lf-photo.org.uk

Hello all,

Does anyone have any experience with having classic/antique cameras and lenses delivered to the UK from outside the EU and how much import duty and VAT one can expect to pay?

I've seen information that states there is no import duty and 5% VAT on antique lenses but the same site (http://www.dutycalculator.com) states that there will be 3.7% duty and 20% VAT on film camera bodies and parts.

Anyway, I just wondered if anyone here has had a similar experience with HMRC and could provide a definitive answer.

Thanks.

I am not trying to dodge any tax here, but my experience is that stuff from the 'States that comes USPS is much less likely to be slapped with import duties than stuff that comes by a courier like FedEx. The couriers add a nice charge for administering the tax, which is the bit that upsets me.
I'm all for paying the doctors and the teachers.

Most stuff that I've had via USPS has been taxed, plus parcelforce adding their £8, the bastards.

As to whether your thing gets taxed as camera goods or an antique probably largely depends on what the sender writes on the customs declaration form stuck to the outside of the box.

Scott

I've had 'experience' of this (over the years) in buying from the US and Can

Import duty/VAT is 'hard to avoid' and then we have (as mentioned) the irritating forced handling charges at this end and as you may know, shipping to here from the US isn't cheap. Unless of course that you have a 'tame seller'. Also UK Import duties kick in at anything valued at over £18 (- correct me if I'm wrong), which as far as I'm concerned can make it a fairly expensive purchase

........................of course it's preferable to buy from within the EU but this isn't always feasible.............................

good luck anyhow

andrew

I have not imported anything antique myself but for definitive answers you need to consult the tarric database

http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/dd ... sp?Lang=en


SECTION XXI WORKS OF ART, COLLECTORS' PIECES AND ANTIQUES
CHAPTER 97 WORKS OF ART, COLLECTORS' PIECES AND ANTIQUES

v 9706
Antiques of an age exceeding 100 years

9706 00 00 90
- Other

That code seems to suggest Zero import duty at least if the items in questuuion are over 100 years old.

The rate you quote for film cameras sounds about right again you need to face the horror of the tarric if you want to check against dutycalculator.com which I to have found a usefull site.

By the way if you use up your free calculation reboot modem in case they track ip's and you have done a lot that day and clear the individual cookie for the site.

I brought three things from the states last year

Nikon 150SW in perfect mint condition cost 1100 all values declared took less than three days to arrive fee from FEDEX was 20

Two Heliopan Centre filters from Igors Camera exchange tracked Piority Mail international in the UK within three days Parcel Farce took over two weeks with the ciustoms clearance and I was charged VAT Import duty and their fee

Single Heliopan centre filter from a largeformat.info member I went for an enhanced version of Priority mail international should have been a five day service
In the Uk within two days Parcel Farce sat on it in customs clearance for two weeks again as per usual VAT Import Duty and their fee which was higher this time for no adequately explained reason because the value was under half the two from Igor and as ever by the time you get the letter saying pay up its quicker to go and collect your goods.

On the theme of Parcel Farce two purchases from Germany sent by DHL messed about by Parcel Farce no charges but what should have taken a few days again in both cases took over two weeks.

In short if you get things sent priority mail international from the states and it gets handed over to Parcel Farce rather than the post office expect to get charged and wait a long time.

In future anything I buy from the states its going to be any other option than USPS Priority Mail International seeing as you always have to work on the basis that customs is due you might as well recieve you goods in some sort of sensible timescale.

Thank you to everyone that replied.

I'm not necessarily trying to avoid paying the required import taxes - of course if it gets through I'm not about to let HMRC know - but rather simply trying to get an accurate idea of how much I can expect to get stung by when it arrives.

Anyway, I went ahead and bought the camera and so we'll what the damage is when it arrives.

Thanks, again.

Scott, Hi

why not let us know what you've bought?.............I'm certainly interested

regards

andrew