Importing a used boat to the UK from Switzerland

[SouthWales]

I am new to all this and am trying to navigate the VAT landscape applicable to a mobo imported from Schweiz.

1) any paper work needed to transport it on the road via France to the UK?

2) if transported on a trailer, will it be stopped by custom agents at Dover demanding UK VAT payment?

Anything else I should be concerned with? Am I better off dropping it in the sea around Calais and sailing it myself all the way to South Wales?

 

[Portofino]

How big , How old ? When .Where is the pick up in CH ?

 

[SouthWales]

How big , How old ? When .Where is the pick up in CH ?

10m. 2ys old. Lake Geneva.

 

[st599]

So you want to do a temporary import in to the EU at Geneva, then re-export at Calais.

Sounds like an ATA Carnet job.

Just looked it up, boats are Cat 8 ATA Carnet. Quite a steep bond price though.

 

[SouthWales]

So you want to do a temporary import in to the EU at Geneva, then re-export at Calais.

Sounds like an ATA Carnet job.

Just looked it up, boats are Cat 8 ATA Carnet. Quite a steep bond price though.

Thanks for that. Yes, a temporary import license is needed. But why pay for bond? I will not be storing the boat in France, just a transit.

 

[st599]

Thanks for that. Yes, a temporary import license is needed. But why pay for bond? I will not be storing the boat in France, just a transit.

That's how a Carnet works. You pay a bond to the issuer, you get it back when you return the Carnet with all the stamps. Don't return it and you lose the bond.

 

[SouthWales]

That's how a Carnet works. You pay a bond to the issuer, you get it back when you return the Carnet with all the stamps. Don't return it and you lose the bond.

So how much are we talking about here roughly?

 

[[178529]]

I am new to all this and am trying to navigate the VAT landscape applicable to a mobo imported from Schweiz.

1) any paper work needed to transport it on the road via France to the UK?

2) if transported on a trailer, will it be stopped by custom agents at Dover demanding UK VAT payment?

Anything else I should be concerned with? Am I better off dropping it in the sea around Calais and sailing it myself all the way to South Wales?

You will have to pay VAT whether you drop it in the sea or take it through Dover. Intentionally avoiding it would lead to potential seven years jail and unlimited fine.

 

[jrudge]

The issue you now ( assuming that it is a VAT paid boat) is that it has had tax paid on it in Switzerland and you will pay tax again in the UK. Swiss VAT is only 7.7% so it could be worse.

You may ( or may not) be better off buying one that is tax not paid ( there is no shortage) or one in the UK. It will depend on each deal .

 

[SouthWales]

You will have to pay VAT whether you drop it in the sea or take it through Dover. Intentionally avoiding it would lead to potential seven years jail and unlimited fine.

Is VAT payable in Dover prior to the boat entering the UK, or can it be paid later on?

 

[SouthWales]

The issue you now ( assuming that it is a VAT paid boat) is that it has had tax paid on it in Switzerland and you will pay tax again in the UK. Swiss VAT is only 7.7% so it could be worse.

You may ( or may not) be better off buying one that is tax not paid ( there is no shortage) or one in the UK. It will depend on each deal .

Which is exactly why I am looking at Swiss lakes. Smaller VAT upfront as you say, boats kept in fresh water (less corrosion) and overall nice people to deal with.
But then again, I can be wrong...

 

[st599]

So how much are we talking about here roughly?

It depends on what the goods are and where. I don't know for a boat in the EU. When I take electronics to Switzerland, it's about £300 for the paperwork plus a 40% bond.

The cost for the paperwork will depend on how much your local Chamber of Commerce charges.

 

[Portofino]

I have moved cars out of CH into the U.K. Ferraris .
This is how I did ( do it )
Drive the car out on Swiss plates into France , remove the plates load on a transporter * bound for the U.K. .
Get a U.K. MOT if applicable then reg it at the DVLA .

So for you with a boat on Lac Leman
Lift it @ Evian the French side place it on a U.K. plated trailer + car drive home .
Hairdryer off any CH reg decals if any .
Or on the back of a rtn load on a U.K. plated trailer of repatriation U.K. plated cars .
I have used caravan del Co who export caravans from the U.K. so are always looking for rtn loads .

