Custom Duty on Gift Query!?

Question

Hi..My wife is visiting family in California at the moment..She was given a gift for me from her family( a used guitar actually) around $1000 in value..She won't be returning home to the U.K. again for at least another month , or maybe two ..If I ask her to ship it to our home address in the U.K as a gift, will I be liable to any duty or charge?.
I imagined as it was a gift from my wife and not something store bought I wouldn't but would like to know for sure.!.Would appreciate a reply..Thnx, Mel....

Answer 1

Yes, if she "ships" it, it's almost 100% for sure to be Taxed.

If she brings it back to UK with her in her Luggage, and it is obviously 'used', in a 'used' carry case (i.e. not gift wrapped) it is almost 100% sure she will not be stopped.

Should she be stopped by Customs (on entry to UK) it will help if she can at least strum a few notes on what she will claim to be her own instrument :-)

Answer 2

Goods sent as a gift are not free of import duties and import VAT. However, customs duty will not be collected if the amount is less than £7, and import VAT is not chargeable if:

* the value of the gift does not exceed £36
* the customs declaration is completed correctly
* the gift has been sent from a private person outside the EU to a private person(s) in this country
* the gift is for the use of either yourself or your family
* there is no commercial or trade element and the gift has not been paid for either directly or indirectly
* the gift is of an occasional nature only eg for a birthday or anniversary.

Please note the purchase of goods from outside the EU to give as a gift to a relative or friend, whether or not addressed to that person, is treated as a ‘commercial consignment’ for which the import VAT relief threshold is £18 (paragraph 2.3 refers).

Answer 3

Anything above £18 in value is liable to import duty and import vat.Check it out on Customs and Excise web site.That's where i found out.