Import Duty

[Richard]

Excuse my ignorance, but does anyone in the UK know if we have to pay any import duty on parts (like pistons) coming from the US, please? And if so, how do we go about paying it?!

 

Cheers

[pasotibbs]

Excuse my ignorance, but does anyone in the UK know if we have to pay any import duty on parts (like pistons) coming from the US, please? And if so, how do we go about paying it?!

 

Cheers

Duty doesn't apply within the EU but if its from outside the EU then if customs pick up on your parcel (some slip through) they work out the duty owing (from the value sticker that the sender has put on it) and stick a label onto it, the courier company then has to collect the amount owing on delivery(plus their handling fee ).

I seem to think its VAT and a sliding scale of import duty 5%-30% (or something like that), I think my parts where around 5%-10%.If I remember correctly including Courier Handling fee it added about £50 to a £200 order.But it may all depend on how the contents are described, Greg at Moto Int. labels his "Vintage Motorcycle Parts".

 

If you do a search there is a Customs and Excise site that explains it.

[guzzijack]

Generally speaking I have found that the type of carrier used has an influence on the likelihood of getting whacked for import duty. Nearly everything that has come to me via UPS, FedEx, DHL etc. has been hit with import duty at 6% of the value of the goods plus 17.5% VAT chargeable on the total plus the carriage. Then the carrier may add on an extra charge to cover the admin of collecting the duty!

 

I've never had duty imposed on any item sent via US Postal - delivered by Royal Mail - but I bet that will change now that I've mentioned it <_>

 

As pasotibbs has noted, it's always good insurance if the sender can be creative in their description of the goods - 'Customer's goods returned from repair' or something similar often helps.

 

GJ

[Ryland3210]

If sent by UPS, I have found it reduces cost to include a certificate of origin.

This can be an official looking packing list with the words: "Contents are 100% of U.S. Origin" for example.

 

Sending things by the mail system gets from the U.S. to the U.K. in a couple days, but recently, the U.K. postal/custom procedures took another 10 days. Although the U.S. postal charges were lower than UPS, the UK chargers were higher, so I'm back to using UPS for lower overall cost. There should be no VAT in goods imported from the U.S., but there may be customs duty calculated on the declared value. Usually it's 2-6%, but it depends on the category the customs people decide it belongs in.

[Guzzirider]

Excuse my ignorance, but does anyone in the UK know if we have to pay any import duty on parts (like pistons) coming from the US, please? And if so, how do we go about paying it?!

 

Cheers

 

If I need parts from the USA, they are sent to my brother in law in Pennsylvania who then sends them to me as Xmas or birthday presents. Import duty does not apply to gifts.

[macguzzi]

If I need parts from the USA, they are sent to my brother in law in Pennsylvania who then sends them to me as Xmas or birthday presents. Import duty does not apply to gifts.

Guy has it in one always get the seller to say it's a gift or used parts

[mike wilson]

I agree with avoiding the courier companies in favour of the postal services. The courier fee for handling the duty transaction can often be more than the duty itself. I have never been charged import duty. Just lucky, I suppose.

[richard100t]

I would ask the seller to wrap the item in gift wrapping! That may help a little