Import Duties and Taxes

[dkmoore]

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8 hours ago, scott kirkpatrick said:

I live in both US and Israel.  Israel has a VAT of about the same size as Europe's, so I usually buy gear in the US at bargain prices and use it where I need it. The three currencies (ISH, $$, EUR, and even GBP) are constantly moving, but finding more than a 10%  arbitrage savings on a product that had its price set a year or two ago before the currencies changed is rare.  But right now is one of those times, at least for older products.  Still the savings has to exceed 10% to be worth the hassle of international inter-bank payments, shipping, arranging refunds of VAT, etc.

Savings is 35% at the moment. 

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[scott kirkpatrick]

So go for it!  I bought my APO SC 75 SL from a London store that way, receiving it in the US.  The savings earlier this year were less than 35% but still significant.  The bank transfer was expensive, the shipping was expensive, but I did not pay any duties. None of which is guaranteed to work the next time.  It's a bit of a gamble.

Edited June 23, 2019 by scott kirkpatrick

[sunil]

On 6/23/2019 at 6:17 AM, dkmoore said:

Savings is 35% at the moment. 

Did you eventually buy the M10 from the UK? I am looking to do the same and am wondering if you were assessed duty. The Harmonized Tariff Schedule seems to indicate there is no duty on photographic equipment (cameras included) but this is all very confusing. Does each state also add its own sales tax etc to the price?

[dkmoore]

It was an M246 I was looking to re buy. I didn’t do it because my local dealer gave me a good deal. 

[sunil]

1 minute ago, dkmoore said:

It was an M246 I was looking to re buy. I didn’t do it because my local dealer gave me a good deal. 

OK, thanks. 

[albertknappmd]

I always carry my updated customs form and yes.. custom agents have asked for it on occasion in the past...

Albert

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[graphlex]

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 Leica US has happily serviced several lenses that I’d bought from authorized dealers in the UK, under warranty. Has anyone had a problem with that?

Edited August 15, 2019 by graphlex

[dkmoore]

10 hours ago, albertknappmd said:

I always carry my updated customs form and yes.. custom agents have asked for it on occasion in the past...

Albert

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love this image.

[LeicaR10]

Graphlex,  No.  Leica USA and Leica Australia have always honored the warranty for any Leica product that I purchased within international warranty period.  But I have always sent a copy of the receipt for warranty work.  

Albertknappmd,  A most superb photograph in your post #26.    

r/ Mark

[Guest Nowhereman]

On 8/9/2019 at 5:07 PM, sunil said:

Did you eventually buy the M10 from the UK? I am looking to do the same and am wondering if you were assessed duty. The Harmonized Tariff Schedule seems to indicate there is no duty on photographic equipment (cameras included) but this is all very confusing. Does each state also add its own sales tax etc to the price?

There is no import duty on still cameras and lenses in the US. I bought an M8 in the UK at a time when the GBP had fallen from about US$2.00/GBP to less than US$1.50 and there was a large saving. The camera came in without any duty; no state sales tax is levied on imports. The camera arrived in two days. The only issue was that the seller used UPS, which charged a $75 customs clearance charge. At that time other shippers did not have such a charge, or had a minimal one.

Some years later, I bought the Summaron f/5.6 28mm lens from the UK because, at that time, the lens was simply unavailable in the US. The saving was about $500 on the US price. Again, no import duty, no state tax and no UPS customs clearance fee.

[Guest Nowhereman]

22 hours ago, albertknappmd said:

I always carry my updated customs form and yes.. custom agents have asked for it on occasion in the past..

@albertknappmd - I've seen this statement in another thread some time ago, and I may even have asked you about it then — I simply don't recall. Where and in what situation did customs agents ask you for this?

I ask because my experience is so different. Between 1960 and 1990, I traveled all over the world, literally, and never faced this. I hasten to say that I carried only one camera, initially a IIIc with three lenses, so not particularly obvious; and, then, a Nikon F or an M3 or M6. After that,  in 1990-2018, I had a Billingham or a Domke bag with two bodies and six or seven lenses. Now, I carry less. By all "over the world", I mean the US, Europe, Africa, Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, Australia and Latin America. Generally, in countries with high tourism there is no problem in that one isn't even asked anything by Customs. But even in African and Central Asian countries with virtually no tourism have I ever had an issue with this.

I've heard from Canadian friends that, upon a return from Europe, they've been asked to show the watch they're wearing, which surprised me; but, otherwise, I've heard nothing of this kind. Hence, my question.

