Tools From the USA

[MooreToolsPlease]

Evening all,
I'm lucky enough to be travelling to Boston, Masachusettes on the 7th of June for ten days.
Being so close to Maine, I thought it would be a crying shame not to visit Lie-Nielsen.
I've looked on the customs and revenue site and am a bit confused by the rules for bringing tools back.
Has anyone here done the same thing? and if so, what value of goods did you bring back?

Thanks

Matt

 

[Harbo]

Probably best not to know then you will not look too guilty going through the green door!! :wink:
You are only allowed to bring back a certain total value of "goods" and it is fairly low - I think its about $130 (but check on the internet).
Above that you are supposed to declare it and pay duties and VAT.
Travelling too and from the States your are allowed 2 cases but weights vary with the airlines and what class you travel ( I think BA World Traveller its 2 cases each not weighing more than 23Kg - again you can check on-line?). If you go Club or First you are allowed more!

Rod

 

[Harbo]

I've found the figure at last on the Customs web site it is £145 plus booze, etc. etc

Rod

 

[Mike.C]

If the tools are used would you still have to pay any duty on them. Maybe you could buy a piece of timber with your purchases and test the planes out, and then if they ask, you are a keen woodworker and took your tools with you just incase you got the chance to use them :wink: oops did I say that :roll:

Have a nice trip.

Cheers

Mike

 

[Sgian Dubh]

I am a bit confused by the rules for bringing tools back. Matt

The rules apply to goods that you've not paid any sales tax on don't they?

If you pay US taxes, ie., US state sales tax on tools you buy and keep the receipt, then surely you can display your brand new collection of twenty five planes, six routers, four biscuit jointers, a few power planers and a complete shiny new set of carving chisels all in their boxes on top of your luggage trolley if you want-- and still go through the 'Nothing to Declare' lane? Slainte.

 

[9fingers]

I am a bit confused by the rules for bringing tools back. Matt

The rules apply to goods that you've not paid any sales tax on don't they?

If you pay US taxes, ie., US state sales tax on tools you buy and keep the receipt, then surely you can display your brand new collection of twenty five planes, six routers, four biscuit jointers, a few power planers and a complete shiny new set of carving chisels all in their boxes on top of your luggage trolley if you want-- and still go through the 'Nothing to Declare' lane? Slainte.

It would be ok if this were true.

If goods have been bought duty paid in the EU then what you say is true but sadly not for US purchases.

Bob

 

[Sgian Dubh]

It would be ok if this were true.

If goods have been bought duty paid in the EU then what you say is true but sadly not for US purchases.Bob

I wasn't aware of that, Bob. Yet I've been buying US goods just that way for the last seventeen or so years, including the ten years I lived there. No-one at UK customs has ever batted an eyelid as long as I had the receipts showing the US state sales tax paid.

I've been known to leave the UK with a near empty suitcase and come back with two suitcases filled with one to two thousand dollars worth of clothes, some small woodworking tools, cigarettes, computer software, camera lenses, combined hygrometer/thermometers, and so on.

I wasn't aware that I was breaking any laws, ha, ha. Slainte.

 

[Losos]

Bob,
Yes I will back you up on that. IIRC the whole idea of the European Union (Well lets say the basic idea ) is that goods can move around member staes without any additional duties or sales tax. i.e. paid at source.

But outside of the EU it's a different story, even if sales tax is paid in America when the goods come into the EU both import duty and VAT are applicable, although as already mentioned there is usually a 'start' value, which seems to 145 quid (It used to be much lower)

I think that recently another country formally joined the EU (IIRC it was Slovenia) and at that point the EU population passed that of the USA, now all we need is a common language and currency and we might just possibly be able to buy tools at the American prices, but I don't think I or anyone on here will live to see that day :lol:

 

[9fingers]

It would be ok if this were true.

If goods have been bought duty paid in the EU then what you say is true but sadly not for US purchases.Bob

I wasn't aware of that, Bob. Yet I've been buying US goods just that way for the last seventeen or so years, including the ten years I lived there. No-one at UK customs has ever batted an eyelid as long as I had the receipts showing the US state sales tax paid.

I've been known to leave the UK with a near empty suitcase and come back with two suitcases filled with one to two thousand dollars worth of clothes, some small woodworking tools, cigarettes, computer software, camera lenses, combined hygrometer/thermometers, and so on.

I wasn't aware that I was breaking any laws, ha, ha. Slainte.

Well I could be wrong and your experience would indicate that I am. I can't imaging that you would have consitently had the luck to meet benevolent customs officers on each trip.

The question is raised however, under what conditions ARE duties chargeable?

Bob

 

[Supernova9]

He is just lucky. Regardless of whether tax is paid on US purchases, you still have to pay VAT and import duty on entry into the UK. I know this because I bought a guitar when I was in the states, paid the 6% sales tax, then got stung for an extra £60 at heathrow!

If you go through the nothing to declare lane, you may get away with it, but if you bring back goods of a higher value than £145 total, then you have to pay tax.

