Artsper conditions
Import fees and customs duties are not included in the final total of your order. On Artsper you will pay the price of the artwork as well as the shipping costs. It will be mentioned in the first step of your shopping cart if your order will be subject to customs clearance.
Please note that Artsper is not able to calculate customs fees beforehand, as these are charged directly by the shipping company once the artwork has reached the destination country.
We can, however, confirm that they are calculated on the basis of the value of the artwork as declared by the gallery and the customs office in your country.
What is considered an artwork by the CBSA?
According to the Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA), this does not apply to mass-produced reproductions or pieces constructed in a "cookie-cutter" manner, where one design is repeated without extensive variance in style, even when artists perform this construction.
Paintings, Drawings and Pastels
The CBSA has deemed original paintings, drawings and pastels duty free. Any original artwork categorized as "other" by a customs agent--which could apply to artwork on surfaces other than canvas or paper--carries a duty of 5.5 % of the purchase price.
Collages and Plaques
Original collages and decorative plaques do not have a duty attached to them. However, original artwork categorized as "other," perhaps applying to atypical works using experimental materials such as organic or three-dimensional materials, carries a duty of 7 % of the purchase price.
Printing, Sculpture, Statues
"Original engravings, prints and lithographs," acccording to the CBSA, denote articles produced by the artist's hand in black-and-white or color, from one or several printing plates and not including any mechanical or photomechanical process. These works, along with original sculptures and statues, are duty free.
Note: If purchasing original artwork made in the United States or Mexico, the artwork is exempt from Canadian duty under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
NB: Artsper is not responsible for the rate applied by the customs services. The information in this article does not engage the responsibility of Artsper.