I'm traveling to the US and my suitcase is packed with various electronics, including sensors, development boards, soldering tips, an oscilloscope, a flight controller, a mini car washer pump, and some handheld sewing machine batteries (which I plan to bring in my carry-on). Most of these items are used or older. I'm curious about whether I need to declare these electronics at customs and if there are any tariffs I should be aware of.
3 Answers
You don't really have to do anything at customs unless you're carrying expensive items. If you think their value is around $1,000 total, it might be worth declaring before you leave your home country, just in case they try to charge you customs when you come back. Also, keep in mind the rules about flying with batteries; those can get tricky.
Usually, you don't need to declare personal electronics like you would with a toolkit or a laptop. As long as they’re for personal use and not brand new, you should be fine.
You shouldn’t have to declare them, but just a heads up about the batteries—make sure they’re under 100 watt-hours as those regulations can get complicated. Just stay safe and check the guidelines!