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Import Duty: Uk To Usa


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Can anybody tell me the import duty on concertinas purchased in the UK and shipped to the USA? What percentage of the purchase price? Anything I should know about the process before moving forward?

 

Thanks

 

Hi Jim,

2.6% duty on "other" instruments under accordion, free reed instruments. (Might have changed to 2.7% you can check by googling U.S. Harmonized Tariff 9208.18.12 or something close to that)

 

UPS will charge a small ($25. ?) additional brokerage fee.

 

Should we expect to see you with a Linota or Jeffries?

 

Best,

 

Greg

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Can anybody tell me the import duty on concertinas purchased in the UK and shipped to the USA? What percentage of the purchase price? Anything I should know about the process before moving forward?

 

Thanks

 

Hi Jim,

2.6% duty on "other" instruments under accordion, free reed instruments. (Might have changed to 2.7% you can check by googling U.S. Harmonized Tariff 9208.18.12 or something close to that)

 

UPS will charge a small ($25. ?) additional brokerage fee.

 

Should we expect to see you with a Linota or Jeffries?

 

Best,

 

Greg

 

Shouldn't you get VAT back? I know if you buy something and carry it over the Atlantic, you get VAT back but pay import duties. So depending on how things work out, you might pay less total tax on an import.

 

-David

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Can anybody tell me the import duty on concertinas purchased in the UK and shipped to the USA? What percentage of the purchase price? Anything I should know about the process before moving forward?

 

Thanks

 

Hi Jim,

2.6% duty on "other" instruments under accordion, free reed instruments. (Might have changed to 2.7% you can check by googling U.S. Harmonized Tariff 9208.18.12 or something close to that)

 

UPS will charge a small ($25. ?) additional brokerage fee.

 

Should we expect to see you with a Linota or Jeffries?

 

 

Ha, you've been spying on me!

 

Jeffries, but not the one on Ebay.

 

If I get it, you can be sure you'll get your hands on it before too long!

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If the instrument is 100 years old, or more, it is considered 'antique' and there is no US import duty. :D

 

One of the rubs is getting a courier to properly insure an "antique".

There must be a way, or a service that does this, but it has eluded me thus far.

 

Greg

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The main page of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule

http://www.usitc.gov/tata/hts/bychapter/index.htm

 

On the Alphabetical index listed on the bottom of the page, go to page 16, and concertinas are listed under 9204.1

http://www.usitc.gov/publications/docs/tata/hts/bychapter/0911alphaidx.pdf

 

When you go to Chapter 92 for Musical Instruments, .... the numbers go from 9202.90.60 to 9205, with nothing in between. Since Concertinas are listed under 9204.1, I would not assume it would be included under accordions and similar instruments, without further clarification from someone in the office. They might, but I would not assume as such. You know how governments work.

http://www.usitc.gov/publications/docs/tata/hts/bychapter/0911c92.pdf

 

I'm sure it's not the first one to come over the pond. Someone here should know for sure. :unsure:

 

Thanks

Leo

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2.6% import duty.

 

As far as insurance, get that through your instrument insurance company. I use Heritage, and whenever we are adding a new instrument being imported, they give us a bit of a deal on the transit insurance. That being said, it is more expensive to insure it for shipment than to insure it for being in your hands.

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When I bought my two Cranes from Chris Algar, I ended up paying an extra $150 each for the combination of customs and UPS handling fees. On the other hand, I got them in three days from the UK which is great service. I haven't had a ship-by-post experience to comment on.

 

Max value here was $5,000.

 

 

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Shouldn't you get VAT back? I know if you buy something and carry it over the Atlantic, you get VAT back but pay import duties.

Only if you're buying it off a dealer who is registered for VAT - which depends on their annual turnover, and they send it to you. But even then, there are "special schemes" for antiques that mean they might only be charging you tax on their profit, not the full amount, or they could be selling on consignment...

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The main page of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule

http://www.usitc.gov/tata/hts/bychapter/index.htm

 

On the Alphabetical index listed on the bottom of the page, go to page 16, and concertinas are listed under 9204.1

http://www.usitc.gov/publications/docs/tata/hts/bychapter/0911alphaidx.pdf

 

When you go to Chapter 92 for Musical Instruments, .... the numbers go from 9202.90.60 to 9205, with nothing in between. Since Concertinas are listed under 9204.1, I would not assume it would be included under accordions and similar instruments, without further clarification from someone in the office....

 

Yes, this is confusing. When I imported a new concertina from the EU earlier this year, I consulted a friend who is a retired customs lawyer. Here's how he explained the situation to me:

 

The reason for the confusion regarding the tariff classification of concertinas is that the tariff schedules were amended in 2007 to remove heading 9204 and subheading 9204.10 (concertinas would have been classified in subheading 9204.10.8000 under the previous tariff schedules, dutiable at 2.6% (see the attachment labeled "Concertina-92-2006" for the previous tariff schedules).

