Shipping cars from the USA?
Discussion
The issue then becomes what taxes and fees are you costing yourself to keep the car in the USA.
If you have to pay say 6% to 10% sales tax plus gas guzzler tax plus insurance you might be better off saving the hassle and then just enjoy the car.
If your family are in a low tax state then that is not so much of an issue, however, as sales tax is paid on every transaction in my state, plus the cars will definitely sell for a premium, you might find it better to buy in New Hampshire (low tax), ship from Newark and then pay VAT on the dollar list price converted using the most favourable to you exchange rate in the UK.
If you have to pay say 6% to 10% sales tax plus gas guzzler tax plus insurance you might be better off saving the hassle and then just enjoy the car.
If your family are in a low tax state then that is not so much of an issue, however, as sales tax is paid on every transaction in my state, plus the cars will definitely sell for a premium, you might find it better to buy in New Hampshire (low tax), ship from Newark and then pay VAT on the dollar list price converted using the most favourable to you exchange rate in the UK.
this thought keeps re-entering my head too... one day (soon?!!) i'd like to get hold of a viper and it's most probably coming from the big land over there (/here).
on arrival in the uk, i think the purchase cost (equivalent in £
has 10% import duty added first and then the whole amount has vat added, effectivley adding 30% (1.1 x 1.175) to the original price. looking for ways around this so far i've discovered that to avoid uk sales tax and import duties is by owning the vehicle AND living in the USA for atleast 6 months... but perhaps you also have to be a US citizen as well (ie emigrating to the UK wwhen moving back with the car). i guess if you buy the car 2nd hand you really don't pay tax.... are there any other taxes/ costs/ etc when buying a car in the US?
for me it's a big nagging reason for wanting to move over to the US for 6+mths (guess that would mean getting a work visa..)
on arrival in the uk, i think the purchase cost (equivalent in £
has 10% import duty added first and then the whole amount has vat added, effectivley adding 30% (1.1 x 1.175) to the original price. looking for ways around this so far i've discovered that to avoid uk sales tax and import duties is by owning the vehicle AND living in the USA for atleast 6 months... but perhaps you also have to be a US citizen as well (ie emigrating to the UK wwhen moving back with the car). i guess if you buy the car 2nd hand you really don't pay tax.... are there any other taxes/ costs/ etc when buying a car in the US? for me it's a big nagging reason for wanting to move over to the US for 6+mths (guess that would mean getting a work visa..)
zed sump said:
purchase cost (equivalent in £
Pete - I lived in the US for 6 yrs and came back last year, with my Mustang. In short, you need to have owned the car in the US (and lived there) for 6 mths as you note to avoid the impact of VAT or Import duty, AND then have to keep the car here for a further 12 mths to stop people making a quick buck. I am NOT a US citizen (engish) and although I hold a green card, this has nothing to do with the importation - it comes back with you as a personal/household possession. I recommend reading the Mustang area of PH and also trying this excellent website - www.import-car.info. The key thing is proving your personal residency and ownership.
As regards moving over, you need to be very well planned. Visas are not easy to come by, you generally cannot work on a 90 day tourist visa, and there are numerous ways you could fall foul of the US authorities. That said - the best of luck. If you do go over, I'll wager you may not be coming back in 6 mths you will be enjoying yourself so much
. >> Edited by Mustang Baz on Thursday 9th March 13:19
>> Edited by Mustang Baz on Thursday 9th March 13:20
Yeah, not only do the HM Customns and Excise charge you 10% plus VAT at the prevailing rate but then charge all that on the bloody shipping as well the cheeky beggars ...
You used to be able to iport a classic car from the States with only 5% charged under the old BTI ruling but they've scrapped that for all but museum pieces.
You used to be able to iport a classic car from the States with only 5% charged under the old BTI ruling but they've scrapped that for all but museum pieces.
Mustang Baz said:
zed sump said:
purchase cost (equivalent in £
has 10% import duty added first and then the whole amount has vat added, effectivley 30% (1.1 x 1.175) to original price. to avoid uk sales tax and import duties owning the vehicle AND living in the USA for atleast 6 months... but perhaps you also have to be a US citizen as well (ie emigrating to the UK wwhen moving back with the car)
has 10% import duty added first and then the whole amount has vat added, effectivley 30% (1.1 x 1.175) to original price. to avoid uk sales tax and import duties owning the vehicle AND living in the USA for atleast 6 months... but perhaps you also have to be a US citizen as well (ie emigrating to the UK wwhen moving back with the car)Pete - I lived in the US for 6 yrs and came back last year, with my Mustang.....
cheers for the info Craig... lost this thread for a good long time!
now really going off on one wondering if it'd be cheaper importing to the uk through a european country (drive over through the euro tunnel!)....
