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RV Shipping to the UK

galt1074

Member
My first post...

I'm US Air Force stationed for the next three years in the UK at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk.

This is probably a long shot but I'm wondering if anyone in here is in the same status or can tell me about VAT charges?

I've researched shipping and spoken to Vans at Oshkosh this year and I understand that most import duties are free for aircraft parts. However, VAT (Value Added Tax) in the UK is 20% and I'm not too keen on giving Her Majesty 20% of the price of a good purchased from a company in the US for a good that will be constructed here but not used until I get back to the States.

Anyone know anything about this kind of thing?

Thanks,
Greg
Future RV-7(A) builder...and maybe an RV-10 hopefully someday.
 
Hi Greg, welcome to the Vans party.

I?m UK based and building a 14A. When I imported the kit there was no duty to be paid but as you rightly mention, VAT is 20% which is a real pain.

Maybe it would be an idea to ask around, I know a lot of American servicemen drive around in left hand drive American cars, did they pay vat on them?

Alternatively why not check out if you can have the kit ferried over by the USAF transport guys, I?m sure you could organise an allowance. It would then never show up on the HMRC accounts. Just don?t build too fast as you might want to register and fly it while your still there!

Atb,

Mike
 
There is a VAT exemption for personal effects imported on change of residence to the UK.

But, to qualify, you must have owned the items outside of the UK for at least six months and you can not sell them in the UK for a further 12 months.
 
A SoCal friend of mine imported a sailing dinghy and was charged VAT, but was able to reclaim the VAT when he re-exported it back to the USA (that?s the short version).

I think just putting it on a MATS flight won?t get round the problem, but worth checking. How will all your hiusehold and personal effects get to Mildenhall?

It may be worth checking by phone with a VAT office local to your new home - believe it or not I have found them to be helpful. I will ask a US friend who has moved back and forth several times for US government employment if he has any helpful knowledge or contacts.

A final thought - it may be possible to avoid VAT if you can demonstrate that you have paid a US state tax.

Hope all that helps!

Chris
 
Many Thanks!

Thanks for the warm welcome folks.

Many thanks for all of the ideas. I've got our base legal office looking into a couple things. Our household goods and vehicles are all shipped over here by the government and they avoid the takes and duties based on the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA)...at least that's what I'm assuming.

I could indeed try to throw it on an aircraft and fly it over here...the UK would never know it even happened but I'm a little uncomfortable with that idea for several reasons. 1) It's not a good use of the taxpayer's money and 2) There's been a number of officials that got arrested for things similar to that.

I will definitely look into the idea of getting the taxes back when I move back to the US. That would be a good backup if I can't get the taxes removed outright.

Mark, I don't suppose you've ever heard of anyone "buying" the kit from Vans, getting the invoice and telling them to wait six months to ship it? It would kind of suck to wait six months but it might be worth it.

Thanks everyone for the ideas.

Greg
 
......

Mark, I don't suppose you've ever heard of anyone "buying" the kit from Vans, getting the invoice and telling them to wait six months to ship it? It would kind of suck to wait six months but it might be worth it.

Thanks everyone for the ideas.

Greg

Might be worth it to get one kit shipped first with 20% VAT and pay Vans - and get an invoice - for the other kits and have them 'held up" in the US for 6 months.
 
Check

https://www.gov.uk/tax-on-shopping/taxfree-shopping

Unfortunately it doesn't look like you can re-claim the VAT when you leave.

I moved to the USA nearly 20 years ago and took pleasure in claiming the VAT back on socks etc. I bought from M&S ;-) on visits back. I'm sure the Brits here will understand old habits die hard and getting some money back from the government !!

Do they have Harbor Freight in the UK now ?

Robert
 
You'll have to pay VAT no matter what. It's how they get the colonists to pay back the cost of all the tea that was dumped in Boston harbor. :)
 
RVs in the UK

As they say there are only two certainties in life...death and taxes..

There are plenty of RV builders in the UK, the rvsqn on yahoo groups is one place to connect with like minded folk.

There are also plenty here on VAF.

Mildenhall is a nice base, I used to be a few miles away at Marham. I remember a few very enjoyable Happy Hours there.
 
Do they have Harbor Freight in the UK now ?

Robert

Kind of! They call it Machine Mart

It may be worth a call to HMRC to see if there are any options like getting it classified as a temporary import. Potentially you could build an RV and sell it in the UK so they would expect VAT to have been paid.
 
Potential Work Around

Posting this for anyone in my position with the same issues:

**NOTE: I have to verify this before acting but it looks like it solves the problem**

Visiting US Forces to the UK are permitted to ship personal effects without paying VAT regardless of the purchase date or composition as long as it is not a prohibited item.
US Forces simply fill out a form validating their status and detailing the contents of the shipment. The item will go through customs as any other article would but no additional taxes will be charged.

I'll come back and let you know if this worked and I'll update this as the process goes for anyone else that might be asking this question.

Looks like I'm ordering an RV-7 kit!

Greg
 
It worked!

Posting this for the off-chance that someone else is in my shoes (US Forces serving in the UK)

Get a copy of "Declaration of personal goods imported by member of visiting forces C2". Fill it in, sign it and send it to Vans to finish off the top portion. Have them include it in the shipment and you will not have to pay UK VAT on the items. You might have to make a phone call to the port to explain the situation, but I just accepted delivery of my empanage and did not have to pay UK taxes or duties!

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Greg
 
Grease a couple of palms and stash it in the back of a C-17. As a taxpayer, I have no problem with that.
 
Posting this for the off-chance that someone else is in my shoes (US Forces serving in the UK)

Get a copy of "Declaration of personal goods imported by member of visiting forces C2". Fill it in, sign it and send it to Vans to finish off the top portion. Have them include it in the shipment and you will not have to pay UK VAT on the items. You might have to make a phone call to the port to explain the situation, but I just accepted delivery of my empanage and did not have to pay UK taxes or duties!

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Greg

Sometimes it's simply a quest to find the correct forms. :D

Good going!
 
Shipping

Let me know if you need help with the dissasembly, packing, loading and shipping. I can do it all for you.
 
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