Anyone got a guide on what % of import tax I am bound to pay for goods bought in USA.

 

Cheers John Crisp

Don't know the going rate mate but I just bought something from the states for 70 dollars and got screwed for £23.98 Tax! :o

Well 2 years ago I bought some cheap jewellery from the states and got stung with 33% at the customs in the UK. :mad: DHL phoned me up and told me I had to pay it there and then or it would be sent back :rant: I paid but wont do it again. Since then I have asked the sender to send it as a gift. That works if they will? :D

 

HTH

Vince

http://www.300zx.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=50782&highlight=IMPORT+TAX

sending as a gift is not guarenteed to avoid tax, import duty is calculated on a per case basis.

 

I put this up some time ago

 

http://www.300zx.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=29629

sending as a gift is not guarenteed to avoid tax, import duty is calculated on a per case basis.

 

I put this up some time ago

 

http://www.300zx.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=29629

 

Sorry mate but if you havent bought the item you dont have to pay any tax on it. Even the customs and excise office dont make you pay for a birthday present?

 

EG: How can they calculate tax percentage on something that hasn't cost anything?

 

I have had plenty of stuff from the states from EBay sent as a gift and never had any problems. Fireworks alite again. :D

Well its actually the wife has ordered a dress (not for me) and shoes etc for my daughter, total cost 190 dollars plus post, UPS want 64 quid. I think thats excessive, the wife is at 25 k feet as she has paid for the goods etc.

I have bought bits n bobs for the zed from Courtesy and I never paid anything like that in import tax.

 

70 dollars=23.98 pounds import tax, that would equate approx to the figure quoted by UPS taking into consideration the post..........robbin barstewards me thinks.

 

Vini, maybee with e-bay when buying from a person and not a company its easier to mark something as a gift rather than a purchase liable for tax??

 

Cheers John Crisp

Traders are legally obliged to declare what goods they are shipping on a customs form.

If it's something small and gift-like then they may do you a favour and mark it as such but if you order a heap of parts from a well known car spares shop then they know they won't get away with it and risk getting fined.

Is a PTU, injectors and some harness parts coming from Courtesy Nissan really going to fool anyone that it's a gift?

They can and do open your packages.

 

You pay VAT + a percentage based on the type of item being imported.

I usually count on paying just over 20% and if it gets through without the tax man spotting it then that's a bonus.

Import tax varies on the product but normally around 4%. VAT is the killer at 17.5% so about 20% of the price altogether. Sometimes you don't get done for it though. Where possible get the supplier to address it as a "sample" or "gift" then its tax exempt. ;)

the rules changed a while back.

 

anything including gifts with a purchase value above £18 is subject to customs taric and tax.

The personnel allowance is actually £36 before you should pay any import tax and vat etc problem is any courier that brings it in will have to pay it up and will charge you for this as well and it can be pretty expensive. As people have said there are little loop holes you can exploit like getting the sender to declare is as Warrantee replacement, low value goods, marketing material and i think there are a few more but another one is to get them to address the goods to every member of your family ;) i know that sounds silly but if you get your goods addressed to 5 family members then you qualify for 5 x the £36 personnel allowance :)

 

Mike

Sorry mate but if you havent bought the item you dont have to pay any tax on it. Even the customs and excise office dont make you pay for a birthday present?

 

EG: How can they calculate tax percentage on something that hasn't cost anything?

 

I have had plenty of stuff from the states from EBay sent as a gift and never had any problems. Fireworks alite again. :D

 

 

Everything has a value, read my post, items under the value of £36 are exempt from tax if sent as a gift, however if someone buys you a $1000 laptop you have to pay duty

 

 

You can put something down as null value but you run two risks

 

1) it being opened and possibly seized

2) it getting lost and you are therefore not insured, because insurance value is the listed item value that is listed when sent.

 

 

all these little loopholes arnt really loopholes, the goverment knows exactly what goes on, and there are practises in place to prevent people scamming tax and duty.

 

 

 

 

GIFTS from one private individual to another PROVIDING THE VALUE DOES NOT EXCEED £36 (45 euro). Exception: There is a very restricted gift allowance on excise goods (see below) but you are advised to contact Customs for further information.

The personnel allowance is actually £36 before you should pay any import tax and vat etc problem is any courier that brings it in will have to pay it up and will charge you for this as well and it can be pretty expensive. As people have said there are little loop holes you can exploit like getting the sender to declare is as Warrantee replacement, low value goods, marketing material and i think there are a few more but another one is to get them to address the goods to every member of your family ;) i know that sounds silly but if you get your goods addressed to 5 family members then you qualify for 5 x the £36 personnel allowance :)

 

Mike

 

 

for a warrantee replacement overseas you need to contact custom and excise to let them know the item is coming through as a replacement before it is sent, they may want confirmation the old item is sent back or not in working order.

The percentage is difficult to work out because all inbound shipments go through the Royal Mail depot at Coventry, who then contact the Custom people (they have an office there) to decide the tax. Unfortunately the Royal Mail then stick their fee on top for doing this, and if it is to be delivered bt the Royal Mail as well, it will be transfered to your local depot, who also charge their fee for handling it. You get stitched up like a kipper. If the US shipper uses Fedex and the same in the UK, you can pay nothing at all.

The percentage is difficult to work out because all inbound shipments go through the Royal Mail depot at Coventry, who then contact the Custom people (they have an office there) to decide the tax. Unfortunately the Royal Mail then stick their fee on top for doing this, and if it is to be delivered bt the Royal Mail as well, it will be transfered to your local depot, who also charge their fee for handling it. You get stitched up like a kipper. If the US shipper uses Fedex and the same in the UK, you can pay nothing at all.

 

thats actually not true only if the sender ships via the postal service in that country so in the US its the USPS and so on then yes it all comes into the Parcelforce hub in coventry where yes there are customs based in the hub (miserable gits ;) )

 

when being shipped via DHL, Fedex etc etc the same still applies!! they all have to abide by the import rules and have there own customs people based in there hubs so dont think by getting something shipped via fedex that you will not have to pay because you will be badly mistaken.

 

As Mr Groves said if you ask for the item to be marked up as a low value then your stuffed if it gets lost/damaged and you need to claim. Thats why i always ask for it as warrantee replacement as its unlikely they would ask for anymore info ;)

 

Mike

I got done for £70 for me car cover........Not impressed.