Duty on t shirts shipped from the US to Canada
A $50.00 order of t shirts from the US, made outside North America, costs between $21.90 and $27.80 at the door by mail and between $2.50 and $7.50 by courier, depending on the province.
Made outside North America
| Province or territory | Tax at the border | $50.00 by mail | $50.00 by courier | $200.00 by mail | $200.00 by courier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | GST 5% | $21.90 | $2.50 | $57.75 | $47.80 |
| British Columbia | GST 5% | $21.90 | $2.50 | $57.75 | $47.80 |
| Manitoba | GST 5% | $21.90 | $2.50 | $57.75 | $47.80 |
| New Brunswick | HST 15% | $27.80 | $7.50 | $81.35 | $71.40 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | HST 15% | $27.80 | $7.50 | $81.35 | $71.40 |
| Nova Scotia | HST 14% | $27.21 | $7.00 | $78.99 | $69.04 |
| Northwest Territories | GST 5% | $21.90 | $2.50 | $57.75 | $47.80 |
| Nunavut | GST 5% | $21.90 | $2.50 | $57.75 | $47.80 |
| Ontario | HST 13% | $26.62 | $6.50 | $76.63 | $66.68 |
| Prince Edward Island | HST 15% | $27.80 | $7.50 | $81.35 | $71.40 |
| Quebec | GST 5% | $21.90 | $2.50 | $57.75 | $47.80 |
| Saskatchewan | GST 5% | $21.90 | $2.50 | $57.75 | $47.80 |
| Yukon | GST 5% | $21.90 | $2.50 | $57.75 | $47.80 |
Made in the US, with a CUSMA claim
| Province or territory | Tax at the border | $50.00 by mail | $50.00 by courier | $200.00 by mail | $200.00 by courier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | GST 5% | $12.45 | $2.50 | $19.95 | $10.00 |
| British Columbia | GST 5% | $12.45 | $2.50 | $19.95 | $10.00 |
| Manitoba | GST 5% | $12.45 | $2.50 | $19.95 | $10.00 |
| New Brunswick | HST 15% | $17.45 | $7.50 | $39.95 | $30.00 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | HST 15% | $17.45 | $7.50 | $39.95 | $30.00 |
| Nova Scotia | HST 14% | $16.95 | $7.00 | $37.95 | $28.00 |
| Northwest Territories | GST 5% | $12.45 | $2.50 | $19.95 | $10.00 |
| Nunavut | GST 5% | $12.45 | $2.50 | $19.95 | $10.00 |
| Ontario | HST 13% | $16.45 | $6.50 | $35.95 | $26.00 |
| Prince Edward Island | HST 15% | $17.45 | $7.50 | $39.95 | $30.00 |
| Quebec | GST 5% | $12.45 | $2.50 | $19.95 | $10.00 |
| Saskatchewan | GST 5% | $12.45 | $2.50 | $19.95 | $10.00 |
| Yukon | GST 5% | $12.45 | $2.50 | $19.95 | $10.00 |
Estimated charges at the door, in CAD. Estimate from official government data, updated October 19, 2026. Not customs advice.
What to know about t shirts
A T shirt counts as made where it was sewn, not where it was printed. Many blanks used for print on demand are sewn in Central America or Asia, so a shirt printed in the US often does not qualify for CUSMA.
This guide uses tariff code 6109.10. Canada's ordinary duty on it is 18%, or none with a CUSMA claim for goods that qualify. The US ordinary duty is 16.5%.
Why these numbers
Courier parcels from the US enter Canada with no duty up to C$150 and no tax up to C$40. Mail only gets a C$20 limit, and Canada Post adds a handling fee when anything is owed.
The sales tax charged at the border depends on the province: HST at 15% in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island; HST at 14% in Nova Scotia; HST at 13% in Ontario, and GST at 5% everywhere else. It is charged on the value plus any duty. Provincial sales tax in British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Quebec is not in these estimates.
Where the product was made decides the duty rate: goods made in the US, Canada or Mexico can enter duty free with a CUSMA claim.
Over the last year, made in China
Open the tariff tracker for every product, route and country. Estimates, not customs advice.
Your exact order
Check your own purchase
Change the price, where it was made, or how it ships.
Your estimate appears here.
Pick a product and price, then check.
Get an email when the rules change
Free, with no account. We write only when a tariff, surtax or ban on t shirts from the US into Canada starts, ends or changes.
Questions
Good to know
Do I pay duty on t shirts shipped to Canada?
A $50.00 order of t shirts from the US, made outside North America, costs between $21.90 and $27.80 at the door by mail and between $2.50 and $7.50 by courier, depending on the province.
Why does the province matter?
The sales tax charged at the border depends on the province: HST at 15% in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island; HST at 14% in Nova Scotia; HST at 13% in Ontario, and GST at 5% everywhere else. It is charged on the value plus any duty. Provincial sales tax in British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Quebec is not in these estimates.
Why do mail and courier cost different amounts?
Canada uses higher duty and tax free limits for courier parcels from the US than for mail, and Canada Post charges a handling fee on mail that owes anything.
How accurate is this?
These estimates use official government data, updated October 19, 2026: the US tariff schedule, Canada's customs tariff and surtax orders, and the Bank of Canada exchange rate. They are still estimates, not customs advice: the exact tariff code, your paperwork and the carrier's fees decide the final amount. Use the checker below for your exact price and product.