 

[MooreToolsPlease]

If for instance I came back with £300 worth of tools, as I would be over that £145 barrier, wouls I then have to pay import duty and tax on every purchase?, or just the ones that are over £145, in this case £155.

 

[Anonymous]

Matt

At the end of the day, you're going to pay duty on the tools. but you get to see the factory and buy them at a cheaper price than form Axminster. Sure the savings might only be £10-20, but it is a saving


(I have given up buying tools to be posted from the states to save money (I think Philly has too) as the savings are meager ands the wait is weeks rather than days from Axminster

 

[shockingmoment]

In ignorance, I've brought back a number of high value tools (including a Bostich framing nailer and two boxes of nails!) and gone through the green channel.....

Don't miss a trip to Lowes or Home Depot if you get the chance - allow a full day!

A colleague at work has suggested the following:

Remove all labels and place these in an envelope with the receipts
Post envelope back home
Give the item(s) a slightly disheveled look - ie they are now legitimately 'used'

Admittedly she's only done this for clothes but who's to say any different for tools?

One in the eye for Gordo if you get away with it

 

[Harbo]

I have some LN chisels in flight at the moment posted on by a friend.
Cost was a £65 saving, post within the States was free, post to UK was $20 so a saving so far of £55. But will certainly get hit by handling charge, duty etc - will keep you posted of the final outcome - delivery expected later in the week?

One other thing about bringing things back from the Sates is that your luggage has to be left unlocked or locked by using the special (TSA) locks instead - which the USA Authorities can open. The US authorities have the right to search any baggage leaving their country and can make forced entry if necessary to do so!
So it's all a bit of a gamble - most people seem to get away with it though?
What ever you do, do not try shipping heavy things by sea - that's another minefield involving shipping agents, masses of forms and other delivery duties!!

Rod

 

[Sgian Dubh]

It looks like I've just been lucky. But it's also true to say that it's hard for anyone at customs to tell if the clothes I bought, wore and then stuffed into a bag to be washed when I get home are new or old. I've only once been asked to produce receipts for the goods in my bag, and that was way back in the mid '90's. No-one at customs has asked since.

If the box is chucked away, it's also hard to tell if a lens I bought in the US is new or old. After all, I usually have several lenses in my camera bag along with two or three cameras.

I keep the receipts for everything I buy in the US when I go there. Some of the items can be set against income anyway, e.g., tools, camera lenses, software and so on, so keeping the receipts is useful for that purpose.

I guess I'll need to be less cavalier in the future. Slainte.

 

[engineer one]

i think now the major problem is that also the airlines are starting to really penalise you for being overweight in your luggage, "fuel efficiency you know :roll: " and in addition the recent terror alerts have given them an opportunity to make you carry more things in the hold where they are quite likely to get nicked, and how do you claim for that????

actually wonder if you have to pay customs duty on insurance payouts on imports :twisted:
paul :wink:

 

[davidc1075]

Matt I did the same in Feb this year and went to Lie Nielsen and bought loads of things. They showed me round the factory as well. Maine is a lovely place to visit and there is an excellent guest house called Blue Sky farm to stay in about 15 mins drive away. Also a great place to eat called Moodys dinner. I flew with BA (crap) and that was business class but I am sure you have already booked your tickets. I didn't have any problems on the way back even though I had loads of tools there was about 20 customs officers when I arrived at Heathrow but they are too busy looking for drug smugglers not woodworkers. If you any more info let me know. Dave

 

[Supernova9]

If for instance I came back with £300 worth of tools, as I would be over that £145 barrier, wouls I then have to pay import duty and tax on every purchase?, or just the ones that are over £145, in this case £155.

It's incredibly unlikely the customs officers will know the true value of a Lie-Nielsen plane or similar tools. If they do stop you (unlikely), and you get rid of your purchase receipts, and tell them you got a great deal on some tools (say you bought the lot for £140, which to them will seem like a lot for some silly old planes!), it's unlikely they'll be able to prove otherwise.

 

[engineer one]

remember that customs are now integrated with inland revenue, and the revenue are asking for the same powers as the customs have. i.e. to be able to enter your home at their convenience without a warrant.

smuggling is and always has been a subject that causes the rulers to be unhappy about, and the latest rules about tax evasion and avoidance mean that if you do get caught you will be fined a lot of money.

if you are there go for it, but don't be naive and expect to get away with it all the time :twisted:

paul :wink:

 

[Inspector]

MooreToolsPlease

You should check into the sales tax rules for the individual states you are going to be in. Some wave the sales tax at point of purchase if you are a nonresident and some have a system of refunding when you leave the country (like showing your receipts at the Duty Free shops at the boarder). We have similar rules in Canada. That will at least keep you from being stung twice.

Before the "Free Trade" between Canada and the US there was a myriad of classifications of goods for importation. You could get lower rates depending on the description of the sales receipt. ( Hand made verses hand tied rugs for example.) If England has the same you might want to find out in advance what applies to hand tools to get the in at a lower rate.

Have fun on you trip.