Tax and customs for goods sent from abroad

Skip contents

Tax and duty

You바카라 사이트™ll be contacted by Royal Mail, Parcelforce or the courier company if you need to pay any VAT, duty or delivery charges (바카라 사이트˜handling fees바카라 사이트™) to receive your goods.

They바카라 사이트™ll send you a bill stating exactly which fees you need to pay.

They바카라 사이트™ll normally hold your parcel for about 3 weeks. If you have not paid the bill by then, your parcel will be returned to the sender.

You will not have to pay anything to the delivery company to receive goods worth less than £135 unless they바카라 사이트™re gifts over £39 or excise goods (for example, alcohol and tobacco).

VAT

VAT is charged on all goods (except for gifts worth £39 or less) sent from:

  • outside the UK to Great Britain
  • outside the UK and the EU to Northern Ireland

VAT is not charged on goods that are gifts worth £39 or less.

You pay VAT when you buy the goods or to the delivery company before you receive them. If you have to pay VAT to the delivery company, it바카라 사이트™s charged on the total package value, including:

  • the value of the goods
  • postage, packaging and insurance
  • any duty you owe

VAT is charged at the VAT rate that applies to your goods.

Goods worth £135 or less in total

If you bought the goods yourself and they are not excise goods, the seller will have included VAT in the total you paid.

You will need to pay VAT to the delivery company if the goods are:

  • gifts sent to you by someone else and worth more than £39
  • excise goods

Goods worth more than £135 in total

You will have to pay VAT to the delivery company either before the goods are delivered or when you collect them.

Customs Duty

You바카라 사이트™ll be charged Customs Duty on all goods sent from outside the UK (or the UK and the EU if you바카라 사이트™re in Northern Ireland) if they바카라 사이트™re either:

  • excise goods
  • worth more than £135

If you바카라 사이트™re charged Customs Duty, you바카라 사이트™ll need to pay it on both:

  • the price paid for the goods
  • postage, packaging and insurance
Type and value of goods Customs Duty
Non-excise goods worth £135 or less No charge
Gifts and goods above £135 The rate depends on the type of goods and where they came from - use the Trade Tariff service to check duty rates

You pay Customs Duty on excise goods of any value.

Excise Duty

If you바카라 사이트™re sent alcohol or tobacco from outside the UK, you바카라 사이트™ll be charged Excise Duty at current rates.

If the goods are sent from the EU to Northern Ireland, check that the Excise Duty was included in the price. If it바카라 사이트™s not, your goods may be seized.

It does not matter whether you buy the goods or they바카라 사이트™re sent as a gift.

If you receive large amounts of alcohol or tobacco for your business, use the Trade Tariff service to check duty rates.

Your goods can also be seized if they바카라 사이트™re:

  • spirits over 35 centilitres without a UK duty stamp
  • cigarettes or hand-rolling tobacco without UK health warnings or fiscal marks

If you바카라 사이트™re charged too much or return your goods

Ask for a refund of VAT or Customs Duty if you:

  • return your goods
  • think you바카라 사이트™ve been charged too much

Download and fill in:

  • form BOR 286 if Royal Mail or Parcelforce delivered the goods
  • form C285 if a courier or freight company delivered the goods