Use euro tunnel with the U.K. car + trailer option .

 

[SouthWales]

I have moved cars out of CH into the U.K. Ferraris .
This is how I did ( do it )
Drive the car out on Swiss plates into France , remove the plates load on a transporter * bound for the U.K. .
Get a U.K. MOT if applicable then reg it at the DVLA .

So for you with a boat on Lac Leman
Lift it @ Evian the French side place it on a U.K. plated trailer + car drive home .
Hairdryer off any CH reg decals if any .
Or on the back of a rtn load on a U.K. plated trailer of repatriation U.K. plated cars .
I have used caravan del Co who export caravans from the U.K. so are always looking for rtn loads .

Use euro tunnel with the U.K. car + trailer option .

I actually spotted those Ferraris on your profile earlier
Can I trail a 5 ton 10 meter boat myself behind a ford galaxy or would I need to hire a truck?

 

[Alicatt]

I actually spotted those Ferraris on your profile earlier
Can I trail a 5 ton 10 meter boat myself behind a ford galaxy or would I need to hire a truck?

You would need a heavier vehicle and either a C+E or C1+E licence, restrictions then on width is around 2.9m for most EU countries, there are slightly different rules for towing boats on trailers as compared with a standard/normal trailer.
This was something I was looking into for myself, trying to figure out a vehicle/trailer combo to tow a cruiser of around 5tonnes, as the 5 tonnes is too heavy for my Range Rover- not that it can't just not legally (it can tow up to 6 tonnes in Australia with a different hitch and airbrakes for the trailer)

 

[Portofino]

I actually spotted those Ferraris on your profile earlier
Can I trail a 5 ton 10 meter boat myself behind a ford galaxy or would I need to hire a truck?

It’s too big as mentioned ^^^ for a car set up .Sorry I thought it was speed boat the 10 m has just registered.
Beam ( not disclosed) means std flat bed option has evaporated .

What marque is it ?

 

[SouthWales]

It’s too big as mentioned ^^^ for a car set up .Sorry I thought it was speed boat the 10 m has just registered.
Beam ( not disclosed) means std flat bed option has evaporated .

What marque is it ?

I am mostly attracted by all weather boats being in Wales, namely Nimbus, Marex and perhaps the new Beneteau GT32.

 

[dunedin]

I have moved cars out of CH into the U.K. Ferraris .
This is how I did ( do it )
Drive the car out on Swiss plates into France , remove the plates load on a transporter * bound for the U.K. .
Get a U.K. MOT if applicable then reg it at the DVLA .

So for you with a boat on Lac Leman
Lift it @ Evian the French side place it on a U.K. plated trailer + car drive home .
Hairdryer off any CH reg decals if any .
Or on the back of a rtn load on a U.K. plated trailer of repatriation U.K. plated cars .
I have used caravan del Co who export caravans from the U.K. so are always looking for rtn loads .

Use euro tunnel with the U.K. car + trailer option .

But that doesn’t avoid the need now to pay UK VAT on arrival in the UK for the OP’s boat.

 

[SouthWales]

But that doesn’t avoid the need now to pay UK VAT on arrival in the UK for the OP’s boat.

What if it is sailed to port from Calais?

And isn't there an 18 months payment holiday any ways?

 

[dunedin]

What if it is sailed to port from Calais?

And isn't there an 18 months payment holiday any ways?

I am not an expert. And not sure the UK HMRC has even put is new VAT rules into law yet! But if 18 month Temporary Import is, as anticipated, based upon the old EU rules, it is unlikely that a UK resident would be eligible to get Temporary Import status. Hence would be VAT on arrival. But seriously, if planning to spend money on a boat worth getting professional VAT advice, as nobody on here has yet done this under the new rules.

So in summary,
- No, sailing across the Channel doesn’t bypass any VAT liability (read HMRC Notice 8), and
- No, if Uk resident you are unlikely to be able to do an 18 month Temporary Import