Any California residents to do me a favour?

Freefaller said:
I thought if stuff was sent marked as "gift" it didn't get import duty? Or is that an old wives tale?
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Customs duty is payable on all items outside the EU over a certain value (£15 now iirc). Rate depends on what it is and where it's coming from and can be as high as 85%.

Import VAT is also payable at the standard rate for items above a certain value.

Edit: From HMRC website

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 £15
Note that on all goods from outside the EU, Customs Duty is waived if the amount of duty calculated is £9 or under

It used to be the case that you could often get away with ordering higher value items and getting it marked as a gift with a value under £18 (the limit a few years ago) or £15 (the new limit) however they are pretty good now at catching these items so it's rare to get one through. They are also more proactive in going after people for trying to evade the duty/vat in this way.
 
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Freefaller said:
I thought if stuff was sent marked as "gift" it didn't get import duty? Or is that an old wives tale?
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I heard it's the receives responsibility to ensure the customs labels are accurate ;)

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/post/buying.htm#4
Gifts sent from outside the EU

If you're sending or receiving a gift from outside the EU:

Excise Duty is payable on any alcohol or tobacco products
Customs Duty is payable if the value of the gift exceeds £135, but will be waived if the amount of duty is £9 or under
import VAT is payable if the value of the gift exceeds £36

To qualify as a gift:

It must have been sent from a private person outside the EU to a private person(s) in the UK.
The Customs Declaration must be completed correctly – see guidance on the customs procedures for goods posted to the UK link below.
It must be for the use of either you or your family.
There must be no commercial or trade element and it must not have been paid for by the recipient either directly or indirectly.
It must be of an occasional nature only - for example for a birthday or anniversary.
If it's perfume or toilet water it must be within the allowances described in the earlier section 'Perfume and toilet water'. If the allowances are exceeded than charges apply on the excess.

Customs procedures for goods posted to the UK
Gifts ordered over the internet - UK tax and duty still due

Ordering and paying for goods over the internet to be sent to someone other than you, doesn't count as a gift. The recipient will be liable to UK duty and tax.
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OP is it toilet water?
 
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Who hasn't bud! Ordered so much stuff from the states over the years, and only had to pay duty twice and that was on really cheap parcels oddly.

I suspect the thread user is after some cannabis however....
 
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Although all of your guesses are quite imaginative, all I want is a few beers for a mate's wedding gift, and a few for me :D There is a very special one that is only sold in them states.

Jono said:
I'll be in California later in the year.
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If you fancy doing me the favour, let me know :)
 
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