Hi all,

I’m sure this has been answered a million times before, but can anyone explain to me what the potential liabilities of a purchase from the US would be ? I am looking at buying a second hand frame and forks from the USA for USD$1400, am I going to be stung with another million quid for importing the thing.

I know that there is a slim chance I can get through with no liability, but that is the luck of the draw and I need to prepare myself for potential serious duties. Any clues ??

Thanks very much in anticipation !
Sean

Not sure there would be duty to pay on S/H goods. Certainly not 100% about that though.

Make sure they mark it on the customs label of duty doesn’t need to be paid.

Worst case scenario- add 25% onto item cost (frame) and shipping.

If its stil a bargain, go for it.

S/H goods still attract charges

As below- complete bikes are charged at a different rate

You get charged import tax and VAT even on SH stuff.

Frames / Components was 4.7% import tax.

Full / most of a bike was 14% import tax.

You get charged import tax on the purchase price PLUS the shipping.

You then get charged VAT on the Purchase price + shipping + the import tax.

OH and the courier company will charge you a handling fee.

No VAT to be paid, think there is some duty but not the full rate as items second hand. Courier will still want to charge a handling fee though, which they usually say is to handle Customs & Exise.

Yes youll pay vat on the declared value and also on the postage. You can get them to mark the value down but if it goes missing you’ll be out of pocket. I’ve bought numerous expensive watches from the states and chanced it and always been ok, that’s with a 10cm square box though and a declared value of $100. Parcelforce will also put a fee on top. If it’s a big item I think marking the value right down may be a little more suspicious. I wouldn’t do it but you takes your chance…

The fact that it’s second hand doesn’t come into it.

Blimey – sounds like a world of potential pain awaiting…

wot rockthreegozy sed.

Having bought a lot of stuff from the US I can guarantee that on a frame and fork sized parcel you’ll get stung for Import tax on the Value + the shipping. Then Vat on (value + shipping + import tax).

If its coming by UPS/ FEDex / parcel Farce then you will have to pay them a fee too….

Just have to hope its go through at the component rate , rather than full bike rate. Maybe have it marked as components.

Thanks guys, still a bargain, but less so with giving the govt their cut, questionable sizing on the frame (weird combination of short seat tube and long top tube road bike) so probably give it a miss, but worth a punt at a later date. Still much, much cheaper over there.

On another idea, what about if you are travelling to the UK, take a bike bag with you (with a crappy old thing in perhaps)and you buy something over there ride it around to get it mucky, you likely to be able to bring it back in duty free or are they onto that ? 😉

If you travel with a bike bag, no-one ever seems to make a note of it. So you could go out without one and come back with one and I don’t think anyone’d be the wiser.

To be double sure you could indeed take a junker over and bin it. Might arouse even more suspicion though – after all, who’d take a crappy old bike with them on a plane?

On another idea, what about if you are travelling to the UK, take a bike bag with you (with a crappy old thing in perhaps)and you buy something over there ride it around to get it mucky, you likely to be able to bring it back in duty free or are they onto that ?

That is one way of attempting tax evasion yes. While we’re here, anyone got any tips for successful benefit fraud?

I imported a 1 year old SC superlight from the states and got hit for approx 350 quid at customs. They wouldn’t release it until I paid. It still worked out cheaper but only just