Buying From USA

[Wilco Wingco]

Just been checking prices on E-bay in the USA. I have tried to find how to calculate import tax, VAT is easy. Also does anybody know if there would be a Post Office handling charge???. I'm starting to think why bother.

[jrman]

Unless the item is very expensive it is unlikely to attract Import duty. If it does then modelling items are generally levied at 2%.

I have purchased items up to circa £500 and not been hit with import duty.

Don't forget the VAT is levied on ALL costs including packing and shipping.

You will pay a Post Office handling fee of £8 or £12 depending on whether it is Royal Mail or Parcel Force doing the "handling). This charge does not attract VAT. Generous aren't they?

[Ron Gray]

In the last year I have seen a change to the charges being levied on USA purchased goods (Trump?). All purchases I have made, generally with a value greater than £50, have attracted import duty, handling charges and VAT. I no longer buy direct from the USA!

[Mike T]

The last time I looked (a year or so ago), the import duty threshold for our 'toys' was £135 or thereabouts. As jrman says, you'll pay about 2% duty on any total (inc. p&p cost) above this. The VAT is levied on top of ALL that, then the £10/12 processing fee added. The VAT-free limit is only £18.

I have yet to be clobbered (that's kibosh'ed it...) but always factor in the additional likely cost when deciding whether to buy from overseas. It's a nice bonus when you aren't! I also get the impression that imports from the US are far more likely to be surcharged than those from the far east.

[Andy J]

Personally I now avoid purchasing any item from the US as all my purchases from that country (both for large and small items) have been hit by import duty which works out expensive when you also pay the handling fee. Think the reason is that US companies are more honest with declaring what the value of the item is rather than a gift or sample as I have often seen on other imports from the far east.

[Andy Stephenson]

I believe there is some legal obligation on companies exporting from the US to declare the actual value, it's no skin of their noses as it doesn't cost anything at their end. The Far-East is another matter, their governments don't care as long as they get the foreign exchange into their economies.

A.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

I bought an engine from a US seller some years ago and the seller told me that it was a "Federal" offence to misrepresent the contents or value of a package with very serious penalties including imprisonment for anyone caught doing so.