day service. You end up paying a little more but brokerage charges are included and you get your scanner in a couple of days.

I'm usually left with paying taxes when it arrives.

If you're close enough to the border, have it shipped to a Mailboxes Etc or shipping store in the US. Then you bring it across the border yourself and save on any brokerage charges. I believe the charge for accepting the package was $5 but this was several years ago.

I used to do this frequently back in the 90's.
 

unlisted

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Brokerage charges suck these days. I'd suggest USPS cheapest way to get items from the us into canada if you are not picking up in person

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jasoyeom

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When I bought my 296D from Durham radio they just had me fill out a form before I bought it.

I didn't think the license was an issue but just wanted to be sure if I bought from them.

Jason
 

VE3JSO

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Curious,why not just ditch the box,toss it in your go bag?..Would they still make you pay tax?..Then pay tax every time you cross the border?

at the time i could not take the chance did not want to get hit with the fine for not declareing the scanner there was times we were sent in to secondary for search
 

EJB

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I am an Am-Cit..I guess I took for granted Xing over for work..Was pretty easy

Was, is the correct word. For whatever reason the American government decided that Canadians need passports, NEXUS (There might be different programs as well) or enhanced drivers licences to enter the U.S,

I dont know why they did this but I have my suspicions and beliefs on the subject but this isn't the tavern.

In order to go to Canada, Canadians just need to show a drivers licence, a passport, Nexus, Birth Certificate, I dont know what documents Americans need to get in, I imagine they show passports, you'd need one to get back in to the U.S.A.

The CBSA (Canadian Border Security) seem to be pretty lenient, if you are honest with them you go thru.
 

Freebase

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A little money saving hint for everyone here in Canada who lives reasonably close to a CBSA office. If you ship through a courier and they are clearing your goods for you through Customs, you can refuse to accept the shipment at your door (tell them you don't have the money, or whatever, NOT to return to sender). Go to your local CBSA office with a receipt for your goods, and a copy of the shipping bill, and tell the officers that you want to self pay the duties and taxes for the goods in the shipment. You will pay only what is owing, and then you will provide proof of payment to the courier, who will then release your goods to you. You can save quite a bit by not paying the Customs brokerage fee that they all charge for providing the clearance service.
 

unlisted

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A little money saving hint for everyone here in Canada who lives reasonably close to a CBSA office. If you ship through a courier and they are clearing your goods for you through Customs, you can refuse to accept the shipment at your door (tell them you don't have the money, or whatever, NOT to return to sender). Go to your local CBSA office with a receipt for your goods, and a copy of the shipping bill, and tell the officers that you want to self pay the duties and taxes for the goods in the shipment. You will pay only what is owing, and then you will provide proof of payment to the courier, who will then release your goods to you. You can save quite a bit by not paying the Customs brokerage fee that they all charge for providing the clearance service.

You can actually do this?

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