New Import Duty/VAT Thread. Read Post #1 for Rules Updated 10/9/2024

RUDOLF289

abmcolour wrote: »

Hi

Have enjoyed reading through this thread. Only thing missing from my perspective is a little more guidance on "Duty".

I am considering purchasing a camera tripod and tripod head (attaches on top of the tripod to allow fast swivelling of the camera which is itself attached to the top of the head). These will be two separate orders from separate companies. They would cost about EUR 300 and 400 respectively (inclusive of postage). From the thread it is clear there will be 21% VAT charged on the total of (cost + postage + duty). My first question is, how much, if any, would the duty be on a camera tripod and a tripod head? My second question is, would the same duty be applicable to digital cameras?

Maybe some general guidance on the Duty payable on commonly purchased categories of items could be placed in the first entry on this string?

Many thanks in advance for whatever help/guidance you can provide.

Hello abmcolour,

Not sure but I think there are various references made to the Taric website or the Customs classification unit in Nenagh.

For your Tripods and accessories have a look at the following link to the taric website ;

http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/dds2/taric/measures.jsp?Lang=en&SimDate=20110328&Area=US&Taric=9006910000&LangDescr=en

That will show a rate of duty of 3.7%.

The duty is calculated over the cost of the item plus transport insurance plus transport charges.

VAT is than calculated over the total above plus the duty

The best place to get information, especially if your search of the Taric data base is not giving you any results, is to contact the Customs Classification unit in Nenagh. Details as follows ;

Customs Classification of Goods
All goods imported into or exported from the EU must be classified for Customs purposes. Each separate product is assigned a particular classification code.

These codes may be viewed at:
• Customs & Excise Tariff of Ireland 2008
• http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/dds/tarhome_en.htm

In addition you can contact ;
Classification Unit,
Office of the Revenue Commissioners,
Government Offices,
Nenagh, Co Tipperary.
Phone :
• Agricultural Goods: 067-63437
• Textiles: 067-63241
• Chemicals: 067-63240
• Mechanical, Electrical and Other Goods: 067-63469
• Fax: 067 32385
• E-mail : tarclass@revenue.ie
NB : It is at all times the responsibility of the importer or exporter to
ensure that the goods are properly classifified. The Classification Unit
will only give an opinion. This opinion can not be relied upon in case of
disputes or queries from the Customs office at time of importation or
exportation.

For a general overview in relation to importing, exporting, customs etc, have a look at the attached document.

I believe with the information so readily available from Customs and the EU it would be superfluous to set up a separate database in this thread. But maybe the moderators would be better placed to comment.

Feel free to post again if you require any further assistance

Best regards,
Rudolf289

ironmonkey

Hi all,

First of all thanks to everyone esp Jor el for all the assisstance. I'm bringing a watch in from the US from what I can gather from post 1 the taric will be pretty low and i have vat of 22% on the value e700 plus delivery charge prob about e70.

My question can only have an estimate answer but maybe someone in the know will be able to guess better than I - what are the chances of my little box coming in uninterrupted? Naturally i don't want evade or avoid paying my dues to our beloved tax man and will bring this matter to his attention in due course but is everything posted from the states assessed for taxes and charges?

jor el

If it's coming through the post, no, not everything is assessed, only a small portion. With most couriers though, they make the payment based on it's declared value, and it happens on all incoming deliveries.

A high valued item, like €700, is going to get spotted though, as this will probably have special attention written all over it (for insurance reasons).

Grace Stocky Shuffleboard

Grace Stocky Shuffleboard wrote: »

Hi

Hoping somebody can help me with this query:

Can my VAT registered company claim back vat on items bought from play.com under the value of €22?
I Spoke to a play.com rep and they said that all items shipped to Ireland include vat of 21% on the price, so shouldn't I be able to claim that back? Anyone able to shed some light on this?

Cheers

Hi guys,

Just thought I'd give ye an update on this query I had. So I requested a vat receipt from Play.com for all my transactions with themselves since the beginning of my account. After about 2 weeks waiting, I have just received a massive envelope with individual vat receipts for all the goods I have purchased from themselves. Vat is at the Irish rates of 21% and 21.5%.

Cheers.

Gamesnash.ie: Pat

Thanks for the update.

This raises a few questions as hundreds if not thousands of peoples packages from play.com have been and are handled as if they were from outside the EU by Irish customs.

I suspect that play have invoiced you from their european office specifically because you asked the question but that has it's own accountng implications.

