Bringing Wood Furniture Through Cancun Customs

[Gringation]

So I'm going home for Christmas and I am bring back to Cancun with me a beautiful 5'6" wood coatrack that my grandfather gave us as a wedding gift.

We'll be packing it up (God only knows how) and checking it as a piece of luggage. (Airtran says it falls well within their size limit, so we're good there.)

Here's my question: Does anyone know if wood furniture would be allowed in by customs? Or if I would have to pay anything?

I've lost $5000 pesos to Customs once before, and I'd hate to make the same mistake twice!

[V]

This may provide you some guidance, G., it's from www.aduanas.gob.mx

Remember that you are entitled to bring in up to US$300 worth of goods in addition to the goods included in your personal luggage, and that you are allowed to combine this amount with family members. If you exceed this exemption, or if your family’s combined amount exceeds the combined exemption, you must pay duties and taxes. There is a flat 16% rate of duties and taxes, which is applied only to the amount exceeding the exemption (individual or combined). You must fill out a payment form, which is available at the Customs counter. If the value of the goods surpasses three thousand dollars (per family member) after subtracting the US$300 exemption, or if any of the goods is subject to non-tariff regulations or restrictions, you must hire the services of a customs broker. Private brokerage services are always available at the airport.

I can't imagine you'll have any trouble, as long as you fill the customs form out, properly, and declare the value. Suppose the item is worth $1,200 and you and your husband arrive together: after subtracting the exempt amounts for two people, you would owe 16% of $600- hardly worth getting excited about! If the value is under $600 USD, it'll come in duty free, if the two of you are traveling together, as I understand how this all works. Perhaps others will have a different take on it, but I think you can trust the customs personnel to apply the law appropriately.

If you can get your hands on the original purchase receipt to help establish value, so much the better; otherwise, you could make photos of like items, with their prices, there or here.

[Gringation]

Thanks V! No idea what it might be worth as my grandpa made it himself, but I'll ask him what the wood cost.

My main concern is more about bringing in certain kinds of goods since I've been charged quite a lot before for importing Chinese textiles, but we'll see what others have to say.

[V]

Without commenting on your "other" importation issues, which involved goods of Chinese manufacture, you did remind me that you should consider putting a label put on the item, if possible, showing where it was made.

Using your computer, and another label as a model, you could prepare one that is appropriate to your grandfather's workshop for hand made home furnishings, Smallville, U.S.A.!

Commercial goods manufactured and coming in from the U.S. get special consideration because they are covered by NAFTA, but your item, coming with you as an item to be used for personal, household purposes, not for resale, gets the treatment I mentioned in my other post, anyway.

Making and attaching a convincing looking label, indicating its country of origin, would just be extra insurance.
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