Uk import duty.

touch · 29 Jun 2008 at 11:51

I want to buy myself a new bicycle. The one i like can be bougt for about £1000 cheaper from an american website. (they have an option for international shipping)

Has anybody done this before? or better still does anyone know how to work out what customs will charge me? (the bike is $2700).

I'v already done a search and cant find anything, also looked on the customs and revenue site and am now hopelessly lost on it

Vulcan · 29 Jun 2008 at 11:55

15% Duty, 17.5% VAT.

There's a tool called "Import Vat and Duty Calculator" that I found on a UK import forum. Google for that, it's very handy.

Dist · 29 Jun 2008 at 12:13

You will also have to pay some customs handeling charges, and some delivery services will also add their own charge for having to take it off customs hands.

Vulcan · 29 Jun 2008 at 12:27

Dist said:
You will also have to pay some customs handeling charges, and some delivery services will also add their own charge for having to take it off customs hands.

Yeah thieving buggers! They always charge ridiculous fees.

bennyboy2606 · 29 Jun 2008 at 12:34

How about not declaring it, and saying its a gift from an American friend?

Jokester · 29 Jun 2008 at 12:41

It's going to be pretty hard to sneak a $2700 bike past customs as a gift.

ElvisFan · 29 Jun 2008 at 13:13

What really curdles my cheese is when you can't get an item anywhere but the USA. I can just about sort of see the logic in import duty for items that could instead be bought locally.

But when your buying something that has no UK alternative then I don't believe you should pay the import tariff. But then, how would they know?

aslco · 29 Jun 2008 at 13:32

Yeah my mate bought a BMX from America. It took a month after the predicted 1 week. I didnt hear anything about customs ect though.

Biohazard · 29 Jun 2008 at 14:28

Jokester said:
It's going to be pretty hard to sneak a $2700 bike past customs as a gift.

Not really.

Getting the company to list it up as a gift would be more troublesome.

Jokester · 29 Jun 2008 at 14:30

Biohazard said:
Not really.

Getting the company to list it up as a gift would be more troublesome.

Yeah, but isn't the limit on gifts something like £50?

And if it goes missing, when it comes to claim off insurance you're screwed.

Biohazard · 29 Jun 2008 at 14:34

Jokester said:
Yeah, but isn't the limit on gifts something like £50?

And if it goes missing, when it comes to claim off insurance you're screwed.

£36 quid or something.

It all really depends on where the bike comes in tbh, getting passed customs isn't much of a concern.

You'd never get the company to do it though.

Also with the insurance, yes that would shoot you in the foot should it go walkies.

You may actually be cheaper to have the bike dissasembled and import it in as seperate parts, although I'd need to have my tarrif at hand to confirm that.