Importing vintage guitars to the UK

[snakehips]

Hi there !

This might be a well known fact already, but I didn't know until today.
Some here in the UK might be interested to know.

For shipping a vintage guitar, 100yrs old or older, it will be classed as an antique - and thus exempt from Customs Duty fees.

Vintage Nationals were made between from circa 1927 until circa 1942.

So, in 5yrs time, things should start to get more interesting - and potentially less expensive buying vintage Nationals.

Woo hoo !!

Less than 100yrs old, it's classed as a "Collectible" - and as such would be subject to Duty & VAT

Now we have Brexit, non-antique guitars presumably get charged Duty & VAT when buying from somewhere in the EU, when it wasn't before (IF I have all that right ?)

[davey]

Hi ,

yes I think we now pay VAT at 20% and Import duty of 3.5% but local Vat shouldn't be payable if you're importing from the EU, i.e. you don't pay twice. I"ll have a definitive answer later as I'm enquiring about an Instrument from Dublin.

Cheers Davey

[snakehips]

Hi Davey,

The guitar I'm importing is from the US.
It arrived in the UK (Customs) on Sunday 6th March - and is still there, awaiting to be processed !
The wait game is crippling.

I got a letter in the post 10days after it arrived, asking for import information - item description and value.
You can either fill in the form & post it back to them (which just delays things further, yeah ?), or email the details (fillied in form, scanned & attached). I did that & only got confirmation yesterday that they received that - and will pass through to the "Clearance Team". They are v busy at the moment. Doh !

Anyway, IF it helps anyone possibly reduce the waiting time a little, THE email address to send information to (I sent my Paypal payment receipt), is :

[e-mail]

Not sure if that is a specific email address for me having the guitar sent by USPS, or for all incoming parcels from the USA, or possible for ALL incoming parcels to the UK. There might be a different email address for items classed as antiques - I'm not sure. Maybe it's helpful to someone, maybe not ! Even if it speeds things up for just ONE person, the thread was worth it in my mind.

[snakehips]

Hi again !

Slight update on importing vintage guitars.
I asked the Customs people to clarify new, used but not old, quite old and "antique" (over 100yrs old) and got an email response which is still a bit cloudy but perhaps still of some use.

Newish - considered up to 30yrs old - wasn't told the import dut rate
Over 30yrs but less than 100yrs old ("Collectibles" - wasn't told the rate BUT I was told the rate is closer to antique / 100+yrs
Antique (100+yrs) - should be no Duty

[davey]

IF you're having a really dull day you could read this and become out resident expert. Over 30 years old becomes a collectible and subject to effective rate of 5%. If they ask you whether or not you're going to play it, best say no.

www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-value-goods-for-import-vat

[snakehips]

Ooft !
3 weeks and 1 day stuck in UK Customs !
Least it's been sent up to my local depot now.