UK → Canada: what your Canadian buyer pays in 2026
Most UK parcels to Canada are above the CAD 20 limit, so the buyer pays GST/HST plus Canada Post's CAD 9.95 handling fee unless you prepay. UK-origin goods may get preferential duty.
At a glance
| Threshold | CAD 20 Verified Partly verified |
|---|---|
| Tax | GST 5% or HST 13–15% by province Verified |
| Duty | Preferential for UK-origin goods (rate not verified here) Unverified |
| Buyer pays on delivery | Canada Post CAD 9.95 per item Verified |
Worked example: £35 candle + £9 shipping to Ontario, Royal Mail, buyer pays on delivery, UK origin
| Item | Amount | Paid when / by | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Item price | CA$65.64 | At checkout | |
| Shipping charged | CA$16.88 | At checkout | |
| Canadian customs duty (0%) | CA$0.00 | Buyer pays on delivery | Unverified |
| HST 13% (Ontario) | CA$8.53 | Buyer pays on delivery | Verified |
| Canada Post handling fee | CA$9.95 | Buyer pays on delivery | Verified |
| Buyer pays in total | CA$100.99 | CA$82.51 at checkout + CA$18.48 on delivery | |
| Seller must collect & prepay | CA$0.00 | Duties, taxes and fees you need to build into the price | |
- Unverified Preferential origin assumed: 0% duty (CUSMA/CETA/Canada–UK TCA). Check that your product qualifies.
Duties & taxes
Mail into Canada worth CAD 20 or less pays no duty or tax. Books, periodicals, alcohol and tobacco are excluded. Person-to-person gifts up to CAD 60 are exempt.
Courier shipments from other countries (UK, EU, Australia…) are only free of duty and tax up to CAD 20.
GST/HST is charged on imports at the buyer's province rate: 5% GST (AB, territories, and with provincial tax in BC, MB, SK, QC), HST 13% Ontario, 14% Nova Scotia (since 1 April 2025), 15% NB, NL, PEI. CBSA also collects PST on some imports.
UK- and EU-origin goods can get preferential (often 0%) Canadian duty under the Canada–UK Trade Continuity Agreement and CETA if you give an origin declaration. The rates for your product have not been checked here.
Who pays
On dutiable or taxable mail, Canada Post charges the buyer a CAD 9.95 handling fee per item, on top of duty and taxes.
Common pitfalls
- Small orders get hit hardest: on a £15 order the CAD 9.95 fee can be a big share of the price.
- Royal Mail parcels go through Canada Post, so the mail rules apply.
FAQ
Sources for this page
- Importing by mail or courier – Determining duty and taxes owed, Canada Border Services Agency. Accessed 20 Oct 2026. Verified
- Customs duty, taxes, and exemptions, Canada Post. Accessed 20 Oct 2026. Verified
- Increase to low-value shipment thresholds (CUSMA courier de minimis), Canada Border Services Agency. Accessed 20 Oct 2026. Partly verified
- GST/HST calculator (and rates), Canada Revenue Agency. Accessed 20 Oct 2026. Verified