New Import Duty/VAT Thread. Read Post #1 for Rules

homer911

Am I correct in thinking books are not subject to VAT and if my total book purchases including shipping are less than €150 then no duty or VAT is applicable (when purchasing from outside the EU)?

Thanks

Collibosher

corblimey wrote: »

I know that a UPS guy will arrive at my door any day now with his hand out, so does anyone know if they'll accept a cheque or even a credit card. I contacted UPS customer services and got a quite confusing answer, so I'd appreciate any personal experiences.

I've had deliveries from UPS (and DHL) and they've always sent me on a bill for any duty/vat/service fees a week or so after delivery.

They've never been particularly high bills, so maybe if it's a large amount they look for payment upfront.

bri007

I bought 2 books on play.com, they are coming from the usa. The total cost was 35euro for the two college books. Is there any VAT or DUTY due on these?

rubadub

No VAT on books, not sure about duty but they are below the €150 limit for duty.

brady23

Can you argue the amount of tax on your goods if you can produce an invoice for them?
I am due delivery on sporting goods which I picked up very cheap and am worried I'm going to pay way more than what is actually owed?

Jarren

How much did you pay including shipping ?

brady23

Jarren wrote: »

How much did you pay including shipping ?

Paid like 211e including shippage so I figure it will be around the 65e+ ups handling of 5-15e

corblimey

Collibosher wrote: »

I've had deliveries from UPS (and DHL) and they've always sent me on a bill for any duty/vat/service fees a week or so after delivery.

They've never been particularly high bills, so maybe if it's a large amount they look for payment upfront.

In case anyone finds this thread, the local UPS called me the morning when the package was sent out in their van (it took about another 6 hours to get to me), and told me how much was due. They were then able to take my credit card and pay up front, so the receptionist at work just signed for it without issue. The box had a big COD sticker on it, so I suspect they wouldn't have left it with her if I hadn't paid up front. It was due over 80 quid, in case as Collibosher says, it's a threshold thing.

Lazy Bhoy

A friend of mine told me that I would not have to bay duty or VAT on an item that I purchased abroad which could not be purchased here.

With that in mind, I then ordered a DVD box set from Amazon.com which was region 1. This DVD set was never made in region 2.

The DVD set plus postage was valued at 33.99 euros which led to a 13.77 euros charge (inc An Post charge)

So is there any truth to my friends statement or was he talking nonsense?

Lucky enough it is not a huge charge but it would be nice to know for future reference.

Beano

Lazy Bhoy wrote: »

A friend of mine told me that I would not have to bay duty or VAT on an item that I purchased abroad which could not be purchased here.

With that in mind, I then ordered a DVD box set from Amazon.com which was region 1. This DVD set was never made in region 2.

The DVD set plus postage was valued at 33.99 euros which led to a 13.77 euros charge (inc An Post charge)

So is there any truth to my friends statement or was he talking nonsense?

Lucky enough it is not a huge charge but it would be nice to know for future reference.

I'm afraid your friend is spouting nonsense.

Lazy Bhoy

Beano wrote: »

I'm afraid your friend is spouting nonsense.

Cheers Beano

I thought as much.

Lucky enough I didn't go mad and order a heap of stuff and so learned a small inexpensive lesson.

Mr.T05

Hi

I am living in Australia and am moving home soon. I have quite a bit of electronic, hard drives and a tablet and a few other things. These are used and I don't have receipts for them. If I post them to Ireland do I have to pay import tax on them?

Thanks

househero

Mr.T05 wrote: »

Hi

I am living in Australia and am moving home soon. I have quite a bit of electronic, hard drives and a tablet and a few other things. These are used and I don't have receipts for them. If I post them to Ireland do I have to pay import tax on them?

Thanks

Post them from OZ???? That will cost a bomb and you will have to insure the parcel. Don't bring back your summer clothes (you won't need them here) fill your suitcase with your expensive electronics and leave behind your cheaper clothes.

househero

If goods are declared as being worth 44 euro, the vat due at 13.5% would be 5.94 (under the threshold of 6 euro for collection of VAT)

Does that mean they wouldn't charge you the 5.94 due, and you wouldn't have to pay the an post/fed ex handling charges???

