Importing a bike into the UK from the US
jnr_seahorse
Posts: 50
Anybody in the UK bought a bike / frame from the USA? Advice or tips?
I'm considering buying a frame from a shop in the USA.
Cost with the shipping will be around £2000.
How much import duty are the lovely people at customs going to slap on it?
I'm considering buying a frame from a shop in the USA.
Cost with the shipping will be around £2000.
How much import duty are the lovely people at customs going to slap on it?
0
Comments
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you are going to get raped.
import duty - check the HMRC site
VAT on anything above £18
+ the £8 Royal fecking Mail charge (even if you only need to pay £1 VAT - you can't tell I am bitter!)0 -
be aware, that many distributors in the UK have no interest / obligation to support you if you need warranty on a frame bought off-shoreCall 01372 476 969 for more information on UK\'s leading freeride park - Esher Shore www.eshershore.com0
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If you went to the States and took a bike with you for your own personal use and something terrible happened to the frame you can buy a frame and use it. The bike you return with would be used and I don't think subject to import duty.
If the trip was purely to buy the item and return with a new frame tax would be due.0 -
I do this as a norm.
USA bike shops also tend to negotiate a lot, even on new stuff, cut a deal.
The import duty is not cheap though, not at all.
17.5% + 15% + £18.
I have had no problems at all with getting warranty or support at all.Why would I care about 150g of bike weight, I just ate 400g of cookies while reading this?0 -
[quoteIf you went to the States and took a bike with you for your own personal use and something terrible happened to the frame you can buy a frame and use it. The bike you return with would be used and I don't think subject to import duty.
[/quote]
Not true.
You would be liable for duty on the frame when it comes into the UK (as import duty has not been paid yet) - duty MAY be based on the purchase price or the s/h value (you would need to check with HMRC for the latest rules)0 -
Take a bike bag with a scrapyard bike in it to the US.
Buy a new bike in the states.
Place new bike in bike bag and throw scrapper in a skip.
Return to UK after dirtying new bike with mud.
Happy days.0 -
[quoteIf you went to the States and took a bike with you for your own personal use and something terrible happened to the frame you can buy a frame and use it. The bike you return with would be used and I don't think subject to import duty.
[/quote]
Not true.
You would be liable for duty on the frame when it comes into the UK (as import duty has not been paid yet) - duty MAY be based on the purchase price or the s/h value (you would need to check with HMRC for the latest rules)0 -
The only way you wouldn't pay any customs duty etc is if you have owned the item for more than 6 months...You can get around the royal mail £8 thing by arranging your own courrier and sorting the import out yourself...If you give the national advice line they should be able to help you a little more..0845 010 9000. I work for customs at Salford Quays so don't be trying to get away with anything :roll:
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So let me get this straight......
17.5% VAT (Soon to be 20%)
Plus
15% Import duty
Plus
£8-18 Royal Mail Charge.
Ouch!0 -
Looks like the frame would end up costs about 350 extra or so to just get it into the country. What a load of quack. Why if it's purchased for personal use and not to be sold on do you still have to pay so much for it?0
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jnr_seahorse wrote:So let me get this straight......
17.5% VAT (Soon to be 20%)
Plus
15% Import duty
Plus
£8-18 Royal Mail Charge.
Ouch!
When stuff arrives from the UK to me, I'm pretty sure the order of the charges is the other way round so it'll be:
Price of Bike and Shipping = 2000
Plus Duty 2000*1.15 = 2300
Plus VAT 2300*1.175 = 2702
Plus Courier/Royal Mail handling fee.
I don't know if the duty is charged on the value of the bike and the shipping or just the value of the bike so it may be less. The cost of the shipping is liable to VAT though.0 -
they charge VAT on shipping if you opt for a "non-standard" delivery service. Which you would for a bike. You aren't exactly going to trust USPS and Royal Fail with it.0
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If you were to ship the bike unassembled as "component parts" it only attracts 4.7% duty instead of 14%
Likewise importing frames only attracts 4.7% - it's only complete bikes that get whacked for 14%0 -
LOLschweiz wrote:jnr_seahorse wrote:other way round so it'll be:
Price of Bike and Shipping = 2000
Plus Duty 2000*1.15 = 2300
Plus VAT 2300*1.175 = 2702
Plus Courier/Royal Mail handling fee.
£Xx1.175x1.15=£Xx1.15x1.175 so you can calculate in any order you like, the result is the same, but yes, strictly its import duty first then VAT.
SimonCurrently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0 -
The Beginner wrote:schweiz wrote:
LOLjnr_seahorse wrote:other way round so it'll be:
Price of Bike and Shipping = 2000
Plus Duty 2000*1.15 = 2300
Plus VAT 2300*1.175 = 2702
Plus Courier/Royal Mail handling fee.
£Xx1.175x1.15=£Xx1.15x1.175 so you can calculate in any order you like, the result is the same, but yes, strictly its import duty first then VAT.
Simon
:oops:
fail on my part!! I was trying to make the point that there is VAT to pay on the duty i.e. you don't take 15% of 2000 and 17.5% of 2000 which would make a total price of 26500 -
OK got you, agreed on that!
SimonCurrently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0
