How to save on import taxes when ordering from LightPainting.Store
Since October 21st, 2025, we now pre-pay all duties, tariffs, and import taxes for most international orders. What you see at checkout is your final total: no surprise fees on delivery.
We ship from Montréal, Canada, and most of our tools are handmade in Canada, which often qualifies them for duty-free import under international trade agreements (USA and Mexico).
Canada: Taxes are included at checkout based on the province you are located. No import duties.
United States: Made-in-Canada products qualify for duty-free import under the USMCA trade agreement (tubes, blades, squares). We pre-pay all import taxes and tariffs: nothing to pay on delivery. Some products made in China or the USA (like flashlights or fiber optics) may still be subject to small import fees. Same goes for products made of aluminum, no matter the country of origin.
United Kingdom: VAT and import duties are pre-paid at checkout (DDP). Orders under £135: VAT only. Orders over £135: VAT + import duties (all pre-paid).
European Union: VAT and duties are included in the checkout total. Orders under €150: VAT only. Orders over €150: VAT + import duties.
Australia: GST and duties are pre-paid. Orders under AUD 1,000: typically GST only.
New Zealand: GST and duties are pre-paid when applicable.
Mexico: Duties and taxes are pre-paid at checkout. Canadian-made tools often qualify for USMCA duty-free import.
Switzerland & Norway: Low-value goods tax and duties are pre-paid for smoother delivery.
Japan: Orders under ¥10,000: usually tax-free. Orders above ¥10,000: duties and taxes are pre-paid.
Hong Kong & China: Duties and taxes are pre-paid whenever possible, depending on the item and destination.
✅ All duties, tariffs, and import taxes pre-paid since October 21, 2025
Disclaimer:
We do our best to keep this information accurate and up to date, but import rules and tax thresholds can change quickly. We can’t take responsibility for any changes, new regulations, or additional charges that may apply after publication. The list above has been provided by Shopify, which is the online store system we have been using since 2018.