Vat

[gingercoastie]

Does nybody here know about paying VAt and import duty on boats impoted to the UK from outside the EU.

I have tried the Customs website but it only seems oriented for business users and not private individuals.

Any help will be gratefully apreciated.

[Alan]

You will pay VAT at 17.5% on the LANDED cost of the boat (e.g. incl freight, customs clearance etc.) Are you arranging shipment yourself? I would engage a good customs broker/freight forwarder to arrange customs clearance & possibly shipping for you. A single customs entry should be reasonably cheap - GBP100 or so.

A thought also occurs. Will the boat be RCD compliant? If not you are in for a minefield of EU driven regulation particularly if you ever want to insure it or sell it on!

[gingercoastie]

The boat is EU certified to Cat B.

[pettal]

I agree with Alan although I've never used an import agent and it may well be worth the money for the hassle that's involved.

Having said that it's a few forms and then time basically. They will probably insist that as a private individual you are there with the boat and all the forms when THEY are ready.......which might be inconvenient depending on where you had it shipped to.

Wouldn't a friendly colleague to colleague phone call through the coast guard to your local customs and excise be worth a....cough, cough...nudge, nudge....wink, wink......and maybe you'll have a friendly helpful C&E officer to guide you through the process!?

On the other side of the coin exporting was dead easy.......barnet marine did it all for me and I didn't even have to be there!