zed sump said:
looking for ways around this so far i've discovered that to avoid uk sales tax and import duties is by owning the vehicle AND living in the USA for atleast 6 months... but perhaps you also have to be a US citizen as well (ie emigrating to the UK wwhen moving back with the car). i guess if you buy the car 2nd hand you really don't pay tax.... are there any other taxes/ costs/ etc when buying a car in the US?
for me it's a big nagging reason for wanting to move over to the US for 6+mths (guess that would mean getting a work visa..)
for me it's a big nagging reason for wanting to move over to the US for 6+mths (guess that would mean getting a work visa..)
corrected now - can be a foreign citizen in the US, but have to show proof of residence for 12 not 6 months and proof of use of vehicle, in the US before returning to the UK....
think i'll get a Florida friend to put my name on the gas bill (doesn't get cold there does it?
) for 2007, buy the car before June, get some american insurance with said friend as named driver and then import in 12 months.... what a christmas present! would save me £8k... or...
wonder if i could temporarily import it (permitted for max 6mths in a 12 month period) and then permanently import it after 6 months...?..?
I have imported 4 cars and a truck from the US in the last 6 years. The shipping from eastern USA is about £500 for a RO-RO service. You need to add this to the cost of the car / truck (10%/22% duty car/truck) added to price including shipping, then 17% VAT on all of the above.
There is a simple way to reduce the duty and therefore the VAT you need to pay, if you need details then p.m. me.
There is a simple way to reduce the duty and therefore the VAT you need to pay, if you need details then p.m. me.
It may well be worth checking the law regarding vehicles under 10 years old. I am pretty sure that as we can now legally buy vehicles anywhere in Europe, the EU used this as an opportunity to stop us importing from the cheaper US markets.
They have done this by ensuring you have some kind of type approval test, ( is it SVA test??) and this is expensive and time consuming - but mainly done to remove the financial reward of buying in the US, as by the time you add duty, VAT and shipping, ( and the stress ) you won't be too far ahead - although that is of course based on the dollar being its usual £1-$1.6, not almost $2 to the quid as now.
Unless you can prove you were 'living' in the US for at least 6 months AND owned the car all of those six, they will sting you. That means VAT on the shipping bill, customs duty on the value of the car, and VAT on the value - not what you paid for it.
I imported a motorbike and had loads of hassle with the world's biggest jobsworth at C&E London. I eventually got it in tax free after threatening to talk to my MP.
The basic ride is so: ship - clear customs - pick up - insure on VIN - get MOT - get new V5 and plates - update insurance, sorted!
Loads of hidden charges to be careful about. The American shippers will quote you a price BUT that will never mention the fees at our end! Had one quote at $400...but the bast**ds would have charged me £250 at the other end. Only found out by chance.
The shippers will tell you it is best for them to do the paperwork re Customs...for about £100. Rubbish - you can go yourself and do it for free.
The DVLA now charge first registration fees...was £28 for me, but I think it may be £35, even £45 now.
*** One other hidden charge can be the insurance. Few take on US imports, and of those who do, many charge typically 30-50% more, so shop around ***
You can still get some brilliant cars and come out ahead when all is paid, but it will not be much, sadly!
They have done this by ensuring you have some kind of type approval test, ( is it SVA test??) and this is expensive and time consuming - but mainly done to remove the financial reward of buying in the US, as by the time you add duty, VAT and shipping, ( and the stress ) you won't be too far ahead - although that is of course based on the dollar being its usual £1-$1.6, not almost $2 to the quid as now.
Unless you can prove you were 'living' in the US for at least 6 months AND owned the car all of those six, they will sting you. That means VAT on the shipping bill, customs duty on the value of the car, and VAT on the value - not what you paid for it.
I imported a motorbike and had loads of hassle with the world's biggest jobsworth at C&E London. I eventually got it in tax free after threatening to talk to my MP.
The basic ride is so: ship - clear customs - pick up - insure on VIN - get MOT - get new V5 and plates - update insurance, sorted!
Loads of hidden charges to be careful about. The American shippers will quote you a price BUT that will never mention the fees at our end! Had one quote at $400...but the bast**ds would have charged me £250 at the other end. Only found out by chance.
The shippers will tell you it is best for them to do the paperwork re Customs...for about £100. Rubbish - you can go yourself and do it for free.
The DVLA now charge first registration fees...was £28 for me, but I think it may be £35, even £45 now.
*** One other hidden charge can be the insurance. Few take on US imports, and of those who do, many charge typically 30-50% more, so shop around ***
You can still get some brilliant cars and come out ahead when all is paid, but it will not be much, sadly!
Gassing Station | USA & Canada | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff