Shipping Tax from America

[freak_unique]

Right I am purchasing a pair of big boots from america which will be shipped to me in the UK... apparently they are going to be valued at around 100 dollars - does anyone know how much shipping tax i will have to pay on these? Im guessing around �30 ish though i dont know. or does anyone know how i can find out like if there are any shipping tax charts or anything online? I have phoned the post office but they were helpess saying "we wont know how much youll be paying until they arrive"
Thanks for reading :)

[saxy_jag]

I bought a bag and a top a few months ago, total value around �30. I ended up paying around �10 as import tax/customs duty.

When you buy them, the vendor will add on USA purchase tax, which varies from state to state. You will pay the tax rate of the state where the company is based.

In Michigan, purchase tax is 6%, if that's any kind of guide.

[freak_unique]

Hey many thanks. Well the boots I am getting are from Denver im not sure if that is anywhere near lol im crap at geography! Thanks for your answer though :)

[freak_unique]

Hopefully shudnt be too much then :)

[Buenchico]

$100, at current exchange rates, equates to �54.35.

The duty on clothing is charged at 12%, so that's �6.52 BUT duty is waived if the amount is less than �7. So, hopefully, you won't have to pay any duty. (NOTE, however, how close to the 'cut-off' this figure is. If the CN22 customs declaration shows the value of the boots as over $107, or if HMRC are using a slightly different exchange rate, you might have to pay around �7 duty).

VAT is charged at 17.5%, so that gives a figure of �9.51. (NOTE, however, that if duty is charged, you have to pay VAT on the duty as well. Assuming the minimum �7 duty, the total VAT would then be �10.73).

On top of those figures there is the Customs examination fee of �8.

So, if your boots are judged as being just below the �7 duty threshold, the postman will ask you for about �17.50. If they're judged as being just over the threshold, he'll want about �25.70.

Chris

[rccatnap]

Buenchico is correct in his assement.
If you're having your goods shipped directly from the States then the US sales tax will not be added. What does increase the declared value is the shipping cost and that is included by Customs & Excise when calculating VAT and Duty.
All goods costing over �18.00 are liable to duty and that is the unknown factor. Being liable doesn't always mean you'll need to pay. I've ordered many things from the US and have not always had to pay anything, even though they were declared well over the �18.00 threshold. Overall, the system is a bit haphazard and seems to depend largely on how busy the clearing house gets. You may be lucky!