Otherwise revenue would not be stopping their packages. For example Amazon fully comply with the Irish authorities and charge VAT on their goods - hence their packages are not levied with VAT etc by customs.

Interesting all the same.

rubadub

Very interesting indeed, what were the products you were buying from them? can you remember where the post markings were from?

As I said earlier in this thread
-plenty of people have been caught for VAT from play. However I do recall a mate getting a sweatshirt which was well over the limit and it appeared to come from the UK, so perhaps play have got a UK based centre in which case they could well be paying Irish VAT if over the 35K limit.

Gamesnash.ie: Pat

I have seen stuff ship from Jersey and Sweden myself.

jor el

Grace Stocky Shuffleboard wrote: »

Vat is at the Irish rates of 21% and 21.5%.

That is very interesting. Is Play.com's VAT registration number included on any of those receipts?

Hi guys just in relation to a few of your'e questions:

Play.com vat reg number is on every receipt, the number is: 823 2388 26

The items I was buying from them were mainly dvds and games.

There were hundreds of items, so I can't quite remember where the post marks were for all of them, but I would say that about 90% came from Jersey.

Any other questions don't hesitate to ask.

martco

being in IT since the early 90's for my troubles I've been an Internet user and purchaser forever. I use all the usual websites when buying items now and again like everyone else, sometimes I use Paypal, sometimes not. many purchases over the years.

Today I had my first ever one of these RIDICULOUS PN 1882 type notices - I bought a lousy secondhand pair of marathon runners on EBAY.com old ones but unfortunately I can't have newer ones as I have orthapedaic issues etc.)
paid by Paypal, USD 45 for the runners, the balance is postage cost

now I'm faced with:
1. VAT and Duty TAX
2. a mandatory fee of €6 to An Post ( another TAX)

these runners will end up being be more expensive than an alternative brandnew pair in this category of useage that unfortunately I cannot buy/use in first place

being self employed I'm sick sore and tired of TAX by any number of new and sneaky routes

I'm thinking/wondering about how this is tracked - I figure I was snared either because:
a) Revenue get statements from Paypal
b) Revenue get statements from EBAY
c) An Post are in cohoots with Revenue

I have however learned a valuable lesson.

I assume Revenue employees will be monitoring this thread - I just wanted to say that I believe that charges like this for secondhand goods are UNFAIR, I think it only happens once and then the person affected looks at alternative ways to obtain goods. I for one will not be making a purchase in this particular route/way ever again and so will not experience this latest sneaky tax ever again.

thanks

jor el

Hmmm, where to start with the amount of inaccuracy in that last post. Pretty much everything you've said is wrong.

martco wrote: »

being self employed I'm sick sore and tired of TAX by any number of new and sneaky routes

Your type of employment is irrelevant to VAT. Everyone pays VAT, whether employed, self employed or unemployed. VAT is nothing new or sneaky. It's been around for a long time, and is applied to just about everything you buy. You should know this by now.

martco wrote: »

now I'm faced with:
1. VAT and Duty TAX

No, just VAT. Duty exemption limit is €150.

martco wrote: »

'm thinking/wondering about how this is tracked - I figure I was snared either because:
a) Revenue get statements from Paypal

No.

martco wrote: »

b) Revenue get statements from EBAY

Also no.

martco wrote: »

c) An Post are in cohoots with Revenue

Again, no. You don't know what you're talking about, so don't post this kind of speculative nonsense.

martco wrote: »

I assume Revenue employees will be monitoring this thread

Again no. Why would they?

martco wrote: »

I just wanted to say that I believe that charges like this for secondhand goods are UNFAIR, I think it only happens once and then the person affected looks at alternative ways to obtain goods.

You're only noticing this because it's applied after you bought the goods. If you bought them from within the EU, then the VAT would already be on the purchase price. You would still have paid it, just that it wouldn't have been a separate charge. Alternative methods, avoiding tax, would be illegal, unless the goods are exempt.

martco wrote: »

I for one will not be making a purchase in this particular route/way ever again and so will not experience this latest sneaky tax ever again.

Latest tax? As a self employed person you should be well aware that VAT has existed since the seventies. It's not a recent introduction, nor is it sneaky.

Any package arriving from outside the EU, and valued over €22, is subject to being inspected and charged for VAT. The value is declared on the package, so it doesn't take a genius to figure out what the value is. Not everything handled by An Post gets charged, there is simply too large a volume of post to do that. They inspect and charge as much as the customs staff can handle in any day.

