Import duty / customs

el-guapo

Hey guys,

Anyone know what the tax implications are for bringing in gear? Specifically with one when travelling. Going to the UK soon and looking at the possibility of bringing back someone epic...

Squonk

who you bringing back... ?

el-guapo

I don't like to kiss and tell... Oh who am I kidding?!

I have a serious hankering for a Gibbo EDS 1275. Alpine white. Yup, I need to go and clean myself up...

AlanRatcliffe

VAT only on guitars. But make sure you avoid leather cases - someone told me they once took a customs hit on a guitar because it was in a leather case. ???

Reinhard

. By the way, if I had a EDS I would be playing knocking on heaven's door, over and over and over ?

el-guapo

Thanks Alan.

Reinhard: well, like, OBVIOUSLY... :? Will probably have to book off a full week for standing in front of a mirror playing Knocking, Stairway, and Hotel Cali...

Heh heh heh

arjunmenon

Like Alan said, no duty on the guitar...but the less fancy your case looks, the better.
VAT is applicable. Customs VAT calculation is:

(Invoice Value + Duty amount + 10% CAF Levy) x 14% = Customs VAT amount

CAF Levy - Currency Adjustment Factor Levy

Reinhard

themanthatwalks

So thats why your selling all your gear ? hope al works out

Reinhard

Thanks, I am stream lining. I have too much gear that doesn't get used. I'm aiming for one electric, one acoustic and 2 vintage amps.
I don't HAVE to sell all the stuff, but freeing up some cash has never been a bad thing ?

Reinhard

AlanRatcliffe

I've had that before bringing in an expensive guitar - they told me that I had imported too many items in one year to be an individual and had to get myself an importers licence. I told them something along the lines of: "Rubbish! I have never brought in a single item via FedEx before and now never will again. Now gimme my guitar".

I got it the next day. ?

AlanRatcliffe

Reinhard wrote By the way if you bring the gibson back, an invoice with a low value for customs is very valuable. Not that I am encouraging illegal activities, but seriously what customs official is going to know the value of a guitar?

And if the guitar goes missing? Or is damaged? Good luck claiming then. Oh ...and BTW, if they have any doubt, customs check up on it and if they catch you out it can be quite serious for both you and the person who sent it. It's a federal offense in the US to misrepresent the value of an item to allow the receiver to avoid customs. I end up paying customs on stuff manufacturers send me for free, based on the value of the item.

CDee

I've imported some stuff from China for a small business venture once. I had the same problem with FedEx... not getting the stuff released from customs. So I had to pay some penalties on the items and they finally released it under the agreement that I get an importers code and send it to them afterwards. So I went to SARS, filled in the forms and got my importers code about 2 weeks later in the mail. Sent it to them and still waiting for my refund (1 year later)... Haven't used that stupid Importers code since.

Gearhead

Anyone know where I can read up on the laws surrounding Importer codes?

Wizard

I bought a 7 year old, 2nd hand telescope mount ... which didn't arrive at the post office (as usual) but rather required me to go and fetch it at some depot.
Encountered many suspicious looking types who looked at me in the manner of a sentencing judge.
I told them it was w-a-y 2nd hand and not worth much.
He asked me to open it.
Sods law - out popped the most pristine and brand new looking mount you've ever seen.
The seller had clearly looked after his stuff a little too well.
Ended up paying lots and lots of duty ... ?

AlanRatcliffe

Somewhere on http://www.sars.co.za/

Gearhead

...and then they say there's no such thing as a dumb question... thx :-[

CDee

Gearhead wrote Anyone know where I can read up on the laws surrounding Importer codes?

You can try this. http://www.sars.gov.za/home.asp?pid=210