[albertknappmd]

2 hours ago, Nowhereman said:

@albertknappmd - I've seen this statement in another thread some time ago, and I may even have asked you about it then — I simply don't recall. Where and in what situation did customs agents ask you for this?

I ask because my experience is so different. Between 1960 and 1990, I traveled all over the world, literally, and never faced this. I hasten to say that I carried only one camera, initially a IIIc with three lenses, so not particularly obvious; and, then, a Nikon F or an M3 or M6. After that,  in 1990-2018, I had a Billingham or a Domke bag with two bodies and six or seven lenses. Now, I carry less. By all "over the world", I mean the US, Europe, Africa, Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, Australia and Latin America. Generally, in countries with high tourism there is no problem in that one isn't even asked anything by Customs. But even in African and Central Asian countries with virtually no tourism have I ever had an issue with this.

I've heard from Canadian friends that, upon a return from Europe, they've been asked to show the watch they're wearing, which surprised me; but, otherwise, I've heard nothing of this kind. Hence, my question.

One time coming back to USA from Europe.. Totally random event a few years ago and one time leaving Tokyo airport in 2015.. They checked every lens and asked for the customs form... Very unnerving but glad it had it.

Albert

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[andybarton]

Given the appalling level of the GBP against the USD (from this side of the Atlantic), buying from the UK must be a serious bargain.

 

As someone from the UK, holidaying in the US in October, I'm probably looking at a 10-20% increase in cost when compared to the last time I was there. No bargains this year.

 

At the weekend, I bought the two ETSA visa-waivers that we have to buy. The 28 USD charge for the two permissions cost me 24 GBP on my Amex card.

[dkmoore]

17 hours ago, Nowhereman said:

There is no import duty on still cameras and lenses in the US. I bought an M8 in the UK at a time when the GBP had fallen from about US$2.00/GBP to less than US$1.50 and there was a large saving. The camera came in without any duty; no state sales tax is levied on imports. The camera arrived in two days. The only issue was that the seller used UPS, which charged a $75 customs clearance charge. At that time other shippers did not have such a charge, or had a minimal one.

Some years later, I bought the Summaron f/5.6 28mm lens from the UK because, at that time, the lens was simply unavailable in the US. The saving was about $500 on the US price. Again, no import duty, no state tax and no UPS customs clearance fee.

This is factually incorrect. The threshold is $2,500.00. You spent less than that which is why you didn't have to pay duties and taxes.

Dustin

[Guest Nowhereman]

No, an M8 cost substantially more than that $2,500. Last time I looked, which is some years ago, there was no import duty on still cameras and lenses. Anyone can check whether there is an import duty now.

[jdlaing]

Zero duty on still lenses and cameras.

[dkmoore]

1 hour ago, jdlaing said:

Zero duty on still lenses and cameras.

Must have just been tax. It wasn't a large amount ($120 or so). And tax may only be required depending on the individual State.

Edited August 16, 2019 by dkmoore

[dkmoore]

1 hour ago, Nowhereman said:

No, an M8 cost substantially more than that $2,500. Last time I looked, which is some years ago, there was no import duty on still cameras and lenses. Anyone can check whether there is an import duty now.

I had done a fair amount of research trying to figure it out and I had concluded that you pay duty over $2500. I was going to buy something from Leica UK but didn't end up doing so. That said, you and Jdlaing are saying there is no duty so I am willing to concede being wrong. 

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[jdlaing]

10 minutes ago, dkmoore said:

Must have just been tax. It wasn't a large amount ($120 or so). And tax may only be required depending on the individual State.

It probably was.

A word on taxes:

When you buy something out of state and the company you are buying from does not have a presence in that state you still owe the sales tax based on where you live. States have not enforced that issue.                  Until lately.            Some of the dates have dawned on the fact that they are losing a large chunk of change and have begun going after it. When a business that has not operated in that state gets a presence there the tax records then become available. 
 

Let the games begin...............

[Guest Nowhereman]

3 hours ago, jdlaing said:

...When you buy something out of state and the company you are buying from does not have a presence in that state you still owe the sales tax based on where you live. States have not enforced that issue.                  Until lately.            Some of the dates have dawned on the fact that they are losing a large chunk of change and have begun going after it. When a business that has not operated in that state gets a presence there the tax records then become available...

Sure, but that's true for domestic purchases in the US, from out-of-state. I don't think there are any procedures to collect state sales tax on purchases abroad. The state tax would have to be collected by the courier company — and there is no provision for that either. More generally, I'm not sure there is any legal requirement to pay tax on purchases abroad.