If, as you say, you've been buying online for over a decade and this is the first such bill you've ever received, I don't know what you're complaining about. By right, you should have received far more of them by now.

martco

thanks for your kind response.

I wasn't aware of the duty upper limit, thanks for this information, it is not indicated on the letter recieved.

Speculative? Yes I speculate because I don't know. I speculate probably because I feel its VERY unlikely that agencies with common interests do not intercommunitate and coordinate activities. The letter I recieved asks me to forward my Paypal reciept - I quote directly "In order to recieve your letter packet you must send your Paypal reciept by eMail to xxx@revenue.ie" thats specifically Paypal, no other payment method mentioned in the letter. Perhaps this letter was written by an actual person, a civil servant who upon recieving my little box with my pair of secondhand footwear took 30 mins out of his or her afternoon to personally write me a letter with this level of detail, somehow I doubt it but theres my nonsensical speculation. I'll be sure to look up the rules for that but I think I'm permitted to speculate and hopefully there's no VAT on the wordcount.

I disagree with 21% VAT. Just because it exists doesn't make it right or fair.

I guess given the current rules I should remember to buy my items via a EU website in future

jor el

martco wrote: »

The letter I recieved asks me to forward my Paypal reciept - I quote directly "In order to recieve your letter packet you must send your Paypal reciept by eMail to xxx@revenue.ie" thats specifically Paypal, no other payment method mentioned in the letter. Perhaps this letter was written by an actual person, a civil servant who upon recieving my little box with my pair of secondhand footwear took 30 mins out of his or her afternoon to personally write me a letter with this level of detail, somehow I doubt it but theres my nonsensical speculation.

Again with the wildly inaccurate speculation. They open the parcels to check for documentation, and within the parcel they will find the receipt/invoice detail put there by the seller. They are asking for you to verify that this is correct, otherwise they will value them at current Irish retail prices. And yes, someone will have taken the time to write this letter.

martco wrote: »

I guess given the current rules I should remember to buy my items via a EU website in future

Buy within the EU and the VAT will be included in the price, making them more expensive than what you've paid already. You can't avoid VAT, whether you agree with it or not.

If you actually believe that Customs are linked to Paypal and eBay, then off to Conspiracy Theories with you, because what you've said has no basis in fact.

Xx-Mascara-xX

Hi guys, so basically just got bk from Maryland USA at my aunts and while I was in a rush I forgot to carry my backpack from the car when she was dropping me off at the airport and my laptop is in the bag. If I ask her to post the laptop to me, will I get charged vat over something that was bought here in Ireland to begin with?? Should I post her the recipe of the item before she posts it out to me??

AustinByrnes

hello,

i was wondering if anyone could tell me how much customs i will be paying on an item bought on ebay.

i bought an ipad from the states for $572 u.s dollars or 396Euros including postage.

it will be sent by USPS First Class Mail International.

Thanks

Zimmerframe

This as per first post should help

http://www.dutycalculator.com/

jor el

AustinByrnes wrote: »

i was wondering if anyone could tell me how much customs i will be paying on an item bought on ebay.

The idea of this thread is that you can work it out yourself from the information provided in post #1.

AustinByrnes

Thank you for your help. much appreiciated.

TomCo

Hi, I made an order with Zavvi a few weeks ago not knowing they shipped from Guernsey.

Part of the order has arrived with big yellow stickers stating -

"Community goods consigned to or from a part of the customs territory of the Community where the provisions of the Council Directive 77/388/EEC do not apply"

Is this basically a notice informing customs that the item is from outside the EU and to add VAT accordingly? I haven't seen these stickers before.

Part of my order was a pre-order for £54.98 which I'm probably going to cancel at this point.

Fluorescence

Am I right in thinking that something I ordered from the UK is not eligible to be taxed since we're all pals in the EU? No sneaky sneaky fees this time?

Also, my package was sent my Royal Mail and handed over to An Post for delivery in Ireland. Since I'd have to wait til monday to have it delivered, can I just stroll down to the centre myself to collect it or does there need to be an attempted delivery first before I can do that? Tracking number tells me it's in the centre right now

jor el

TomCo wrote: »

Is this basically a notice informing customs that the item is from outside the EU and to add VAT accordingly?

It's just a customs declaration, and customs do not need to be told to add VAT, they'll do that themselves anyway.

fluorescence wrote: »

Am I right in thinking that something I ordered from the UK is not eligible to be taxed since we're all pals in the EU?

