Customs

JackKelly

Just wanted to find out the situation with customs. I know that if a shipment is marked as "gift", it can slip through customs, but what is the limit to which you can import something, without getting charged Vat and duty?

Creamy Goodness

if it's marked as a gift the max you can claim back if it's lost damaged etc is $50 if shipped from the states.

there are other ways of getting around vat/duty but i don't think they are allowed to be mentioned here.

Basq

Think a Sticky regarding Customs might be in order?

Creamy Goodness

basquille wrote:

Think a Sticky regarding Customs might be in order?

yup surely we can all get together and make one.

Gone West

Cremo wrote:

yup surely we can all get together and make one.

thats what I like to hear!
If anyone has any relevant information about customs, post it up here, and then someone, me probably can compile it into a stickie.

Creamy Goodness

i'm in college at the moment so i'll write up what i know and my experiences with customs/duty when i get home.

i suppose ways to avoid custom duty would be frowned upon?

Nukem

Cremo wrote:

i suppose ways to avoid custom duty would be frowned upon?

Who said anything about avoinding paying tax ¬_¬
A guideline for how much you are liable to pay and where you stand regarding second hand items and the like would be an idea. I've been trawling through revenue.ie and there is no real clear cut answer its all hype. might be better to e-mail someone and ask them in the Customs office for a few bottom line answers! What ya reckon?

Nukem

LegacyUser

i get all my ebay stuff sent to work, and have never paid any duty.

Gone West

Nukem wrote:

I've been trawling through revenue.ie and there is no real clear cut answer its all hype.

Yes, I've had the same here. This is a bit of a grey area. Sometimes large valuable packages come through, without being charged duty/customs and sometimes actual cheap gifts, marked as such get slapped with customs tax.

Ive emailed around, and no one really knows the score. They have the official line that everything imported is liable for taxation, but at the same time admit that this isn't always/usually the case.

Spocker

Some info from the Customs & Excise section of the FAQ on the Revenue website:

6. Customs implications as regards imports via the Internet, what reliefs are available?

Customs duty is payable on goods imported into Ireland (regardless of the medium used) from outside of the European Union. The actual rate of duty involved depends on the nature of the goods and is assessed in accordance with the tables set down in the Customs & Excise Tariff of Ireland. VAT which is levied at whatever rate would apply to the supply of the imported goods in Ireland is also payable. Customs duty is chargeable on the value of the goods often referred to as CIF or the cost of the goods plus insurance and freight. The customs duty payable is included in the value of the goods for VAT purposes. Excise duty, if appropriate, must also be paid in accordance with Part 5 of the Customs & Excise Tariff of Ireland.

It should be noted, however, that the following derogations apply:

Gifts
Customs duty and VAT is not payable on consignments of a value not exceeding €45 which are sent as gifts by private individuals from third countries for the personal or family use of private individuals in the State. However, relief from VAT does not apply in the case of tobacco products, alcohol/alcoholic beverages perfumes or toilet waters and the limits set out in Public Notice No. 1179 relating to relief from customs duty on such goods must be observed. Furthermore, where after excluding the value of the goods (other than tobacco products) which qualified for the relief (€45), the total value of the remainder of the dutiable goods in a gift consignment does not exceed €349.18, customs duty will be charged on the balance at the standard rate of 3.5%. The importer may, however, opt to have the goods charged at the relevant tariff rate(s) applicable. VAT and excise duty, if chargeable, will be assessed in the normal way.


Goods of Negligible Value
Packages, other than those containing tobacco or tobacco products, alcoholic products, perfumes or toilet waters with a value of €22 regardless of status (for private or commercial use) are admitted free of customs duty and VAT under the scheme commonly known as "small packages" relief.

I agree with everyone else though, it seems to be a bit of a lottery as to whether you get hit or not. The only thing I've heard of is that private courier companies such as UPS, DHL will always check/charge whereas anything coming by regular post nearly always gets through.

S.

Spocker

Customs and Excise Tariff of Ireland as of 1 January, 2005.

i.e. how much they are going to get from you

samo

I got a drill delivered recently via DHL that I bought off a UK website. I was feeling happy that it wouldnt incur customs after I checked through some of the sites mentioned above that as VAT would be prepaid etc if shipped within the EU, it should be fine!

I then nearly had a heart attack when i got the shipping info and saw that it actually was being sent via DHL from the US.

