lw395
Well-Known Member
Does anyone know what the duty would be on importing a new sail from the US?
Anyone done this?
Anyone done this?
Duty on sail import from US?
- Thread starter lw395
- Start date
Lucy52
Well-Known Member
According to the RYA duty is not payable on a seagoing vessel, being defined as one over twelve meters LOA.
From HMRC Website:
"Import
The commodity code for importing is 8903911000.
Goods are subject to VAT standard rate (20.00 %).
Importing from outside the EU is subject to a third country duty of 0.00 % unless subject to other measures.
Import measures and restrictions for specific countries can be found under the import tab."
VAT would be payable on the CIF value.
The vessel would need to be assessed for the RCD compliance, including a stability calculation.
The engine might be non-compliant with EU emissions directives which means that the yacht could not comply without a change of engine.
Component parts for the vessel might well be of an American type and hard to source in the UK.
There are surveyors who are able to carry out the necessary RCD work see YBDSA or RINA.
It might be an idea to approach HMRC for advice.
The above is probably why it is not often done. Notwithstanding B***it.
Sorry, misread, for only a sail look up HMRC web site, easy to navigate, drill down through the menus or phone them.
Imports
Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm
Telephone: 03000 588 454
From HMRC Website:
"Import
The commodity code for importing is 8903911000.
Goods are subject to VAT standard rate (20.00 %).
Importing from outside the EU is subject to a third country duty of 0.00 % unless subject to other measures.
Import measures and restrictions for specific countries can be found under the import tab."
VAT would be payable on the CIF value.
The vessel would need to be assessed for the RCD compliance, including a stability calculation.
The engine might be non-compliant with EU emissions directives which means that the yacht could not comply without a change of engine.
Component parts for the vessel might well be of an American type and hard to source in the UK.
There are surveyors who are able to carry out the necessary RCD work see YBDSA or RINA.
It might be an idea to approach HMRC for advice.
The above is probably why it is not often done. Notwithstanding B***it.
Sorry, misread, for only a sail look up HMRC web site, easy to navigate, drill down through the menus or phone them.
Imports
Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm
Telephone: 03000 588 454
Last edited:
Saguday
Well-Known Member
Just a sail? VAT at 20% plus 3% duty plus shipping but the shipping will probably kill it. If it’s a replacement for an IP and it’s Quantum just get one made by them in the UK, they have a loft in Hamble. My mate had them do a tri-radial main for his IP370 (like ours) and he’s well chuffed with it.
lw395
Well-Known Member
Duty seems to be 12% for sails.
I think I could get it sent USPS, which I assume will dump it into the Royal Mail system and they will charge me the duty and VAT.
The VAT is chargeable on the duty and the carriage.
Duty is not chargeable on the carriage.
Visa will charge me 3% for paying the bill in USD.
It's still tempting because the US product is batch produced from good cloth, of a known brand.
In the UK I can either get a cheap import of no-name Chinese cloth, or pay a premium for a bespoke sail.
I think I could get it sent USPS, which I assume will dump it into the Royal Mail system and they will charge me the duty and VAT.
The VAT is chargeable on the duty and the carriage.
Duty is not chargeable on the carriage.
Visa will charge me 3% for paying the bill in USD.
It's still tempting because the US product is batch produced from good cloth, of a known brand.
In the UK I can either get a cheap import of no-name Chinese cloth, or pay a premium for a bespoke sail.
langstonelayabout
Well-Known Member
Where I've ordered stuff in the past from the US to the UK some of the carrier companies also charge you an additional fee for collecting the import tax and VAT prior to releasing the goods to you.
AntarcticPilot
Well-Known Member
Where I've ordered stuff in the past from the US to the UK some of the carrier companies also charge you an additional fee for collecting the import tax and VAT prior to releasing the goods to you.
The Post Office charges for collecting import duty; quite a lot I recall from the one time I've done it.
lw395
Well-Known Member
I think I read it's £8?
Not being sarky, did you mean Royal Mail or Post Office?
https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/7208/~/help-with-paying-customs-fees
£8 is a wind-up on a £40 item, been there ,but at least it was business, on a sail it isn't so bad. Just another little %age!
Looks like it might end up with ParcelFarce, where the fee is £12. Huff!
ronmarson
Well-Known Member
Got A sail from Fareast Sails some years ago.
It arrived in a box marked Cloth samples.
No tax and and a satisfied customer.
It arrived in a box marked Cloth samples.
No tax and and a satisfied customer.
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
You could buy a sail made by the British company, Hyde.
Made in the Philippines, but in the loft owned & managed by them to designs set in the UK. They will visit your boat & take measurements as well, if asked- They have done so for me a couple of times.
Greenheart
Well-Known Member
Where I've ordered stuff in the past from the US to the UK some of the carrier companies also charge you an additional fee for collecting the import tax and VAT prior to releasing the goods to you.
I ordered brass rings and turnovers from Sailrite in Indiana, U.S... FedEx held them up on arrival, claiming some duty. I immediately found (online) a convincing case why I needn't pay the duty, and emailed FedEx to say so. Then I realised that nowhere else could supply me with the damn things (Cindy at Wilkinson Sails was my source, but I believe she's been unwell) so I paid up...
...then, too late, I had a message from FedEx agreeing that I didn't need to pay. I was too sick of the matter to pursue it, but if the courier claims you have to pay some duty, treat it as extremely doubtful - most likely they're just scamming you.
lw395
Well-Known Member
The limits where VAT and duty are payable are VAT on goods worth more than £15 and import duty on goods over £135.
The 'worth' of the goods includes the shipping.
https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty
It's painful.
But some goods are way cheaper in the USA. Even at £1= £1.25 or so.
People used to talk about rip-off Britain. Seems to have spread to Europe?
The 'worth' of the goods includes the shipping.
https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty
It's painful.
But some goods are way cheaper in the USA. Even at £1= £1.25 or so.
People used to talk about rip-off Britain. Seems to have spread to Europe?
Seven Spades
Well-Known Member
It is far cheaper to have a boat re-rigged in the UK than the USA.
langstonelayabout
Well-Known Member
I wish. The first time the UPS guy wanted payment to release the goods he was in uniform and had his UPS van parked outside. He was also holding the box of stuff I'd ordered from the USA and had some HMRC paperwork too. I wrote UPS a cheque...
langstonelayabout
Well-Known Member
To be honest, this is the scenario that everyone wants and expects.
lw395
Well-Known Member
After a bit more dithering, I placed the order on the 24th. USPS delivery $80.
Their tracking system shows it's at Heathrow now.
With the duty and all that, I think the total cost will be £400, vs £600 to £800 to get something made in the UK, probably at higher risk of not getting exactly what I want.
It's a bit of a punt. (As in a flutter, not a Norfolk Punt!).
I think there is quite a lot of hardware which is cheaper in the US, trouble is most retailers don't allow UK customers to see their websites, let alone buy.
Their tracking system shows it's at Heathrow now.
With the duty and all that, I think the total cost will be £400, vs £600 to £800 to get something made in the UK, probably at higher risk of not getting exactly what I want.
It's a bit of a punt. (As in a flutter, not a Norfolk Punt!).
I think there is quite a lot of hardware which is cheaper in the US, trouble is most retailers don't allow UK customers to see their websites, let alone buy.
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