# Import Taxes



## Fidgety (Nov 1, 2011)

Browsing through the threads I keep coming across the reoccuring theme of import taxes and the fact they are high.

I was wondering how this works. Is it on new goods only, or stuff that comes in via haulier/courier or large items, or anything that enters the country that isn't a letter?


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## rifleman (Jun 24, 2011)

Could be any of those. It depends what you import to where and from where.


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## Maggy Crawford (Sep 18, 2010)

If you order goods from Amazon, VAT is applied at the prevailing rate in Portugal despite not being applicable in UK e.g books.


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## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

ANYTHING ordered from outside the EU is subject to IVA (VAT) at the prevailing rate. 

Goods ordered from with the EU will have IVA (VAT) added at point of sale.

Some companies as Maggie said are adding the tax which the item is subject to in Portugal, NOT the country of origin. 

For example AMAZON.co.uk (or any of the european Amazon offshoots) are adding PORTUGESE rates at point of sale.


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## Fidgety (Nov 1, 2011)

So, where would I go to find out the Portugese tax rates and also does anybody know if this applies to secondhand products?


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## Fidgety (Nov 1, 2011)

Ooh. I should have read what everybody put more carefully as well.

So, for example if I ordered a book from Amazon.co.uk. and that book was £6 and the PT tax was 20%, then Amazon would charge me £7.20?
(I'm not asking for my maths checked just if I've got the procedure correct?)


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## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

This tax that is the same as VAT is known as IVA in Portugal, and is at present 23%. 



so £7.38 on a book that costs £6


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## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

Fidgety said:


> So, where would I go to find out the Portugese tax rates and also does anybody know if this applies to secondhand products?



NO IVA (VAT) on secondhand goods as it has already been applied (charged) at source.

You cannot double vat an item


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## rifleman (Jun 24, 2011)

The op was asking about import duties. The taxes you are discussing are not import duties, they are sales taxes.


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## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

rifleman said:


> The op was asking about import duties. The taxes you are discussing are not import duties, they are sales taxes.



Have you ever tried to explain the difference to the Portuguese customs 
Just as well we mention IVA(VAT) or Fidegty would still think it was 20% not the 23% it now is


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## rifleman (Jun 24, 2011)

But nobody has actually answered the question. Mind you fishery still hasn't explained what is being imported and where from.


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## Fidgety (Nov 1, 2011)

I'm not changing my id to Fishery Rifleman and that's all there is to it;-)

To be honest I wasn't thinking about anything in particular. It was just as I was browsing the threads I noted that people kept mentioning high import duty.

I wasn't actually thinking of VAT. More of like the import duty that we pay here in the UK if we order something from outside the EU.
For instance if I order vitamins from the US, I think I'm allowed to go up to a value of £19 before I start having to pay duty.
If I order them from the EU, I don't pay any import because they don't need a customs label giving a value.

I haven't got a clue what's readily available in PT, but a good point is made when mentioning books - oh my, I can do without a tv but not without my books!
That's why I mentioned second hand. It can be cheaper to buy them initially and if there is no import duty either - double goodies!


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## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

Fidgety said:


> I'm not changing my id to Fishery Rifleman and that's all there is to it
> 
> 
> !


Good for you Fidgety 

I too am an avid reader and have had many books through amazon second hand at no import costs.


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## Fidgety (Nov 1, 2011)

That's just the answer I wanted to hear, Siobhan.
Many thanks!


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## rifleman (Jun 24, 2011)

Sorry. I do this from my phone which has predictive text. Aka stupid man with smart phone.


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## rifleman (Jun 24, 2011)

Ah, well there should never be VAT on second hand goods. I know that much.


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Books from UK are easy £25+ orders fulfilled by Amazon are P&P free but you do pay PT IVA rate.
Awesome sell new, withdrawn or secondhand free P&P for orders of two or more.

Importing from a non EU country especially USA is a problem, as to escape any import duty the total value of order including P&P, insurance etc needs to be -$25?? or sent with a present/no value disclaimer?? after that duty kicks in, but you try and find tables to calculate, I normally look at UK HMRC to try to work out cost and decide if it's really worthwhile, generally the answer is no.


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Importing from EU providing VAT/IVA was paid at source no further taxes. Applies to EU secondhand goods as well
Jersey can create a problem as their not in EU.
Books from UK are easy £25+ orders fulfilled by Amazon are P&P free but you do pay PT IVA rate, as Amazon do operate distance selling regulations, but Book Depositry don't & offer free delvery.
Awesome sell new, withdrawn or secondhand free P&P for orders of two or more.
Re written
Importing from a non EU country especially USA is a problem, as to escape any import duty the total value of order including P&P, insurance etc needs to be -$25?? or sent with a present/no value disclaimer?? after that duty kicks in, but you try and find tables to calculate, I normally look at UK HMRC as it's a EU wide system to try to work out cost and decide if it's really worthwhile, generally the answer is no.
Basically if you import from a non EU country into Portugal you'd pay IVA @23% + import duty which varies on value and item different products different rates.