Post #1

fluorescence wrote: »

can I just stroll down to the centre myself to collect it

No, you cannot. Monday is a public holiday too, so it will be Tuesday before any delivery will be made.

Astrex

question im buying from hollister and its about 290 dollars all together and could i send it to my sister in america for cheap delivery to her then she sends it to me and i dont have to pay customs?

Pacing Mule

You are obliged to pay customs / vat taxes where appropriate no matter who sends the parcel, you could send a parcel to yourself whilst on holidays and be liable for taxes. That said there may be less chance of a package being stopped by a domestic shipper (your sister) than a business sender but that's by no means certain.

jor el

Astrex wrote: »

question im buying from hollister and its about 290 dollars all together and could i send it to my sister in america for cheap delivery to her then she sends it to me and i dont have to pay customs?

No.

Hogzy

Hey guys,
I have an order value of $173.54 from AE.com
Shipping is $50 on top of that

According to Dutycalculator.com i have a total order value of 150.66 EURO

It says that Customs duty is not applicable because the total value of my goods does not exceed 150. But it clearly does (@150.66). Why does it say this?

Dunno if this link will work

IHeartChemistry

Ok, long story short.

I bought an item from thinkgeek.com for my boyfriend as a birthday present. Product cost was $14.99. Shipping was $23.49. Calculate to euros just under €26.

Get a phone call this morning from UPS saying I need to pay €23.51 for VAT and Customs etc but I've just checked out online that I shouldnt be paying VAT or Customs taxes. Any ideas on what I can do?

jor el

You should be paying VAT as it's valued over €22. The exchange rate will not be the same as you find on xe.com either, it will be worse. Estimated value of your goods will be around €28, VAT on this is around €6, the rest is the handling fee charged by the courier.

@Hogzy, since the value is right at the €150 limit, it is possible that duty will still not be charged.

IHeartChemistry

jor el wrote: »

You should be paying VAT as it's valued over €22. The exchange rate will not be the same as you find on xe.com either, it will be worse. Estimated value of your goods will be around €28, VAT on this is around €6, the rest is the handling fee charged by the courier.

Thought they only checked VAT on the price of the product and didnt include shipping?

jor el

No, it's the total value, including shipping and handling.

rubadub

Hogzy wrote: »

According to Dutycalculator.com i have a total order value of 150.66 EURO

It says that Customs duty is not applicable because the total value of my goods does not exceed 150. But it clearly does (@150.66). Why does it say this?

The 150.66 is the value including shipping. When calculating duty its the value of just the goods (yours is below €150), VAT calculations are on the full value including shipping.

http://www.revenue.ie/en/customs/leaflets/pn1179.html

3. Consignments of Negligible Value

Consignments not exceeding an intrinsic value of €150 may be imported without payment of Customs Duty, while consignments not exceeding a total value of €22 may be imported without payment of VAT. (Intrinsic value is the value of the goods alone, and does not include insurance and freight.) However, it should be noted in particular that there is no relief (from Customs Duty, VAT or Excise duty) under this negligible value provision for importations of tobacco, tobacco products, alcohol products, perfumes or toilet waters irrespective of their value.

Hogzy

^^^ Thanks a million rubadub. Great news for my order

misslizzy175

Hi,

Hopefully, someone can help me. I purchased $130 (dollars) worth of childrens clothing from the US and the An Post delivery man was here this morning looking for €21. I didn't have it on me so I've to go down later to pay it and collect the package. I've bought from this company before (Gymboree) and never got caught for customs. In fact this was the lowest amount I've ever bought from them.

Could someone please let me know how the amount was calculated? and if its right.

Thanks,

Liz

rubadub

misslizzy175 wrote: »

I purchased $130 (dollars) worth of childrens clothing from the US and the An Post delivery man was here this morning looking for €21.

Some childrens clothes are zero VAT so you should not be charged if they fall under this definition.

http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/vat/rates/decision-detail-00245.jsp

Clothing marketed or labelled as being for children under 11 years of age up to & including chest size 32; waist size 26; height 152 cm or other equivalent sizes. Fur clothing Standard rated. See CLOTHING FUR

Also a weird one on cowboy suits! as it might fall under the definition of toys.
http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/vat/rates/decision-detail-00647.jsp

You could print out your order & online description if you think you should be exempt.

misslizzy175

Thanks, the clothes were sized 3 to 6 months, 2 years and 5 years.

misslizzy175

OK. I went and got the package. VAT was charged on it plus the collection fee. There was a copy invoice on the front (detailing the order - just clothes, tops, trousers etc. for kids up to 5 years old) that customs had opened so they must have known what was in it.:mad:

Anyway, anyone know who or where to contact to get my money back. I've looked at the revenue site but I'm lost.