I'm looking to buy something (art) from America and the postage is 'free'... I don't know if that's what would be written on the customs declaration, or If it would say the actual shipping charge too.

Mr.T05

househero wrote: »

Post them from OZ???? That will cost a bomb and you will have to insure the parcel. Don't bring back your summer clothes (you won't need them here) fill your suitcase with your expensive electronics and leave behind your cheaper clothes.

I get free post through work

househero

Mr.T05 wrote: »

I get free post through work

Post your clothes then and bring your expensive potentially taxable (if posted) items in your luggage, unless your flying back with ryanair you should have plenty of room.

...hold up, I just read your name. Are you planning on importing big gold chains without declaring their value MR.T?


I pity the fool

rubadub

househero wrote: »

If goods are declared as being worth 44 euro, the vat due at 13.5% would be 5.94 (under the threshold of 6 euro for collection of VAT)

Does that mean they wouldn't charge you the 5.94 due, and you wouldn't have to pay the an post/fed ex handling charges???

I believe this is the case, there should be no charges at all, thats if they agree it is 13.5%.

househero wrote: »

I'm looking to buy something (art) from America and the postage is 'free'... I don't know if that's what would be written on the customs declaration, or If it would say the actual shipping charge too.

The postage is of course not free, there will usually be a price they can see on the stamps or franking machine thing, or on the invoice. This is the problem with this "free postage" nonsense, its included postage, and if they split up the invoice to show the true price they can charge the proper amount.

However your case is unusual as the say the item is really €34 and post is €10. Now the VAT on that €10 is at 23% and so pushes you over the €6 limit.

embraer170

A friend in the US has managed to order a pair of Google Glass. Any ideas for what's the best way to minimise my exposure to Irish duty when the product is posted on to me in Ireland.

According to http://www.dutycalculator.com

Price: $1605
Shipping and insurance to Ireland: $110 (my guess)
Total customs value (CIF): €1261.72
- Duty: €0.00
- VAT: €290.20
Total import duty & taxes due: €290.20

Is the 0 duty too optimistic?

whiterebel

Mr.T05 wrote: »

Hi

I am living in Australia and am moving home soon. I have quite a bit of electronic, hard drives and a tablet and a few other things. These are used and I don't have receipts for them. If I post them to Ireland do I have to pay import tax on them?

Thanks

You are entitled to bring personal effects home without Duty/VAT, but I'd send an email to Revenue to see what you need to do. I think you put the details on a sheet, and enclose it with the shipment. probably a lot easier to bring it with you, though.

RUDOLF289

embraer170 wrote: »

A friend in the US has managed to order a pair of Google Glass. Any ideas for what's the best way to minimise my exposure to Irish duty when the product is posted on to me in Ireland.

According to http://www.dutycalculator.com

Price: $1605
Shipping and insurance to Ireland: $110 (my guess)
Total customs value (CIF): €1261.72
- Duty: €0.00
- VAT: €290.20
Total import duty & taxes due: €290.20

Is the 0 duty too optimistic?

Hello Embraer170.

Suggest to contact the Tariff Classification unit in Nenagh for the tariff number and the rate of duty. Email them : tarclass@revenue.ie

Cheers,
Rudolf289

RUDOLF289

whiterebel wrote: »

You are entitled to bring personal effects home without Duty/VAT, but I'd send an email to Revenue to see what you need to do. I think you put the details on a sheet, and enclose it with the shipment. probably a lot easier to bring it with you, though.

Hello Mr.T05,

You need to fill out a "transfer of residence" form. Follow this link for further information ; http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/vrt/leaflets/tax-relief-transfer-residence.html

Cheers,
Rudolf289

frash

Hi,

My wife bought spare wooden parts for a game from China.
The value is US$60 but the parcel arrived & customs are looking for €30.

How do they calculate that?
Parcel would weigh maybe 1.5kg so not sure how much shipping costs would have been.

Thanks.

