TimeOut

This is one of those wildly excessive and confusing taxes, I had never previously paid this so I am asking the California locals here, do you pay this use tax after purchasing a watch from another country even if you had already paid the full state sales ... 

answer is fictitious and purely coincidental: I do not live in California. 🤣😆😂

I buy only in EU zone to avoid difficult administrative situations. The US market is full of good watches, and most of the best Swiss watch brands are present in the USA, so buy national and the prices are not reaching heaven. I am jealous that i am no Am... 

astute ........

I just happen never to have had to pay it specifically ........

Technically, you either pay sales tax or use tax if a company does not charge you the former. Retailers in foreign countries are not setup to charge you CA sales tax, that's why the forwarding company (FedEx, DHL, etc.) will charge you use tax upon cleari... 

I did already pay the 10.25% sales tax which was calculated based off of my shipping location. This of course on top of the customs duties and shipping itself. Much appreciate the clarification, I received a letter addressing this tax last night and went ... 

If the watch came from outside the United States, then you wouldn't have paid state sales tax and you owe Use Tax. Since the normal carriers (Fedex, DHL, TNT, UPS, etc or ) electronically report your imports to the California Department of Tax and Fee Adm... 

Unless they also have US physical location(s).