UK Customs

[rocky12345]

Hi
I've ordered a book from the U.S. for $25.00{?15.50}will I get hit with a customs charge?
Thank You in advance.

[MacD]

See: HM Revenue & Customs ? A guide for international post users

Especially chapters:

2.3 What are the limits for customs duty and import VAT?

3.1 How are import charges calculated?

But it will depend on what the sender puts on the customs declaration.

[bernard72]

No, books are duty free when importing, and if no advertising then vat free also.

[Essex Lad]

No you won't. As Bernard72 quite rightly says book are exempt from duty. I ordered a set of encylopaedias from Chicago that cost around ?250 and that's what I paid.

[frankthring]

Something very wierd if you were charged duty on a book of any kind, as
others have replied. In my case rare books are my hobby and they all
get sent from around the globe to my London mailbox. In a decade - and
many hundreds of books - I have never paid a penny in duty.

[RoddersUK]

What if it is a pornographic book amply illustrated with colour photographs of two loving people "At it"?

[Essex Lad]

As long as the sender isn't daft enough to list those contents on the outside or put his address as, for example, "The Dirty Bookshop, 69 Jerkmeoff Lane, San Francisco" it is a book and as such not subject to import duties, VAT etc.

[RoddersUK]

So, what you are saying is that, HM Customs no longer indiscrimiately open packages from the US or other porn rich countries and confiscate the contents.

[Essex Lad]

Well, I've ordered hundreds of books from America and not one has been opened. I have had stuff opened that has come from Hertfordshire though...

[rocky12345]

It has been held up at customs that normally means customs charges doesn't it?