Customs allowance/Sales Tax

[15isto2]

Can't find the answer on line, does your customs allowance include the cost of goods only or the cost of goods plus the sales tax?

[sparklegirl]

its the total cost including the sales tax.

[Kraken]

Whilst they won't publicly admit it, UK Customs / Border Agency priority is not the traveller who has spent a little more than they should have in the outlet malls in Florida. Illegal drugs, tobacco smugglers & illegal immigrants [or "clandestines"] are of far more interest to them. You only have to watch programmes like "Nothing to Declare" or "UK Border Force" on Sky to see this.

I have followed people through the green channel at Manchester who have blatantly had more than their customs allowance on full show - no attempt at concealment - and they have not been stopped. (Example, couple with 800 cigarettes in a transparent MCO duty free bag, allowance is 200 each, so they had double).

There is, of course, only one honest option. If you have more than your allowance, then use the red channel, declare it & pay the duty. I do suspect that more than a few chance the green channel - especially if the goods in question are not illegal / tobacco.

[PPM]

I was pulled at Glasgow going thro the green lane a few years ago. No explanation given. Had to open my case and hand luggage. I was way under the value. The officers helped put my stuff back in my case, thanked me and sent me on my way.. others were getting the same off that flight,

[Thorpy]

Originally Posted by Kraken

Whilst they won't publicly admit it, UK Customs / Border Agency priority is not the traveller who has spent a little more than they should have in the outlet malls in Florida. Illegal drugs, tobacco smugglers & illegal immigrants [or "clandestines"] are of far more interest to them. You only have to watch programmes like "Nothing to Declare" or "UK Border Force" on Sky to see this.

I have followed people through the green channel at Manchester who have blatantly had more than their customs allowance on full show - no attempt at concealment - and they have not been stopped. (Example, couple with 800 cigarettes in a transparent MCO duty free bag, allowance is 200 each, so they had double).

There is, of course, only one honest option. If you have more than your allowance, then use the red channel, declare it & pay the duty. I do suspect that more than a few chance the green channel - especially if the goods in question are not illegal / tobacco.

See more...

independent/travel...who-27563.html

I would agree with this... I was looking for something as I seemed to recall years ago reading that the burden of proof was on the traveller, which this article agrees with...although it's quite old.

They could basically sit there as fine everybody unable to prove the origin of more than £145 worth of their goods. I liken it to speeding. Do 75 nobody is going to bat an eyelid, do 85, you gamble, do 95 and you're going to massively increase your chances of getting collared.

After many visits, I don't get many souvenirs these days, so wouldn't expect to be anywhere near my limits, but I might still pick up a pair of trainers here and there from the outlets, or maybe a pair of jeans or a Disney Teeshirt or two, and a mug with the year on. They add up.
If the officers decided my Ipad, kindle and or my phone were bought out there, and I can't prove where they came from, then I could very easily be paying out.

[Peko]

Originally Posted by Thorpy

They could basically sit there as fine everybody unable to prove the origin of more than £145 worth of their goods.

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That’s a rather old article. The limit for arrival from outside the EU by commercial flight is now GBP 390 per person (excluding alcohol and tobacco). Room for a few more t-shirts...

[Powlay]

Originally Posted by Thorpy

If the officers decided my Ipad, kindle and or my phone were bought out there, and I can't prove where they came from, then I could very easily be paying out.

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Except they can easily find out where they came from as they can use the serial numbers to fine out the areas of the world they were sold in.

So you'd be safe... unless bought on previous trips!

[k100dmk]

I have seen someone be stopped and have to pay the tax but this was many years ago and they had really taken the mickey (no pun intended) they had holdalls full of clothes and i think the total tax payable was about 800 pounds. it was a family of 5 and we heard them complaining they now hadn't saved money but honestly you had never seen anything like to, this was back in the day when you could get 2 pairs of 501's from the outlets for about 40 dollars and they must have had 50 pairs. I think every person in the party had an extra bag each.

[Sew109]

I got stopped years ago coming back from Vegas asked what we had bought was honest (probably £1.5k worth) and they asked if any were for presents for people I said yes, asked if I was selling any I said no and they wished me happy Xmas and send me on my way

[Welshjim22]

Originally Posted by k100dmk

I have seen someone be stopped and have to pay the tax but this was many years ago and they had really taken the mickey (no pun intended) they had holdalls full of clothes and i think the total tax payable was about 800 pounds. it was a family of 5 and we heard them complaining they now hadn't saved money but honestly you had never seen anything like to, this was back in the day when you could get 2 pairs of 501's from the outlets for about 40 dollars and they must have had 50 pairs. I think every person in the party had an extra bag each.

See more...

Probably looked like commercial quantities for resale then. You can't even bring back for friends if they give you money.