Importing from the US?

[Topcat]

Need some advice as soon as possible please!

Any idea's how to minimise the cost from customs etc.  Does anybody know the code I need to use.

I am importing a complete bike and of course gonna make sure it is properly insured so I guess that will mean no fiddling its worth....... not that I would ever do that Mr Customs officer! 

[Andy]

If you are insuring it and its worth more than 30 bucks you will pay, unless it slips through.

There is no magical code.

What they will charge you appears to be made up depending on how they feel, but the bottom line is under 30 bucks your ok, over 30 buck expect to pay

Andy

[Mattskybeat]

unless it is returned goods, if its marked up as returns there is no charge as they think its already been paid

[Topcat]

If you are insuring it and its worth more than 30 bucks you will pay, unless it slips through.

There is no magical code.

What they will charge you appears to be made up depending on how they feel, but the bottom line is under 30 bucks your ok, over 30 buck expect to pay

Andy

Cheers Andy

I am sure I'll have to pay as its well over 30 bucks.  I know from importing something else that every item you can legally import has a code associated to it and some items have multiple codes.  I'll call up Customs on Monday and see what the options are.  You pay different amounts of duty depending on what the item is coded up as.

[Topcat]

unless it is returned goods, if its marked up as returns there is no charge as they think its already been paid

Do you have to prove you sent it out though?

[Andy]

I have been told by a good friend who works in customs that you have to pay VAT on goods over a certain value,
e.g someone buys goods in the uk, oays vat takes them abroad and then ships them back to themselves, unless they have documented proof that they have already paid the VAT on it they will get charged again

I dont know about returns but the people that work theyre are not stupid and have probably heard every trick in the book.
I always used to budget for the charge when I was working it out if it was a genuine saving buying from the us or not, most times it was but the odd time is wasnt

Good luck anyway
Andy

[Topcat]

I have been told by a good friend who works in customs that you have to pay VAT on goods over a certain value,
e.g someone buys goods in the uk, oays vat takes them abroad and then ships them back to themselves, unless they have documented proof that they have already paid the VAT on it they will get charged again

I dont know about returns but the people that work theyre are not stupid and have probably heard every trick in the book.
I always used to budget for the charge when I was working it out if it was a genuine saving buying from the us or not, most times it was but the odd time is wasnt

Good luck anyway
Andy

Cheers Andy,

I am sure I am still saving (I couldn't find the bike I wanted in the UK anyway) but yep I think I may as well expect to get busted.  Any idea of what % I would expect to pay?

[retrogeezer]

so what have you bought?

[bmxmatt1974]

i have read somewhere before that if box is marked up childrens goods then you dont pay tax, not sure if true or not as havnt tried it, but maybe worth trying.

[darren]

i just got a frame set sent over marked as a childs bike part value $50 and no charges.
i had paid $500 . and it got here in 2 1/2 days!!

[ftobmx]

Just got stung today, spent $550 marked as Childrens Toys and was charged £76

[se]

My week - Torker cruiser frameset and bits, stung for £143. Mint gold DXs, no charge. Thank you Gordon Brown!

[robsta]

I Work at the main courier customs clearing shed at Heathrow where every courier company going ships through us .ups ,tnt fedex ,dhl ,. Anything that come's to us that is over £18 and is not in the eu
is classed as high value and is charged at 17.5%.
so what ever price you declare on the master airway bill will be charged at that so £1000 + 17.5 %.
All ways best to mark the value for insurence incase it goes missing. Also drug hotspots like say miami ,ect ect allways get held and searched no matter what.. as for this magic code i have never heard of that .Customs dont look for code's they look for value .I do no many customs officers and they dont no of any code. not in the couier game anyway. it might be different if it's mail .if they open your package and think that it's worth more than it's declared they will hold it  and you might never get it .

[Frosty]

Robsta,

I think the code people are referring to is the one (I think it was you anyway) that you posted some time ago. I know I have been using it but it is only a duty tarif code for bicycle parts etc the number is 9501009000, all this does is reduce the import duty to a zero rate.

As you say anything imported from outside the EU will attract a VAT charge if declared value is more than the equivalent of GBP18 or so.

Most sellers are reluctant to state a low value for high worth goods for the obvious insurance and possible reclaim reasons.

Although it is hit and miss about whether a particular customs officer on any given day will raise a charge, we should always expect the vat on the declared value PLUS the cost of postage to the UK, the add the charge from Royal Mail or Parcel Force for their admin

Regards

Paul