import duty in Australia

[McBadger]

Apologies if this is in the wrong place.

 

Just wondering if anyone has any experience in import duty on a box say, from the US.

looking at the australian customs website it seems anything imported from OS over AU$1000 is subject to a hefty wadge of import duty.

 

I got cunfuddled looking at all the possibilities but someone at work told me that if it was a second hand item then it's not subject to import tax - is anyone able to confirm this as a truth or a furfy?

 

Cheers,

Dave.

[KerryFrank]

Apologies if this is in the wrong place.

 

Just wondering if anyone has any experience in import duty on a box say, from the US.

looking at the australian customs website it seems anything imported from OS over AU$1000 is subject to a hefty wadge of import duty.

 

I got cunfuddled looking at all the possibilities but someone at work told me that if it was a second hand item then it's not subject to import tax - is anyone able to confirm this as a truth or a furfy?

 

Cheers,

Dave.

 

Dave,

Last year I sold an English concertina to a lady "down-under". (I'm in the States) To my knowlege, there were no duties, nor tarriffs, involved. It was in near-new condition, but could legitimately be called a "used instrument". The shipping charge, (insured) thru DHL, was rather hefty though! (about $115US, if I recall) But the instrument arrived in pristine condition and within a reasonable timeframe. (I've shipped internationally, via DHL, often and recommend their services.) My friend was delighted with the transaction and the instrument. Hopefully she'll pick up on this subject and be able to give you more specific details. My best Brother, KerryF

[Chris Ghent]

Dave

 

Everything being imported into Australia is subject to GST, at a rate of 10%. This is not collected when the tax does not add up to $100. You may avoid this, it just seems to be luck whether they charge you or not, but that is the law...

 

Chris

[malcolm clapp]

Dave

 

Everything being imported into Australia is subject to GST, at a rate of 10%. This is not collected when the tax does not add up to $100. You may avoid this, it just seems to be luck whether they charge you or not, but that is the law...

 

Chris

 

 

A greater chance of being caught in the GST net if a shipping company like DHL is used. And they may charge you a hefty fee for doing the customs clearance paperwork too, and a further fee for delivery to your door from the port of entry.

 

No such problem with USPS or with most quasi-government postal operations; their agent is AustraliaPost, delivery to your door at no extra cost, and, for "own use" items, a very simple customs clearance form if you do get caught in the GST net.

 

By the way, Chris, not quite correct re. the GST rate. They apply an uplift factor of (from memory) 25% of the declared value upon which to levy the 10% GST, so a $1,000 item becomes "valued" at $1,250 for GST purposes, so the net 10% GST payable will be $125 rather than $100. (Perhaps they assume that every one cheats on declared value by an average of around 25%......)

 

Hope this helps, Dave.

[Paul Read]

Dave

 

Everything being imported into Australia is subject to GST, at a rate of 10%. This is not collected when the tax does not add up to $100. You may avoid this, it just seems to be luck whether they charge you or not, but that is the law...

 

Chris

 

 

A greater chance of being caught in the GST net if a shipping company like DHL is used. And they may charge you a hefty fee for doing the customs clearance paperwork too, and a further fee for delivery to your door from the port of entry.

 

No such problem with USPS or with most quasi-government postal operations; their agent is AustraliaPost, delivery to your door at no extra cost, and, for "own use" items, a very simple customs clearance form if you do get caught in the GST net.

 

By the way, Chris, not quite correct re. the GST rate. They apply an uplift factor of (from memory) 25% of the declared value upon which to levy the 10% GST, so a $1,000 item becomes "valued" at $1,250 for GST purposes, so the net 10% GST payable will be $125 rather than $100. (Perhaps they assume that every one cheats on declared value by an average of around 25%......)

Malcolm,

That's also my experience coming into Canada. Avoid couriers. They'll hit you with a large brokers fee and USPS/Post Office etc usually come in untouched and small broker's fee if any.

Hope this helps, Dave.

[Stephen Chambers]

That's also my experience coming into Canada. Avoid couriers. They'll hit you with a large brokers fee and USPS/Post Office etc usually come in untouched and small broker's fee if any.

That'd be my experience in Ireland too, though they've been tightening up on the postal deliveries here...

[Torres Strait Anglo]

Second hand, New, doesn't matter. If the declared value of an inbound package to Australia is AUD $1,000 or more, you pay Australian customs. And pay them fast, or they'll return it to sender (you are likely to have to pay for this also). Individually, customs staff are great people who will provide no end of advice and help with the process. Collectively, the customs service (as an institution) is so abrasive that you will seethe for weeks/months afterward.

 

The more thoughtful customs people will telephone you (brace yourself and have credit card ready).

 

In my experience UPS will automatically dob you in to customs, and are very prissy about it. They are so self-righeous about it that it is likely I will go to my grave without ever again using UPS. (dobbing your customers in to the authorities is not much of a business development tactic)

 

I concur with Malcolm Clapp, use the post office. My recommendation? Write on the parcel a value of less than AUD $800.

 

I've never understood the North American bent for using shipping companies. For me they are heavier on paperwork, more expensive, inconvenient or downright difficult to find, and quite often bung on the most juvenile of performances over what should be to them, just another heavy object to ship (for example, try shipping a bottle of wine and see how they recoil)

 

In a most wry twist, the delivery agent for those big name shipping companies someone paid double/triple the post office rate to, is often the local mailman.

 

With the post office you just wrap the parcel, stroll to the post office, lick a few stamps, & (without having to submit to cross-questioning) hand it over the counter. Bye-and-bye it turns up at the destination address.

[McBadger]

Thank you for all the replies.

I think i will seek an instrument inside australia as i resent paying the government anything.

 

and the majority i think of the replies read like the govt website - if it's declared as over AU$1000 then it gets an import duty and then GST applied in top of that unless for some reason you are lucky ...

 

which leads to i f anyone has a Morse Albion for sale in Australia .....

 

Thanks again for the replies.