Shipping i3 MK3S+ to US
Hello there,
I feel like being ready for it and so I'm considering purchasing my own Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ Kit, but worried about the customs fees when shipped to US.
Is there anyone who ordered MK3S+ Kit shipped to US recently? How was it shipped (which carrier) and if any customs fee were applied to it upon delivery? If someone ordered MK3S+ Kit with both plates, that would be interesting too.
Thanks in advance.
RE: Shipping i3 MK3S+ to US
If you go 800 or more, you are rolling the dice on being taxed.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: Shipping i3 MK3S+ to US
Chuck's right. If you go for the kit, you skirt just under the customs "he's gonna print a ghost gun" nazi inspection. Otherwise expect a secret service visit before you get a delivery.
RE: Shipping i3 MK3S+ to US
@dan-rogers
Funny, but somewhat true.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: Shipping i3 MK3S+ to US
Thanks a lot for responding.
But how dicey is the dice? I mean how many chances and if I got hit by the customs, how much is that?
Also, what carrier is being used when shipped to US? Is that rolling a dice too? I'm sure they have some specific carrier for that purpose.
I was hoping someone had a recent experience with that.
RE: Shipping i3 MK3S+ to US
I got mine (kit) a few months ago. They shipped Fedex, super fast to Los Angeles. It only took a few days to get here and I was not charged any fees. I only ordered 1 sheet with the kit and ordered a second sheet separately which only took 3 days to get to me.
RE: Shipping i3 MK3S+ to US
My printer arrived duty free. Many items shipped to the US are not subject to duty, electronics like the printer is one of them, cameras another.
There's a web site maintained by the treasury (customs) you can search through to find out specifically. It's been years, so I can't point you at it. You might want to start here if you are concerned:
https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/internet-purchases
RE: Shipping i3 MK3S+ to US
@tentaclejoe
Was your total over $800? That is the key question.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: Shipping i3 MK3S+ to US
@tim-2
People have reported being taxed on printers so that is not entirely true. I have never been taxed. The enforcement increase has been mostly in the last 6-8 months.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: Shipping i3 MK3S+ to US
When I ordered my last Mk3S, it was prebuilt plus some other stuff, so north of $1000. Fedex sent me a tax bill a few weeks after delivery. I can't recall how much it was but I guess it was around $100. The last Mini I bought, no taxes. As @cwbullet said, the cutoff seems to be somewhere around $800 of value imported.
RE: Shipping i3 MK3S+ to US
When I ordered mine, I ordered the kit and the odds and ends separately. There was, at the time, a notice on the Prusa web site to avoid orders over a certain amount to the States to avoid fees. At the time, the MK3S kit, alone, was under the limit.
Of course the shipment with the odds and ends arrived a week before the printer kit. 😉
RE: Shipping i3 MK3S+ to US
@fuchsr
That is about want I paid for a non-printer purchase.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: Shipping i3 MK3S+ to US
That was informative and I got the info I needed. Thank you everyone who chimed in, I appreciate your input.
I guess I'll just stay with the kit without the second plate.
RE: Shipping i3 MK3S+ to US
@tentaclejoe
Was your total over $800? That is the key question.
Mine was $798
RE: Shipping i3 MK3S+ to US
@tentaclejoe,
I decided to stick with your option and stay below $800 by ordering a bare Kit only without the second plate I wanted initially.
I just placed the order. Yoo-hoo! I'm sure the coming 2-3 weeks will drive me crazy waiting.
RE: Shipping i3 MK3S+ to US
Weird - it probably depends more on what the bill of lading says is inside the box than anything else. My purchase was well over $1,000 and I did not pay any taxes. And that not the only time I've brought large purchases across the border - both shipped in and in luggage. Some items are exempt.
RE: Shipping i3 MK3S+ to US
@tim-2,
Of course, it depends on what's in the declaration. This is the reason why I asked the question here to find out about the most recent experience if anyone had.
RE: Shipping i3 MK3S+ to US
@tim-2
It depends on when it was shipped and what is on the declaration. US customs is cracking down on shippers and enforcing the tax more in the last six months but it is not 100 percent.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: Shipping i3 MK3S+ to US
@tentaclejoe,
I decided to stick with your option and stay below $800 by ordering a bare Kit only without the second plate I wanted initially.
I just placed the order. Yoo-hoo! I'm sure the coming 2-3 weeks will drive me crazy waiting.
I had a 5 week lead time but once it was shipped it got to me in a few days. It took me 16 hours to build though but I took my time 🙂
RE: Shipping i3 MK3S+ to US
@tentaclejoe
798 would not be import taxable.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog