Importing from overseas

[dam74]

What taxes will I pay on an item being imported into the country?
VAT and Import Duty?

What perctage is import duty?

[trillian]

Usually the import duty is very small, only a couple percent. It's mostly VAT. Then Royal Mail will charge an £8.00 'clearance fee' on top of that

[moonmanflyer]

All depends from where and how big, i got hit for £25 ish on importing my TZ kit, but that was not declaring the full value.
If it is smaller parcels you can get them easier, HK is easier than the US

[ddracer]

I know its wrong but if it's value is under £40 or marked as Gift, Spare Parts or repaired goods you don't get charged the tax.

[Steve]

Whenever I've had heli stuff from HK, it's been marked as a 'toy' and I've never been stung for any taxes. There's always a first time tho.

[projectak]

Yes, if you get the supplier to mark it as a gift you should avoid any charges.

[acwman]

Yes, if you get the supplier to mark it as a gift you should avoid any charges.

As ddracer has said it will have to be under a certain value for not getting hit for tax, even if it is marked up as a gift.

[daren]

As ddracer has said it will have to be under a certain value for not getting hit for tax, even if it is marked up as a gift.

$38 dollars if from over the pond.

[Nipster]

HM Revenue & Customs

Scroll down to Section 2.3 & 2.4

[Lynx.1677]

Customs have long been wise of oversea's sellers marking the value down or marking as gift or toy so it usually doesn't work. The last time i got hit was for a 250SE Super Combo. I got a letter from H&M customs askign to see my creditcard/paypal receipt and they would not release until I had provided that info. Added a nice £97 on top of what I paid for it.

[Jamin_00]

DAMN, I not seen someone get hit that hard.

[Aidi]

This question keeps popping up. It would seem that in most cases items ordered from Hong Kong, China, Taiwan etc get through without any added taxes from our lovely customs. However, if its from the US, then expect to get whacked with

1.. a lovely customs charge, and then
2.. an £8 surcharge for the post office to to their job! (i dont mind paying an admin charge, but £8 really is too much)

In the past 2 years, i have lost count how many items (all all varieties) i have ordered from the far east, and never been hit with customs, but EVERY item from the US has been subject to a charge.

Wonder how long it will be until a new system is in place to capture the far east market?

[Jamin_00]

Not long if they read ALL the threads on this subject and realise how much they are losing

[dam74]

I assume that £97 on top was the vat/custom duty and not £97 on top of what you paid for it for being a smart ass, then they worked out what vat/c.d. you ahd to pay

[Lynx.1677]

I assume that £97 on top was the vat/custom duty and not £97 on top of what you paid for it for being a smart ass, then they worked out what vat/c.d. you ahd to pay

Yeah VAT, Import Tax, Handling fee AND the £13 Royal Mail fee. Grrr.