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## PedroCruz (Sep 15, 2011)

Hello,

There are two (for what this post matters) exceptional VAT regimens that free some goods from taxation.
One it's aplied to goods you carry in the lugadge, when crossing a border, and the other is for goods sent between (from and to) comum people, with no commercial porposes (and low value).

I think in here what's applied is the second.

None of them is 100% 'bullet proof' and none is very clear.

Goods bellow 22€ don't pay taxes (a fortune). ; )

If it's an used object or good, if it's obviously used and not transactionable, one can always contact the 'alfandega' and ask for the isention (not 100% isent), but you might get the VAT out. I think this can't exced 150€ of value. But, one of the major problem is, lot's of people try to invoque this to avoid taxation. 10 years ago I was buying records from foreign countrys (vynil) and selling them in Portugal. I kept saying it wasn't for commercial porposes .... off corse I was being taxed with the full package (costums + VAT + everything they could).

If you receive lot's of 'used' stuff, forget about it, you'll be taxed.

Some ideas that result. Try to order from diferent adresses and names, 'low profile' packages, and don't make an effort to make it look brand new.

Anyway, there's nothing that forbiddens to aply VAT to importation (even on 2nd hand goods), what the regimen states for, is to isent in some situations.

It also relys on the good judgment of the 'costums officer' and on the evidences.

On my case, I receiveded 2 ou 3 packs of vinyl a month ... no one believed me when I wanted to argue on the 'non comercial' goods.

I don't know if it was a help or I confused this even more.
Cheers


Pedro Cruz


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## Fidgety (Nov 1, 2011)

Thanks Pedro, that is a help.
I would imagine that even a 'small' package of 10 vinyl records would be quite a bulky item and draw attention to itself? Also I would think that they always have to travel via Parcel post?

Here in the UK, anything entering the country that is of a certain weight and size comes into the country via Parcel Force. I think that all their packages are recorded by customs and excise.
Anything that is smaller/lighter and can travel by 'normal' postage methods, does not attract customs attention as a formality.

I hope you sold your records well and the customs did not cause you to stop!

Any business these days should be encouraged!


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## PedroCruz (Sep 15, 2011)

Dear Fidgety,

Yes, packs of 10 records were always subject of taxes (VAT included).
The biz was more sentimental than money maker, it ended because I had to make a choice: University or Business (it was 20 years ago).
I'm gonna tell you a confidence.
After ending the record company, I still being taxed for everything I ordered from out of EU. 
They remembered my name for a while. One I wanted to order some records, and I thought: They'll make me pay VAT .... but, if they don't recognize the name ...... well, I ordered it to my mothers house, in her name. No VAT. The problem is, the tax is applied to goods that are inspected, as it is a humam procedure: This is to check, this one not .... some aren't checked, so, they don't pay. But, this only works for packages sent by e-mail.
Hope no one acuse me of inviting to evade taxes. Cheers.


Pedro Cruz


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

This is EU basics for imports

"Are there minimum thresholds below which import taxes are waived?
For importing into the EU, there are minimum thresholds below which duty is waived. Duty is not charged if either:
the total value of the goods (not including shipping charges or insurance) does not exceed £135 (€150, or equivalent in local currency)
or the amount of duty payable on any given item, does not exceed £9 (€10, or equivalent in local currency).

Neither duty nor VAT is payable if the total value of the goods (not including shipping charges or insurance) does not exceed £18 (€22, or equivalent in local currency)."

Not certain that Portuguese Customs actually follow this


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Specific to Portugal

Import duty & taxes when importing into Portugal
Overview
Import duty and taxes are due when importing goods into Portugal from outside of the EU whether by a private individual or a commercial entity. The import duty and taxes payable are calculated on the value of the imported goods plus the cost of importing them (shipping and insurance). 
Duty Rates
The duty rates applied to imports into Portugal typically range between 0% (for example books) and 17% (for example Wellington Boots). Some products, such as Laptops, Mobile Phones, Digital cameras and Video Game consoles, are duty free. Certain goods may be subject to additional duties depending on the country of manufacture, for example Bicycles made in China carry an additional (anti dumping) duty of 48.5%.
VAT Rates
The standard VAT rate for importing items into Portugal is 23%, with certain products, for example newspapers, attracting VAT at the reduced rate of 6%. VAT is calculated on the value of the goods, plus the international shipping costs and insurance, plus any import duty due. 
Minimum thresholds
When importing goods into Portugal, duty is not charged, if the total value of the goods (not including shipping charges or insurance) does not exceed €150. Neither duty nor VAT is payable if the total value of the goods (not including shipping charges or insurance) does not exceed €22.
Other taxes and custom fees
Excise duty is payable on for example tobacco and alcohol.
Additional custom fees can be charged to cover the expense of performing any required examinations, verification and or testing of the imported goods.
Local Customs office and contacts


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## TAO22 (Dec 30, 2010)

Just another thought and a question on this subject. I have ordered 'goods' from various UK outlets and had them delivered to an international removals company previously....who have then delivered here to me in Portugal. No import duty was charged. Is this correct or have I inadvertantly been doing something I shouldn't??? It's just occured to me that a few boxes on a house removal van may be going under the radar so to speak!


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

UK is part of the EU no import duty between EU member states


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