 

The 2007 amendment to the tariff schedules deleted heading 9204 (with subheadings 9204.10 and 9204.10.8000) and placed what used to be that heading (and another heading) under heading 9205, as subheadings 9205.90.1500 (piano accordions, which are duty-free in 2009) and 9205.90.1800 (other (than piano accordions) within "accordions and similar instruments; mouth accordions" (the mouth organs are in subheading 9205.90.1900). Unfortunately, subheading 9205.90.1800 ("other" where concertinas would be classified) is subject to duty of 2.6% in 2009. For the current Chapter 92 of the tariff schedules, see the attachment labeled "Concertina-92-2009".

 

I am quite satisfied that these tariff classifications are correct because the "Explanatory Notes" (interpretative notes of the world-wide Harmonized Tariff Schedules) list "concertinas" as classified in heading 9205, under the provision for "accordions and similar instruments." See the attachment labeled "Concertina-EN92.05", and within that attachment, paragraph (B )(3). The Explanatory Notes are not absolutely binding on U.S. Customs' tariff classification but are generally followed.

 

Also as discussed (primarily for your amusement) is a Customs ruling (the only one I could fine even on accordions) classifying a child's accordion in subheading 9204.10.8000, the predecessor in 2004 (the year of the ruling) to subheading 9205.90.1800. Given the issue of this ruling (whether the accordion was to be classified as a toy or a musical instrument) this supports classification of the concertina in the current 9205.90.1800.

 

The other two attachments are Customs regulations for the kind of entry with which you will be involved. From what I can see, you probably will be subject to a "merchandise processing fee" (Customs charges for processing the entry and charging you duty!) of between .15 and .21 percent (i.e., .0015 - .0021) of the value, in addition to the duty.

 

UPS or FEDEX, or whomever you use, should process this for you and charge you accordingly (probably with an extra charge for processing).

 

Lawyers are great, especially when you're not paying by the hour. :lol:

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  • 1 year later...

My experience might not be helpful (an anecdote, not evidence) but a year ago I bought a concertina on Ebay from a seller in England and it came regular post with no bother or duties at all. I wondered what would happen when it hit the US, but it just sailed through and the letter carrier left it (to my horror) on my vestibule floor with my other mail--I didn't even have to sign for it! It was relatively inexpensive (about $600) and old, so that might have affected how it was handled, but it was no bother. If it were more expensive, I think I'd opt for bother.

 

Today I had to sign for an item from China. I didn't know it was coming from China when I ordered it, but there was no bother.

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  • 2 weeks later...

If the instrument is 100 years old, or more, it is considered 'antique' and there is no US import duty. :D

 

One of the rubs is getting a courier to properly insure an "antique".

There must be a way, or a service that does this, but it has eluded me thus far.

 

Greg

 

I'm confused about this post. What does it take to get an instrument in duty free if it is over one hundred years old? I'm not sure what a courier would have to do with this. Thanks in advance for any help.

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If the instrument is 100 years old, or more, it is considered 'antique' and there is no US import duty. :D

 

One of the rubs is getting a courier to properly insure an "antique".

There must be a way, or a service that does this, but it has eluded me thus far.

 

Greg

 

I'm confused about this post. What does it take to get an instrument in duty free if it is over one hundred years old? I'm not sure what a courier would have to do with this. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Kurt,

My experience with Chris Algar has led me to the (vague) impression that shipping companies such as UPS treat "antiques" differently than a shipment of a "regular" instrument.

 

Chris has been reluctant enough to declare an instrument an "antique" that I have never pursued the matter any further with him. This may be a personal quirk with Chris or a reflection of shipping companies' policy on antiques.

 

In googling "UPS shipping antiques" I found an auction house that employs and recommends a separate company to insure their auction items for shipment:

 

http://www.poulinantiques.com/shipping.asp

 

Perhaps it would be best to call UPS or the specific carrier as regards their shipping policies concerning antiques.

 

Greg

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My experience with Chris Algar has led me to the (vague) impression that shipping companies such as UPS treat "antiques" differently than a shipment of a "regular" instrument.

 

Chris has been reluctant enough to declare an instrument an "antique" that I have never pursued the matter any further with him. This may be a personal quirk with Chris or a reflection of shipping companies' policy on antiques.

My experience of a few years ago was more with inquiries than with actual shipping, but my conclusion is that there is no particular process which can guarantee particular or even consistent results.

 

I don't remember which was which, but the representative of one major shipper said flatly that they won't accept items more than 50 years old, while the representative of another said they wouldn't accept musical instruments above a certain value. Note that I didn't just say "one major shipper", but "the representative of". That's because repeated calls to the same number connected me to different individuals, whose responses not only weren't identical (e.g., different quoted prices for the same description of a shipment), but sometimes flatly contradictory.

 

Someone like Chris Algar, who frequently ships similar items, may fare better, at least in terms of consistency. I would guess (though it is a guess; I haven't asked him) that he has a contract account and a particular individual that he deals with regularly. And if he won't put the "antique" label on those of his shipments which qualify for it, perhaps it's because of his shipper's rules regarding insurance or rates?

 

Does this have anything to do with import duties and Mike Franch's experiences? I suspect similar inconsistency and even carelessness from US Customs employees. I'm sure they don't personally inspect every parcel that enters the US via post, FedEx, UPS, etc. (Anybody know if Customs has suffered cutbacks in staff, like so many other agencies?) Likely, many parcels that should be tariffed slip through. That doesn't guarantee that yours will... nor that it won't.

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