Pete Howlett
Well-known member
Just had a uke held up in customs requiring Lacey declaration despite being under $2500. Looks like a form will have to accompany every piece into the US. You fill it out online and save as pdf.
Lacey Heads up for exporters to US
- Thread starter Pete Howlett
- Start date
BR Ukuleles
Well-known member
Do you have a link to the form Pete?
OP
OP
Pete Howlett
Well-known member
Just type Lacey Act Form into google and the link will come up. Make sure you use the genus and specie names avoiding words like rosewood and mahogany 
My instrument was made from all African and European wooods so should have been released. Remember you will likely have a plywood case which you must also list.
My instrument was made from all African and European wooods so should have been released. Remember you will likely have a plywood case which you must also list.
DPO
Well-known member
From the information on the Lacey site it appears to be the Importer of the item (instrument) that is responsible for filling in the declaration form, not the exporter.
OP
OP
Pete Howlett
Well-known member
No Dennis - in this instance you are not correct. You, the exporter must do it. How else would the various columns asking for weight and costs of each element be given? These are generated by the manufacturer.
DPO
Well-known member
Well in the faq's downloaded from the same site as the form it states that.
The Importer of record is responsible for the filling in and signing of the form, a third party eg a broker may sign on the importers behalf but only if they hold a legal Power of Attorney for that person.
Which makes sense to me , as the whole act is about stopping the Importation of endangered species they are not concerned as much about the exporter.
southcoastukes
Well-known member
We have too much experience in this as we "import" our own instruments (they've always been built in Central America). Dennis & Pete are both right in a sense. The importer / customer is responsible for filling out the Lacey form, but as a practical matter, they won't know scientific names and weights for every piece of wood in the instrument (inlay, bracing, etc.).
So the builder should fill out a form. Technically it should then go to the customer for his signature, then back to the builder so he can attach it.
Here's the primary link:
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/lacey_act/downloads/declarationform.pdf
But you'll need a lot more than 5 lines, so just copy this page to cover all plant materials (wood & shell / we put in bone as well):
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/lacey_act/downloads/declarationform-supp.pdf
So the builder should fill out a form. Technically it should then go to the customer for his signature, then back to the builder so he can attach it.
Here's the primary link:
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/lacey_act/downloads/declarationform.pdf
But you'll need a lot more than 5 lines, so just copy this page to cover all plant materials (wood & shell / we put in bone as well):
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/lacey_act/downloads/declarationform-supp.pdf
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DPO
Well-known member
Thanks Dirk,
My take is that the buyer/importer is responsible for the declaration form and indeed it is his/her signature that must be attached to it. IF US customs want to get picky and find that someone other than the Importer has signed the declaration they could decide to get quite difficult about it.
OP
OP
Pete Howlett
Well-known member
That may be the case but you cannot as the builder expect the client to fill out the form - it's why I had the email from UPS in Louisville... they understand enough to know that if you make the effort and they have something on paper (I didn't know the various codes) we have all done our bit! And of it goes into a filing cabinet never to be seen again.
DPO
Well-known member
All well and good Pete. If you're happy, and the buyers happy , and the US customs are happy, so be it. However .......................
Timbuck
Well-known member
last week I sent a Uke to the good ol US by way of "Parcel2go" I chose a new service "Landmark Collect" when I booked it in they said "there is a problem" when I contacted a lady on their chat line She asked "what was it made of "?..I said "wood" ..She then asked "what kind of wood ?" I said "African Mahogany and Indian Rosewood and glue"..She then said "That will do Fine"... She made a few adjustments to the booking ..and that was that ..Next day it was picked up, lable scanned, and carried off to the van.....I don't know if it's got there yet.. website tracking shows "still in transit".
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OP
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Pete Howlett
Well-known member
Blimey Ken - you lucked out there mentioning the R word and not getting picked up for it.....