It got here and the customs declaration showed a value of 100 USD on the invoice - which I thought might have put it above the customs exemption limit but No, they delivered it and didnt request any extra money!

So just goes to show its a bit random how customs fall....definitly think if anyone has a good knowledge on this area and can compile a sticky would be very handy!

Does anyone know if DHL will normally invoice you at a later stage if it was meant to be charged for customs??? (Just before I relax too much )

parsi

From what I've seen DHL will look for the money before they let you get your sticky mitts on the goods so you should be ok.

It is true that usually DHL and the other couriers are stringentregarding customs and the admin fee is a nice earner for them. An Post have always been more lackadaisical regarding colelction of any sort of payment at your door...

Spocker

samo wrote:

Does anyone know if DHL will normally invoice you at a later stage if it was meant to be charged for customs??? (Just before I relax too much )

Thats the way it works - they deliver the parcel and a couple of days (weeks?) later you get an invoice to the same address as the box was delivered for the amount to be charged :mad:

magpie

From within Europe you're fine.

From the US all packages now have to go through Frankfurt, where the Irish Revenue sub-contracts to a private company (whose name eludes me) who seem to randomly pick packages to inspect and equally randomly charge duty. They then phone your house once and you have to go through a huge rigmarole to get your package. Like most things in life, its a gamble.

penexpers

magpie wrote:

From within Europe you're fine.

From the US all packages now have to go through Frankfurt, where the Irish Revenue sub-contracts to a private company (whose name eludes me) who seem to randomly pick packages to inspect and equally randomly charge duty. They then phone your house once and you have to go through a huge rigmarole to get your package. Like most things in life, its a gamble.

You're thinking of GLS who recently lost the contract to deliver USPS parcels.

BrianD

samo wrote:

I got a drill delivered recently via DHL that I bought off a UK website. I was feeling happy that it wouldnt incur customs after I checked through some of the sites mentioned above that as VAT would be prepaid etc if shipped within the EU, it should be fine!

I then nearly had a heart attack when i got the shipping info and saw that it actually was being sent via DHL from the US.

It got here and the customs declaration showed a value of 100 USD on the invoice - which I thought might have put it above the customs exemption limit but No, they delivered it and didnt request any extra money!

So just goes to show its a bit random how customs fall....definitly think if anyone has a good knowledge on this area and can compile a sticky would be very handy!

Does anyone know if DHL will normally invoice you at a later stage if it was meant to be charged for customs??? (Just before I relax too much )

I think you were possibly duped here. Did you pay VAT on the item when you purchased it on the UK site and have you got an invoice? It looks like that you have paid their import duties as well. Seems a bit odd to me.

magpie

You're thinking of GLS who recently lost the contract to deliver USPS parcels

Yes that's them. Inept doesn't even start to cover it.

samo

BrianD wrote:

I think you were possibly duped here. Did you pay VAT on the item when you purchased it on the UK site and have you got an invoice? It looks like that you have paid their import duties as well. Seems a bit odd to me.

How it worked out was as follows; -

Purchase price from a .co.uk website inclusive of shipping (free to Ireland) was £199.00 GBP ...they then shipped item from the US and put on the front of the box a commercial invoice showing value as 100USD (it would have actually been $360.00).

DHL delivered beginning of the week and didnt request any extra payment for customs etc, I actually rang them at the time as I'd missed the delivery guy to re-arrange it and asked them was their any extra payment due and they stated that no, everything had been pre-paid, although in fairness I didnt specifically ask them about customs duties.

So have just paid euro equivalent of £199.00 so far and had assumed as paid to a UK company that they would have paid VAT etc.

Hopefully situation doesnt change!

nlgbbbblth

so for say importing region 1 DVDs you are liable for
a) VAT (at 21% ?)
b) Duty (at 3.5% ?)

??

DaisyDuke

I've been trawling through the website, and I'm more confused if anything. Maybe you knowledgeable people can help me
I'm ordering a piece of jewellery from the States. The company who are sending it to me ship by UPS, and they will insure the package for the full value of the item.
I presume as they state that the customer is responsible for customs charges, that they won't be putting it on the box as a gift....

How badly am I gonna get screwed on this one?

When I bought dvd's from the states, I didn't pay any extra on the package. Am guessing that because this one won't be a gift that I'll be stuck with the 21%.
Any ideas?