Shipping, Duties and Customs – What You Need to Know

Due to the ongoing Canada Post strike, we are temporarily unable to ship orders.
We expect to resume shipping as soon as service is restored.

📩 If you’d like to be notified the moment shipping reopens, please email us at hello@boatsmartz.com.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

###

At Boatsmartz, we want shipping to be simple and transparent—no surprises at the door. Here’s how duties, taxes, and customs work depending on where you live.

🇨🇦 Canada

• All Boatsmartz products are made in Canada and ship from Surrey, BC.
• Canadian customers pay only the applicable sales tax (GST/HST/PST) at checkout.
• No customs duties or import fees apply.

🇺🇸 United States

• Boatsmartz products are made in Canada and qualify under the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA).
• That means no large tariffs apply.
• However, duties, taxes, and customs processing fees still apply to all U.S. imports.
• To make it simple: we collect these charges upfront at checkout (Delivered Duty Paid).
• No extra charges on delivery—the landed cost you see at checkout is final.

🌍 International (outside Canada & the U.S.)

• Orders ship from Canada with Canada Post and global courier partners.
• Many countries charge VAT, GST, duties, or customs processing fees on imports.
• Where supported, Boatsmartz uses Delivered Duty Paid (DDP)—meaning these charges are calculated and collected at checkout so you don’t get a surprise bill later.
• In some countries, local carriers may still collect VAT/duties on delivery if DDP isn’t supported.

FAQ

Will I have to pay duties or taxes?

• Canada: No, only normal sales tax.
• U.S. & International: Yes, duties/taxes apply, but we collect them upfront at checkout for a smooth delivery.

What if my order is under $800 to the U.S.—isn’t that duty-free?
No. As of August 29, 2025, the U.S. government ended the “Section 321” rule that allowed small imports to be duty-free. All cross-border shipments now require customs clearance.

Who collects these charges?
We collect them at checkout and remit them directly to U.S. Customs or your local customs authority through our shipping partners. Boatsmartz does not keep these fees.

Will I get a bill at delivery?
No. Because we use Delivered Duty Paid, everything is handled upfront at checkout. Your package will be delivered without extra charges.

What if I refuse delivery?
If a prepaid order is returned, we’ll refund the product price once it arrives back to us. Shipping costs and duties/taxes already remitted to customs are non-refundable.

What makes Boatsmartz different?
Our products are Canadian-made and qualify under trade agreements like USMCA. This means our U.S. customers avoid large punitive tariffs that might apply to goods from other countries.