Home › Forums › Costa Rica Living Forum › Importing Tools to Costa Rica
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February 13, 2006 at 12:00 am #174755KenMember
I’ve heard that it can be very expensive to bring personal items into the country due to import tax. I am a hobbiest woodworker and have several large machines and a shop full of tools. Does anyone have any idea as to what I could expect bringing these to Costa Rica?
February 13, 2006 at 11:33 pm #174756breezygirl7MemberHi I’ll know more after Tuesday. I just finished helping my friends pack for their move to CR. At last count they had 16 large bins and suitcases loaded with lots of tools and household items. Seriously at least half were items like chainsaws, circular saws, table saws and hundreds of hand tools. They are flying on Martin air and supposedly only have to pay the weight charge since all the items are personal use. As I said I will keep you informed as to the total shipping weight, total shipping cost and any additional fees they may be charged. Terri
February 14, 2006 at 9:54 am #174757DENISEMemberwhere are your friends flying from and to where….?…this is so interesting…..
DeniseFebruary 14, 2006 at 11:51 am #174758AndrewKeymasterYou may wish to see the following article at:
How Do Import Taxes Work in Costa Rica
There are some useful links at the bottom of this attorney’s article too…
Scott – Founder
WeLoveCostarica.comFebruary 14, 2006 at 12:46 pm #174759breezygirl7MemberMy friends are flying from Miami to San Jose. To give you an idea about the volume: They left for the airport this morning in a fully packed 7 passenger mini van. Besides themselves they are bringing along a golden retriever and the carrier. The entire rest of the space was FULL with rubbermaid bins and odd size suitcases. To carry all the heavy tools they had been scouring thrift shops for old fashioned heavy duty samsonite luggage. There was a Beverly Hillbilly sense about their departure. LOL. The only thing missing was granny tied to the roof.
We enjoyed a farewell dinner last night at Carrabba’s and they are aware they need to share all the details of the airport experience and costs for everyone else to learn from.
left behind, TerriFebruary 15, 2006 at 12:43 am #174760DENISEMemberBreezygirl, u must keep me updated on this adventure your friends are on…..like did all their belongings make it ,,,,,
i had met a guy who was bringing several surfboards to his home in CR,,,he had brought things from the states little by little but not everything would arrive….just disappeared???!!! hhhmmmm
so it will be interesting to see if all the totes make it….i was just informed by a co-worker that there is a potential uprising against Americans in CR by Leftists in CR….he gave me no details but was concerned that it made the news….anyone here of anything like this lately?
deniseFebruary 15, 2006 at 12:58 am #174761AndrewKeymasterHmmm! Sounds like a load of ‘basura’ to me ….
1. What “leftists” are you referring to exactly?
2. What exactly made the news?
3. What sort of “potential uprising?”
4. Where is your “co-worker”?Scott – Founder
WeLoveCostaRica.comFebruary 16, 2006 at 5:49 pm #174762KenMemberThanks Breezygirl,
I never thought of bring so much with the airline. I’m curious how that will work out. I am thinking of cargo containers by boat, I live near a major port in Florida. I think I will have to do that for some of the heavy stuff (my table saw alone is 450lbs.) . And that is just the tip of the iceberg. I have lots of high grade lumber, like mahogany and such. I’m going to make them into shipping crates for my equipment, so I won’t be charged a duty, then disassemble them to make furniture when I arrive. I also have lots of glass (stained glass supplies) which I will have to crate up. I’m just in the planning stages. I still have to finish my house to sell. My plan is to go the first of the year (2007). Which sounds like a long time, but I feel like I’m rushed for time already.
I’m sure glad there are groups like this out there. The help and advice is invaluable. I’ll be glad when I’m on the other side of the fence helping others with my experiences.February 17, 2006 at 1:40 am #174763jasmanMemberYou plan to bring mahogany from the US to Costa Rica? Isn’t that like coal to Newcastle? In Costa Rica, mahogany is almost considered a weed. 😉
February 17, 2006 at 5:26 am #174764saltwaterMemberThis is for Denise, I was in Golfito last year during a soccer game, (dont remember who was playing who) and later in the evening a group of trucks began parading up and down the main road with red and black flags, horns blaring, firecrackers and pistols going off. “whats going on?” I asked one of the locals, whom Id been hanging out with. “oh, its just the longistas(?)” he said. I thought he said sandanistas, and I told my girlfreind we shoud hide in our hotel for the evening. a few hours later, my freind came back. Why arent you hanging outside? he asked. Are the sandanistas gone? we asked? EVERYBODY got a good laugh out of that, including us.
February 17, 2006 at 10:30 am #174765breezygirl7MemberHi Everyone, The Eagle has landed along with the dog. Yahoo. My friends highly rec. Martin air as everyone was genuinly helpful. Apparently extra weight charges are usually 75 USD for each additional 70 lb bag/container. Although the airline was specific with weighing the containers they did not enforce the full charges. Some bags weighed well over and they were not charged for all additional bags. Total cost was 700USD for 16 large tupperware containers and suitcases.
There were no additional custom charges although they did receive a stamp in their passport that noted they can not bring in another computer for 6 months. They declared the fairly new desktop at 500 and there were no additional charges.
The tools and art supplies received some interest by authorities but they accepted the explanations for their use and the gas had been emptied appropriately prior to transport. (There was a chainsaw and other small motor tool)
My girlfriend remarked that although she’s happy they have a drill press and tin snips she wishes they had also brought along all the small household appliances as they are about double in price in CR.
I guess I really can get them a blender and toaster as a housewarming gift.
She’ll be signing on soon to give everyone an update about all the things they wish they had known in advance.
Fairwinds, TerriFebruary 17, 2006 at 11:17 am #174766KenMemberThanks for the update Terri,
That’s very encouraging. I like martinair as well. It would be nice to have a list on here as to what people think should be brought along and what the regret having brought or left behind. I’m thinking of getting rid of almost everything, except all my tools and machines, but I wonder how easy it will be for me to bring down my two dogs and find a furnished apartment to rent while I find a place to buy. So many questions, so little time!February 17, 2006 at 11:23 am #174767KenMemberMaybe you are right. I’m trying to think things through. It’s a prized wood here. I guess I would be better served to sell it here.
Thanks for the wake up call. There are so many things to think about before making the move, it’s hard to make all the right choices. That’s why this forum is so great!February 17, 2006 at 11:54 am #174768DENISEMemberhow funny! when i asked my boss where he heard this newsflash, he was very foggy on details….hmmmm i said to myself….and went on with my dreaming of moving SOUTH…heck, we have people taking property here in the US and they say it is legal….
aren’t longistas lobsters???????February 17, 2006 at 11:58 am #174769DENISEMemberTerri your thread is great….did the golden make it also….?
i can’t imagine a golden dealing with the heat and humidity…..all the more reason to move to the coast….to run the beaches, chasing birds, crabs, turtles….wait, that is my dream…. -
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