Customs duty rate on new furniture bought in US?

[Normandy Dude]

We are considering buying several rooms of furniture in the US and shipping it all to France. I have tried to get a straight answer from French authorities (consulate, embassy, douane, etc.), from shipping companies and all their respective websites to no avail. Before we buy the furniture, we have to know, how much customs duty is it going to add to the price? Are we talking 20%? 50%? 100%? 200%? Clearly, our decision may change depending on how much more it will cost.

THANK YOU!

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

I shipped stuff from Australia to France 6 years ago and the agent (think it was Pickfords) shipped it via the UK in order to miss this duty. Perhaps it's possible to do from the US too.

[Stewart]

This is for imports into UK, but would be similar to France to give you the idea of costs.

http://www.ukimports.org/how_to_calculate_uk_import_duty_vat.html

[audio]

[quote user="Normandy Dude"]We are considering buying several rooms of furniture in the US and shipping it all to France. I have tried to get a straight answer from French authorities (consulate, embassy, douane, etc.), from shipping companies and all their respective websites to no avail. Before we buy the furniture, we have to know, how much customs duty is it going to add to the price? Are we talking 20%? 50%? 100%? 200%? Clearly, our decision may change depending on how much more it will cost. THANK YOU![/quote]

Having purchased furniture in the US, UK and France, I would rate the costs as UK reasonable, US expensive and FR very expensive. 

For me, I would buy and ship from the UK. 

I used to have small items shipped from the US to UK, even with the shipping and duty costs it was well worth it, a mate even shipped a 25ft boat +trailer+SUV over, it was cheap even with the taxes. 

Shipping stuff from the US to FR is expensive in my experience, the last few times I tried it, I was taxed the same rate on the merchandise AND the shipping costs! This was with UPS, DHL and Fedex.

I argued like hell about this but like you, I could never get any sense out of the douane.

 

Good luck.

 

 

 

[andyh4]

[quote user="Mr Coeur de Lion"]I shipped stuff from Australia to France 6 years ago and the agent (think it was Pickfords) shipped it via the UK in order to miss this duty. [/quote]

 

I don't think so.  Even if that is what they told you.

Duty rates into the EU are harmonised - only the VAT rate is different.  I suspect if you used a British shipper (Pickfords) it was easier for them to customs clear in the UK than anywhere else.  Once inside the EU, there is free movement of the goods.

[andyh4]

[quote user="audio"]

Shipping stuff from the US to FR is expensive in my experience, the last few times I tried it, I was taxed the same rate on the merchandise AND the shipping costs!

 

 

 

[/quote]

 

That is normal.  Duty and VAT are based on the delivered at EU port value - shipping costs are therefore included in the VAT and duty calculations

[Stewart]

Pickfords i beleive move personal effects, i.e your house contents. There would be no duty or vat on these provided you have owned them and used them for a set period of time.

Customs examine Personal effects those clearing at port and those for Customs clearance inland both for prohibitions and restrictions and trying to evade any duties.

The fine plus the duty and vat would normaly make the total cost not worth it. You either pay up or the goods are destroyed.

Back to subject, has France a direct trade route with America. I would of thought not.

Speak to a UK shipping agent. Import the goods to the UK and Customs clear there, they then would be in free circulation where the shipping agent can then tranship the goods across the channel. There would be no french Customs formalities as the manifest from the uk will state free circulation.

However the French still have a right to examine for prohibitions and restrictions relevant to them