RUDOLF289

Hello Frash,

You would need to ask for a breakdown of the charges from the carrier looking for the charges, e.g. the values over which customs calculated the duty (unlikely since parts for games should be zero) and the VAT. It is also likely that there is a handling fee involved of anything upto € 15.00, depending on the service used (e.g. An Post or Courier).

If you read the original post of this thread, it lists the amounts of duty / VAT tresholds and what is included in the calculation of the values over which the duty and/or VAT are calculated. Postage / shipping costs would need to be included.

Hope this helps

Cheers,
Rudolf289

doing

If I order something eletronic second hand from the UK and it comes to ROI via Belfast (Parcel Motel) would I still have to pay extra to customs?

rubadub

doing wrote: »

If I order something eletronic second hand from the UK and it comes to ROI via Belfast (Parcel Motel) would I still have to pay extra to customs?

There should be no charge if it genuinely did come from the UK. Many ebay sellers will falsely pose as UK sellers but could send from China.

Mrs Dempsey

I don't have time to search the thread so forgive if a repeat issue.
LensWay UK had being supplying my disposable contact lenses & no issues arose untill today. My most recent order was overdue & a wee letter arrives from the Dublin Mail Centre looking for vat / duty.
My contract was with LensWay.co.uk & payment was in sterling so my assumption was that this was an internal EU transaction & that no additional payment would be due.
Any enlightment for a confused consumer please & thanks?

PenguinForce

Hi all, I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask and might be a bit of a silly question. When using the duty calculator do you use the currency from the country you are importing from or in Euros?

I am asking this because I'm planning to order two Gundam model plastic kit from Hobby Link Japan website and they display the price of the items both in Euros and in Japanese Yen as well as USD. So I am not sure if I should input the price of the items + shipping costs into the calculator in Euros or Yen as the result differs depending which currency I enter with.

Thanks!

whiterebel

PenguinForce wrote: »

Hi all, I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask and might be a bit of a silly question. When using the duty calculator do you use the currency from the country you are importing from or in Euros?

I am asking this because I'm planning to order two Gundam model plastic kit from Hobby Link Japan website and they display the price of the items both in Euros and in Japanese Yen as well as USD. So I am not sure if I should input the price of the items + shipping costs into the calculator in Euros or Yen as the result differs depending which currency I enter with.

Thanks!

Whichever currency the invoice you in. If they are going to show Yen and convert it to euro on the invoice, you're probably better off using the Yen amount

RUDOLF289

PenguinForce wrote: »

Hi all, I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask and might be a bit of a silly question. When using the duty calculator do you use the currency from the country you are importing from or in Euros?

I am asking this because I'm planning to order two Gundam model plastic kit from Hobby Link Japan website and they display the price of the items both in Euros and in Japanese Yen as well as USD. So I am not sure if I should input the price of the items + shipping costs into the calculator in Euros or Yen as the result differs depending which currency I enter with.

Thanks!

Hello PenguinForce,

this is the link to the Customs rate of exchange. They change from month to month. http://www.revenue.ie/en/customs/businesses/importing/exchange-rates/index.html

In principle you need to apply the currency in which you are being invoiced. The Us$ and Euro currencies may only be for comparisson purposes ?

Hope this helps

Cheers,
Rudolf289

PenguinForce

whiterebel wrote: »

Whichever currency the invoice you in. If they are going to show Yen and convert it to euro on the invoice, you're probably better off using the Yen amount

RUDOLF289 wrote: »

Hello PenguinForce,

this is the link to the Customs rate of exchange. They change from month to month. http://www.revenue.ie/en/customs/businesses/importing/exchange-rates/index.html

In principle you need to apply the currency in which you are being invoiced. The Us$ and Euro currencies may only be for comparisson purposes ?

Hope this helps

Cheers,
Rudolf289

Thanks for the replies I am pretty sure the Euros and USD prices are for comparison purposes as it said so on their website they are only for "references".

Another question probably a silly one :P When importing two items or more from the same website. Am I right to presume that they charge import duties/VAT on each of your items individually and not just charge you based on the total price?

Btw, I didn't know duty calculator was a paid service. Using the android app instead.

Thanks