Thanks,

Liz

Hogzy

Ok, So my stuff from the US was delivered today by An Post. However they didnt collect any money for VAT from me which i was surprised at.

Will an invoice be sent to me in the future to bill me for the VAT charges similar to what FedEX do?

megaten

Are CDWOW.ie based in the EU? I just got a letter from AnPost because they didn't declare a value on a package for me.

Pacing Mule

No most of their stuff ships from USA / Asia. Don't be fooled by the .ie

KaBooom

I bought a cable off ebay worth 2 euro and shipping about 3, it was sent from Ireland. I got my bank statement today and there is a 30 euro stamp duty, the only thing I bought with the credit card was the cable, anyone know whats that about?

Gamesnash.ie: Pat

KaBooom wrote: »

I bought a cable off ebay worth 2 euro and shipping about 3, it was sent from Ireland. I got my bank statement today and there is a 30 euro stamp duty, the only thing I bought with the credit card was the cable, anyone know whats that about?

It is a government tax on credit cards charged annually.

Hogzy

Hogzy wrote: »

Ok, So my stuff from the US was delivered today by An Post. However they didnt collect any money for VAT from me which i was surprised at.

Will an invoice be sent to me in the future to bill me for the VAT charges similar to what FedEX do?

^^^ Does anyone have an answer to this?
Its kind of important because if i have 'gotten away' without paying the tax then im going to spend the money that i set aside for paying the VAT.

Do An Post ever come back a few days/weeks/months later and invoice you for the VAT charges?

jor el

An Post collect on delivery. Some of the courier companies (specifically FedEx) will bill later.

seeing_ie

Recently received a dust mask from the US, none was available in XL size here.

price of safety mask 35euro
+shipping from US 25euro

Then received claim from DHL for customs VAT

VAT 13euro
+Admin fee 10euro.

Is there any exemption for safety equipment?

Not too impressed that a private company can cream a 10 euro admin fee on a customs transaction like this tbh.

jor el

Some safety equipment is VAT free, but I don't know if they class a dust mask as safety equipment. As far as I know, it is not VAT free anyway.

dohc95coupe

hi guys and girls

need help asap im planning on buying some power tools from a uk online shop a makita drill €200 and jigsaw €100 postage is €25 so total is €325 i need to no will i have to pay vat on them or will there be any charges seems there just coming from the uk

thanks in advance

ger

Gamesnash.ie: Pat

dohc95coupe wrote: »

hi guys and girls

need help asap im planning on buying some power tools from a uk online shop a makita drill €200 and jigsaw €100 postage is €25 so total is €325 i need to no will i have to pay vat on them or will there be any charges seems there just coming from the uk

thanks in advance

ger

You will need to contact them and ask them where are they shipping from and does the price include UK VAT (If it does then you won't be stopped here)

Just be aware that just because the site has a .co.uk address does not mean it is based there - likewise .ie addresses does not neccessarily mean you're dealing with a VAT registered Irish based company.

rubadub

dohc95coupe wrote: »

makita drill €200 and jigsaw €100 postage is €25 so total is €325

Also check amazon, we got drills and I later found a better deal on amazon, people think they would only sell household stuff. It can work out cheaper since they have free postage over £25.

Find the checkout price though as amazon will add Irish VAT.

By the way your answer was answered in the first post, that is why the thread title says to read it.

dohc95coupe

this is the checkout invoice


Makita HR2470T SDS + Rotary Hammer Drill

Select Voltage: 240v

£159.95

£159.95

Makita 4350 Jigsaw Orbital Action

Option - Select Voltage: 240v

1


£124.95

£124.95

VAT Included in Price

£47.49
Total To Pay

£284.90

and the store is an actual store in the uk

so i will be ok

dohc95coupe

rubadub sorry pal all that in the first post i read and was all jibberish to me thats why i asked

jor el

dohc95coupe wrote: »

rubadub sorry pal all that in the first post i read and was all jibberish to me thats why i asked

Which part of When you import anything from outside the EU, it is subject to VAT and possibly duty, if it exceeds the limits is jiberish? It couldn't be any more simple to follow.