Import taxes

[accordian]

Hello. Got a quick question I'm buying from someone in South Africa I'm in the UK. does anyone know how much it would cost to get here. I know that no one can tell me exactly but what I'm asking when it comes to the taxes part of it how much are we talking hundreds? Sry might seem like a silly question but I never ordered anything from a different country before. 

 

Thanks

 

[Zak vdV]

https://www.simplyduty.com/import-calculator/

 

Try  this.  Good luck. 

[John Wild]

HMRC information:

https://www.gov.uk/trade-tariff 

Importing from outside the EU is subject to a third country duty of 3.70 % unless subject to other measures.

 

The commodity code for importing is 9205901000.

Goods are subject to VAT standard rate.

 

This means that your starting price has 3.7% import duty added. then VAT is added at 20% of the price INCLUDING import duty.

[Mike Hulme]

Plus, the Post Office/Parcelforce add on their fee for Customs clearance.  (Postage wise a 5kg concertina package cost 2300 Rand to import in July.

 

Timewise, it took 6 weeks for the package to get to the UK.  Be prepared to get the package from the Parcelforce Depot, and pay by Card/Cash because you don't have an account,  but it did arrive safely in the end.

 

Mike

Edited October 20, 2018 by Mike Hulme
Additional info

[RogerT]

I believe you pay VAT on used/second hand goods, but not sure if an item is being *returned*. I bought an old instrument from NZ once and regretted it...even though it was from a private individual and wasn't working, I still paid duty and VAT when it arrived in the UK.

[SteveS]

If the instrument can be demonstrated to be more than 100 years old - that is classed as an antique for customs purposes - then it should be free of VAT - only import duties to pay.

Please do check the latest customs regulations on this though.