Mailing Pipe Tobacco

[pipefish]

Hi everyone, I'm in Europe and I've never shipped pipe tobacco through the US mail before. I've got some friends dropping by to see me over the next few weeks and they've agreed to take some tobacco back for me and ship them to my relative's house once they've returned to the US. One is going to Atlanta and the other to a small town in Wisconsin. Is there anything they need to do specifically in order to ship tobacco? Do they need to list it on the box or can they just box it up and ship it like any other parcel? Not sure if tobacco needs to be declared or if there is special pricing or taxes that need to be paid before shipping. Also, should they use the USPS or FedEx/UPS? Thanks in advance.

 

[morgansteele]

1. UPS will only ship tobacco products from companies that are licensed to sell tobacco.

2. USPS will allow you to ship pipe tobacco (but not cigarettes or smokeless tobacco).

3. FedEx will only ship tobacco products from companies that are licensed to sell tobacco.

 

[pipefish]

Thanks Morgansteele. So they can simply put the tobacco in a box and bring it to the USPS and ship it no questions asked? Do they need to state what is in the box (sorry, it's been a long time since I've shipped anything in the mail and don't know what laws, if any, there are about shipping tobacco). Thanks for the info about UPS and FedEx.

 

[cortezattic]

Getting the tobacco into the country is the main issue. Maybe someone with experience in going through U.S. Customs can provide some guidance.

 

[thedbs999]

Once the tobacco is in the US, have the person or persons sending the tobacco to Atlanta or Wisconsin put the tobacco in a small flat rate box or medium flat Rate Box ( can be got at the post office) depending on the amount they are sending. Close the box and then take to a post office, hand it to the clerk . The clerk will ask if there is anything fragile, liquid, perishable, ect. They say No. Then the clerk will place postage paid sticker on the box and off it goes. Don't have to tell the clerk it's tobacco. If the clerk would ask tell them to make something up.
Dan

 

[scloyd]

USPS Priority Flat Rate box is probably your best way to go. You'll pay one flat rate price no matter what it weighs. Plus you'll get a tracking number so you can track it online up to delivery. The flat rate boxes look like this...

 

[rfernand]

Do not ship anything to and from Washington state.

 

[mso489]

I ship a lot of small packages, and in my experience, the flat rate boxes are only a bargain if you have something that fits the box and is heavy for its size, a bag of walnuts for example. Most tobacco is light for its size, even in tins, and ships more inexpensively in a recycled box of appropriate size, as small as possible, or a freebie priority box that is not flat rate. I realize I'm splitting hairs, but it saves money. USPS doesn't need any special paperwork or customs for mailing tobacco within the U.S. as an earlier post pointed out.

 

[mikethompson]

I would think shipping tobacco within the US is fairly straightforward, its when it crosses into customs that you get into issues.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

And even when shipping outside from U.S thers is no significant problems,simply furnish the package with Customs dispatch label on the surface and off it goes via USPS International First Class ,fairly affordable and dependable shipping method to all European destinations at least.