Deliberate1 Posted October 5, 2011 Share #1 Posted October 5, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Friends, I am in the US an have my sights set on a used 90mm Elmarit M located in Germany. I am trying to get a sense of the import tax that I may face with this transaction. I have read the archives and realize that whether there is a tax, and how much, can be a moving target. And looking at the Harmonized Tariff Schedule made my eyes bleed. Would appreciate any insight and suggestions on such a transaction. Thanks, David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 5, 2011 Posted October 5, 2011 Hi Deliberate1, Take a look here Import tariff question. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
sblitz Posted October 5, 2011 Share #2 Posted October 5, 2011 i live in the us, have bought stuff from european dealers, never paid a tariff, and you don't pay the vat either. with euro at 1.33 it is now cheaper with shipping costs to buy in europe instead. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenPatterson Posted October 5, 2011 Share #3 Posted October 5, 2011 In the US you will not pay the VAT tax but you are definitely liable to pay import tax. I have purchased several times from the Leica Shop in Vienna, and have always received a call from UPS asking for clarification on what the items are. They are helpful to try and find the product codes that fit the item and have the lowest duty rate, but it is likely you will have to pay something. I believe the last used lens I bought was taxed at around 7% but a bag was hit with 30%, which I fought to put into a different classification. After the phone call UPS will forward the info to customs and hopefully the shipment will then be released quickly, however they can ask for more "clarification". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deliberate1 Posted October 5, 2011 Author Share #4 Posted October 5, 2011 In the US you will not pay the VAT tax but you are definitely liable to pay import tax. I have purchased several times from the Leica Shop in Vienna, and have always received a call from UPS asking for clarification on what the items are. They are helpful to try and find the product codes that fit the item and have the lowest duty rate, but it is likely you will have to pay something. I believe the last used lens I bought was taxed at around 7% but a bag was hit with 30%, which I fought to put into a different classification. After the phone call UPS will forward the info to customs and hopefully the shipment will then be released quickly, however they can ask for more "clarification". Thanks for yours. I could handle 7% on a $1500 lens. I posed the same question over on photonet. None of the respondents ever paid any US tariff when importing to the US. Even on Leica gear... Sounds like typical governmental "efficiency." David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert_M Posted October 5, 2011 Share #5 Posted October 5, 2011 I've bought a couple items from Leica Shop in Vienna (used items) in the last couple months and didn't get any customs bill or paperwork on import to the USA. I've also bought a new lens from Japan which was imported without any costs. In addition, I've had several small purchases (adapters) off ebay from Germany which also came in without tariffs. I am a little surprised that there haven't been any questions asked since some of this I had shipped to my work address because I have nobody home during the day to receive a shipment. Some of the shipments are by UPS and some by the Post Office. Generally, the UPS shipments (and Fedex shipments) make their way through customs faster. But the Post Office is often less expensive. I've read somewhere, that small shipments were sped up and regulations relaxed in the last 6 months or so. That could explain why some of your answers indicate that they had tariffs to pay. I observed decades ago that anything I imported was gone over and required a payment. That doesn't seem to be the case now. I'm sure not complaining! Oddly enough, it does seem that if one has brought in a larger item which requires air freight, there are lots of payments for freight forwarders, custom brokers, etc even when there are no customs duties. Stay away from large shipments (I've seen this with some shipments at my work place). In any case, US customs duties are generally very low, and around 5% for most things. It is only when there is a "trade war" statement to be made that you will see high tariffs. A great example from decades ago is that the duty on an imported auto is about 3% but on a pickup truck it was ~30% and that was set as a retaliation for some trade tariff dispute with other countries. I, obviously, have not hesitated to buy from reliable sources outside the US when the item was less expensive or had a availability I needed. Customs doesn't enter into my decision now. Shipping cost and shipping time are considered. Good luck. RM Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblitz Posted October 5, 2011 Share #6 Posted October 5, 2011 7% is a no brainer, if you buy in NYC at the store is 8.25% sales tax but no shipping .... there is still a euro/us rate where it is cheaper to buy in europe and visa versa when the euro was strong -- as i could tell by being one of the few english speaking people at b and h on a summer sunday. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deliberate1 Posted October 5, 2011 Author Share #7 Posted October 5, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Appreciate all your replies. I just pulled the trigger on a mint 90mm Elmarit m for $1460 - caps and case. Seller is an Ebay business in Germany. I have been following the prices lately. There is far more upward than downward pressure for certain. Most are apporaching $2k and some are even over that mark. Seems that every crop that comes out lists higher. Even the Tele Elmars are increasing in price - a rising tide. Perhaps many folks feel as I do. Rather have my money tied up in an appreciating, valuable commodity, like a Leica lens, than in a feeble stock market. Now the lovely wait.... David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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