Import Duty

[Nick V]

I have never purchased anything from the good old U.S. of A before, so can someone explain how import duty works please? What sort of percentage of the purchase price is paid, etc?

Cheers, Nick

[BUSHWHACKER]

To be honest, I think it depends what mood they're in on the day.
I had three boxes of parts shipped over last week and I had to go to the Parcel force depot and pay £105!


I had the exact same items a couple of months back, again three seperate boxes from the same place, but they came straight to my door via regular post, didn't have to pay any duty!!!

[Nick V]

To be honest, I think it depends what mood they're in on the day.
I had three boxes of parts shipped over last week and I had to go to the Parcel force depot and pay £105!


I had the exact same items a couple of months back, again three seperate boxes from the same place, but they came straight to my door via regular post, didn't have to pay any duty!!!

Thanks Vince. How was the import duty that you paid worked out? I am assuming it was a percentage of the total cost of goods>

Cheers, Nick

[GBV8]

There is a list on the HMRC website somewhere (pdf document) which shows all the percentages of duty to be paid on various types of goods. I was buying bicycles which was 30%!
I did buy a few bikes from the states which were marked as 'replacements' on the invoice so no duty or vat.

If I find it I'll post a link.

[slobodan]

+ VAT?

[GBV8]

Found a Podcast you can listen to on the HMRC website.

Fu*k that, it's a Saturday afternoon. Found these nuggets of info too but after reading it I think it's a case of "We will charge you whatever the f**k we like "



Tax on goods bought from a non-EU country
If you're ordering or sending goods from a non-EU country to the UK - even as a gift - you may have to pay Customs Duty, Excise Duty and Import VAT.

Please note that where the guidance below refers to 'purchased goods' it makes no difference if the goods are new or used - for example goods bought on an auction site. And it doesn't matter if you buy them for yourself or to sell on.


All other goods
If you order or send purchased goods other than alcohol, tobacco, perfume and toilet water from a country outside the EU then you:

•don't have to pay Excise Duty
•may have to pay Customs Duty on goods with a value that exceeds £135
•will have to pay Import VAT on goods with a value that exceeds £18
Note that on all goods from outside the EU, Customs Duty is waived if the amount of duty calculated is £9 or under.


Customs Duty
Customs duty is a tax charged on importation of goods produced outside the European Union (EU). You won't have to pay Customs Duty if you're travelling from the EU, or buying, ordering or sending goods to the UK from the EU for your own use. For a list of countries in the EU, see the guide under 'More useful links'.

Customs Duty allowances
Customs Duty is only payable on goods from outside the EU over a certain value. This value depends on whether you're bringing the goods in yourself, or they're being sent by post.

If you're a traveller arriving in the UK from outside the EU, you only have to pay Customs Duty if you exceed your duty free allowance.

If you're posting goods to the UK, or ordering them from a non-EU country, you only have to pay Customs Duty above a certain value.

Custom Duty rates for specific products
Customs Duty is charged as a percentage of the total value of the goods - that is the sterling equivalent of the price paid abroad.

To work out the percentage, each type of product is given a 'commodity code'. This tells you what the Customs Duty rate percentage is for that particular product, based on whether it's being imported or exported.

There are around 14,000 different classifications. The duty rate percentage for each may vary according to the country the goods come from. The average percentage is between 5 and 9 per cent, but it can be as low as 0 per cent or as high as 85 per cent.

[Nick V]

Thanks Gary, interesting! I agree, I think they will probably charge what they want!!!! I will have to trawl through the list of goods so I know a rough figure of what I may have to pay.

Cheers, Nick

[nos4ra2]

I guess they do charge what they want-the b*stards charged me 30 quid import duty on a £50 boat propeller last year. Doesn't look like it was even in those guidelines.