EB Forum

Some info regarding importing printed art to the UK. Please feel free to correct anything I have misunderstood or stated in error:

IMPORT VAT

As far as I understand the notice below, published on the HMRC website, all LE printed art is eligible for an effective 5% VAT rate, rather than the 20% which border control charge as standard. I would assume that if an international seller puts the tariff code on the description, along with a statement that it is a limited edition print, eg. 'Limited edition screen printed art - tariff code 9702 00 00 00)' then it should be automatically charged at 5% VAT.

"11. Definition of articles which are eligible for importation at a reduced valuation giving an effective VAT rate of 5 per cent

11.1 Works of art
Original engravings, prints and lithographs, being impressions produced in limited numbers directly in black and white or in colour of one or several plates executed entirely by hand by the artist, irrespective of the process or of the material employed by him, but not including any mechanical or photomechanical process (Tariff code 9702 00 00 00)."

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPort ... _CL_000199

Any imports which have been charged in error can be challenge retrospectively with the following forms:

http://search2.hmrc.gov.uk/kb5/hmrc/for ... ormId=5205

http://search2.hmrc.gov.uk/kb5/hmrc/for ... formid=178

DELIVERY

Standard delivery to the UK (eg. USPS 1st class international) is usually handled by the Royal Mail. If any import charges are due, the item will be held at the most local Post Office and a notice posted to the receiver telling them the charge and where to pay. In most cases this should be paid in person at the Post Office branch, where the item can also be collected. Trackable mail can be followed here:

http://track2.royalmail.com/portal/rm/t ... gear=track

Special/priority delivery to the UK (eg. USPS Priority/Express international) is usually handled by Parcelforce, the courier arm of the Royal Mail. If any import charges are due, Parcelforce will hold the item at your most local Parcelforce depot (not your Post Office) and post a letter with details of the charges. These can then be paid online and a delivery date chosen from a drop down list. Parcels can be tracked here:

http://www.parcelforce.com/track-trace

Great post - very handy. I see you have the required forms also and I can confirm I've successfully had a rebate using the first form.

but not including any mechanical or photomechanical process

I always understood this to mean that Giclee's would not qualify as they are printed by a printer which is, I guess, a mechanical process. Regardless of this its not impossible to claim back on a Giclee but as a rule of thumb its probably safe to say that they aren't meant to qualify.

Good to know someone has had sucess claiming back some tax

fotbh wrote:Great post - very handy. I see you have the required forms also and I can confirm I've successfully had a rebate using the first form.

but not including any mechanical or photomechanical process

I always understood this to mean that Giclee's would not qualify as they are printed by a printer which is, I guess, a mechanical process. Regardless of this its not impossible to claim back on a Giclee but as a rule of thumb its probably safe to say that they aren't meant to qualify.

Technically, it also means that if it was screenprinted but on a mechanical press (such as anything done by D&L, Longtooth, Monolith Press, etc.) then it's also not covered. The times that I try and cover it on larger ticket items to the EU, I am sure to write "HAND-MADE art print" in hopes that it will help in the VAT claim...

Yamar wrote:The times that I try and cover it on larger ticket items to the EU, I am sure to write "HAND-MADE art print" in hopes that it will help in the VAT claim...

Signs of a good seller...

So I put 3 claims in using the form, link above, and just got my first two back - a refund of 68 GBP, and another of 37 GBP.

These two claims were for S&N screen printed gig posters, I sent the Border Agency all of the info, so they knew exactly what I had, and they agreed the VAT had been overcharged.

Now I think I'll have an ice cold beer in the garden, enjoy the sun, and celebrate this minor victory over the VAT man

This post needs to be made a sticky. Great information all in one place.

Just to give this a bump and to update that I'm 7 for 7 on claims. No rejections yet. I've been sending:

- Form BOR286
- Print out quoting the Customs notice (5% VAT)
- Print out of the paypal invoice
- Customs charge sticker
- Sender's customs form
- Print from the artist's website or ebay page stating details about the print
- Photo of the print with sig/#/hand finishing (haven't always included this)

I filled in a form electronically, as a template, so all I have to change is the charge reference number, which saves a bit of time. This is what I have written in the 'Details' section:

"Imported, limited edition, signed & numbered silk-screen printed art work. VAT should have been charged at an effective rate of 5% using 'Tariff Code 9702 00 00', according to HMRC Notice 702, section 11.1. Please see attached documentation."

I have also been highlighting all the important sections of each document, e.g. the '9702 00 00' number (when the seller has included it).

Just to clarify, this is the form I have been using:

http://search2.hmrc.gov.uk/kb5/hmrc/for ... ormId=5205

If you are not claiming back your VAT, then pull your finger out and start. One of the smaller pleasures in life is receiving a cheque from the Inland Revenue. It's a bit of hassle, but I'm already a few hundred quid better off for it, and it's gone straight back into buying more lovely posters.


Edit: I've also included the Parcelforce charge letter previously, but I think this is superfluous, so I'm not going to bother in future.

Thanks for the information suchanoo - I'm sure it will come in handy at some point. Bookmarked.

A few more minor nuggets...

- Any issues you have with a Parcelforce delivery, call your depot direct, not the main PF contact number. Parcelforce as a company, although they look after your parcels very well, are fairly short of common sense. However, the individuals at your local depot will be very helpful and flexible. They'll phone the drivers for you with a change of plan, and call you back promptly with updates, etc.

- On the PF website, it states that to redeliver to a different address will cost you £5.50, and to redeliver to a local PO will cost £1. However, if you phone them and ask that the driver drop your parcel off at a PO, it will probably be free. And if an alternative address you wish to deliver to has the same postcode prefix (e.g. the AB12 bit of AB12 3CD) it is definitely free. Just arrange it over the phone rather than online.

- If you try to arrange delivery to a PO, they will not accept 'oversized / heavy' parcels. This includes, as I just found out, bad-ass-big-boy tubes such as those sent out by Prefab (we're talking tubes you could shelter in during a nuclear strike). But, as above, you can redeliver the next day to an alternative local address for nothing.

Please feel free to add anything else you have to this thread. I guess we're all interested in finding more ways to save money and protect our shipments.

An example of PF's lack of common sense...

- Friday, attempted delivery of two parcels to my house. No one at home, parcels sent back to depot.

- Saturday, I arrange online to redeliver them both to my local PO. Confirmation of this is given online.

- Monday, attempted redelivery of both parcels to my house. No one at home, parcels sent back to depot.

- Tuesday, I phone depot. They tell me that one parcel is oversized, and will not be accepted by the PO, however the smaller one can go to the PO. We agree to instead redeliver both to my work address (5 mins from home) the next day.

- Wednesday morning, the smaller parcel arrives at work. I phone PF, and they tell me the oversized parcel has been loaded to a different truck and is on it's way to be redelivered to my house....

So the top form is the hand written one you get from the post office, the bottom form is the one you fill out online. What box do you enter the Limited edition screen printed art - tariff code 9702 00 00 ?

Sorry it's so huge but it's the only way to see it clearly

Anyone ?