Tax on imported lenses

I recently picked up a DA15 from Amazon US (for just over £300). I had it sent to my in-laws who are based in the States. They will be bringing it to the UK at Xmas, and I will pick it up when I'm there too.

Does anyone know whether, in bringing it into the UK they are supposed to pay import tax on it - even if they describe it as a gift? Is wrapping it up as a present a good idea?

Given that its final destination is Sri Lanka, there technically should not be any duty liable on it in the UK - though I doubt a customs officer meeting a flight from the US at Heathrow would bear that into consideration.

I assume that the most likely scenario is that nothing at all will happen - but I just think it's advisable to let my relatives know if there's any chance of it being deemed taxable.

You can bring goods to the value of £390 into the UK with you before you are liable for import duty.

Thanks for that, Mark. They should be fine then. Unless they're carrying other stuff as presents - but I guess that's over-complicating things.

Does that mean you have to bring them in to the UK or could you mail order items up to the value of £390?
Would be interesting to know as equipment sometimes so much cheaper abroad then here in the UK.
Also is this £390 based on the retail value in the country you purchased it from or on the UK retail value?
Anyone can answer this one?

If you mailorder it, it will likely be stopped by customs and you *will* be charged duty if applicable, VAT on the complete cost and a "finders fee" from the postal service or courier. A way round this is to prepay (adorama and B&H both offer this service) but prices of gear are then generally no longer competitive.

The £390 will be purchase price at current exchange rates.

Personal import and mail order are two different things.

I'm not allowed to mail order alcohol but I can personally import it. The couriers have also changed their Ts&Cs to reflect this in the last year.

Bret

I'm always toying with the idea of asking a US friend to buy a lens for me, then 'buy' it 2nd hand from him for a much lower price. Of course settling the difference later

So if I understand you right I have to pay the tax when I get the item send to me (even if it is second hand and below the value) but if I go wherever I can bring it with me up the the value of £390?
What about eBay then? That would mean that I have to pay VAT for all items I get send via eBay or is there a value set for purchases like this?

Here is your starting point. link Plus you normally end up paying a handling fee to the courier, as they have to pay any duty and VAT before the goods can be delivered

Pentaxophile, I know you're after a DA15. They're currently going for $500 on Amazon.com. That's a bigger discrepancy with the UK price (SRS - £580) than any other lens I've looked at (actually with most others there's really not a significant discrepancy, or not enough to compensate for the hassle). Tempted?!

If you buy mail order or via internet from outside the EU and import this, you will be charged approx 22% of the total value of the item (plus the post value).

So if you buy a £300 lens from say, the USA, and it costs £25 to ship it, add the two costs 300+25 = £325 and add 22% (71.50)

Total cost = £325 + £71.50 = £396.50.

This is just a ROUGH rule of thumb which is usually pretty accurate, having imported lots of items over 10 years.

Bear in mind that the 'handling' fees charged by the courier in the UK can vary hugely. The Royal Mail are possible the cheapest, but UPS are horribly expensive. So if the person you buy from wants to ship using UPS (or Fedex), watch out! If they ship using the USA postal service (USPS), then the Royal mail will deliver the item in the UK.

DO watch out for the subtle difference between UPS & USPS.

cheers Steve.M.

The following site offers an import duty/VAT calculator (excluding the courier's fee for charging you of course)

http://www.dutycalculator.com/

Their 'angle', so to speak, is that they offer a delivery service for items that the original retailer won't send outside the US.

Sorry, but IIRC 2nd hand items are still liable for import duty?

To the best of my knowledge all items with a value of over £18 imported via mail order from non-EU states are liable for VAT/duty/Parcelfarce's cut of the profits.

^^ this is a good starting point. Here they won't collect if the value of the tax is less than £10, I think that's a common EU standpoint but I'm not 100% sure.

Bret

"Sorry, but IIRC 2nd hand items are still liable for import duty?

To the best of my knowledge all items with a value of over £18 imported via mail order from non-EU states are liable for VAT/duty/Parcelfarce's cut of the profits"

YES UK customs charges for ALL items imported including used/ 2nd hand items. The £18 level you mention is for any item, except IF the seller marks the item on the parcel as 'GIFT' in which case, the charges are for any item over approx £35 (not sure of the current exact figure).

It is worth remembering that the customs charges are on the figure written on the parcel by the sender/seller, plus the post charge showing on the parcel. So UK customs charges on the combined total of item value + post value.

I once won an item on fleabay from the USA, for some unknown reason the numpty seller wrote a far higher value on the parcel than I actually paid, so UK customs charged me on the high value written. I had to write to HMRC with proof of what I actually paid and they then refunded me.

How does this compares for items from Hong Kong? I had several items (Never higher then £20 with free p&p) and I NEVER have been ask for any Tax or VAT.
Also there is a difference if the item is for a hobby (now ALL of us have photography as a HOBBY, don't we? HMCR uses stamp collecting as an example) as those items are exempt from any Tax or VAT when coming from anywhere abroad.
Does that makes a difference?