Internationally Shipping a "free" bass.

[Sean]

A friend of mine that emigrated to the States a few years ago used to play bass and has decided that his Fender Jazz would be better off in my hands being gigged.

He doesn't want any money for it and it just needs me to pay shipping - does this just need marking as "gift" for shipping or will we have to produce some kind of proof of value and pay duty on it? Does anyone have any experience of this.

Cheers

Sean

[Doctor J]

He'll need to declare a value to customs regardless and you'll get taxed on that amount. The gift thing only works to a certain value and then you get taxed whether it's a gift or not once it goes above that value. I think it's a couple of hundred euro over here, it's probably a similar value in the UK. Generally, instruments fall well above that threshold and customs are always weary of bass sized boxes being marked as a gift. I've never heard of anyone getting away with a guitar as a gift.

Edited August 26, 2008 by Doctor J

[Kev]

being marked as a gift only reduces the tax, it doesnt remove it completly as far as i know. the gift thing is up to $75 last time i looked it up.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

If he emigrated to the states with the bass, did he origininally buy the bass in the UK? If so VAT has already been charged on it, so you'll need the original VAT receipt so there won't be anything to pay.
Then again I'm no expert so could be talking out of my John McCainus.

[neepheid]

[quote name='BassManKev' post='269980' date='Aug 26 2008, 08:29 AM']being marked as a gift only reduces the tax, it doesnt remove it completly as far as i know. the gift thing is up to $75 last time i looked it up.[/quote]

Not so - marking as a gift doubles your tax free threshold to £36 including shipping. Any more than that and you pay tax on the full amount. There is no reduction in the tax itself.

See [url="http://wiki.basschat.co.uk/info:buying:importing_gear"]http://wiki.basschat.co.uk/info:buying:importing_gear[/url]

[bassplace]

[quote name='Sean' post='269968' date='Aug 26 2008, 02:51 AM']A friend of mine that emigrated to the States a few years ago used to play bass and has decided that his Fender Jazz would be better off in my hands being gigged.

He doesn't want any money for it and it just needs me to pay shipping - does this just need marking as "gift" for shipping or will we have to produce some kind of proof of value and pay duty on it? Does anyone have any experience of this.

Cheers

Sean[/quote]

Fly over for a visit and carry it back.

[yorks5stringer]

Why not ask him to take the neck off and either ship it both pieces together or even seperately? It reduces the size and value....

Edited August 27, 2008 by yorks5stringer

[escholl]

[quote name='yorks5stringer' post='270767' date='Aug 27 2008, 09:11 AM']Why not ask him to take the neck off and either ship it both pieces together or even seperately? It reduces the size and value....[/quote]


another benefit to that is that it then counts only as "musical instrument parts for spares/repair" or something like that, which has a lower import rate, although VAT is the same. tbh, you could probably get away with it, just be smart about it.

[Musky]

My gut instincts were that JLP is right on this one, and that seems to be the case

[quote]4.4 Can I claim RGR [Reimported Goods Relief] on goods reimported by post?

Yes. The same conditions for relief apply but the procedures are slightly different.

For goods arriving by post, ask your sender, if possible, to mark the package:

‘RETURNED GOODS’

A customs declaration (CN22 or CN23) must be attached to the package or travel with it. The declaration must include a complete and accurate description of the goods, their quantity and value. If you are registered for VAT, make sure your VAT number is quoted on the declaration.

Depending on the value of the goods, we may send you Form C88 and/or simplified forms to complete and return. If you previously exported the goods, and have a certificate of posting or other export evidence (paragraph 3.1), send that with the completed forms too. If satisfied the goods qualify for relief, we will then release them for delivery free of duty and VAT if appropriate.

If the package is not clearly marked it may not be delivered until you have paid the duty and VAT. You should pay these charges and then write to Revenue and Customs at the postal depot where the goods arrived. Say what happened and enclose the document showing the charges together with any evidence of previous export. If we are satisfied the goods qualify for relief, we will repay the duty and VAT if appropriate.

We provide full details about our postal procedures in Notice 143 A guide for international post users.[/quote]

[url="http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageLibrary_ShowContent&id=HMCE_CL_000226&propertyType=document"]http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalW...tyType=document[/url]

Edited August 27, 2008 by Musky

[Sean]

Thanks for all the advice. I think I'll just get him to declare a value and pay the charge.