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Import charges for perfume.

  • 19-08-2022 6:42pm
    #1
    Saudades
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 383 ✭✭


    Hopefully a quick one...

    I want to purchase a perfume online from a retailer in France.

    On delivery I expect to be charged 23% VAT for the cost of the product and delivery, but I'm sure I had read somewhere before that perfumes have an additional tax or duty, but I can't for the life of me find that on the revenue website.

    What else can I expect to be charged on delivery, in addition to the VAT? Do couriers have an additional delivery charge?



Comments

  • #2
    L1011
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 71,142 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    France is in the EU, they are obliged to sort out the VAT.

    I'm fairly certain that perfume was removed from the spirits class of excise in the 80s or 90s. It still has import limits from outside the customs union for some reason but I cannot find any actual excise rate - I believe its zero.


    If there is duty and/or VAT to be collected, the courier will always charge a processing fee. This ranges from 3.50 (An Post) to nearly 20 quid (UPS for me recently on a low value item) as a baseline and can go higher based on value - its usually a % with a minimum



  • #3
    Saudades
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 383 ✭✭Saudades


    Thanks for that.

    I did read that the rate of VAT payable depends on whether or not the seller is registered for VAT in Ireland. They probably aren't, so that's why I'm expecting a 23% added tax.

    The courier company they ship from is called Colissimo - a quick google says they partner with An Post and DPD, so hopefully no more than 3.50 then.



  • #4
    L1011
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 71,142 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    If they aren't registered here they'll charge you French VAT and you won't pay Irish.

    If they are large enough to mention they use An Post, they'll have Irish VAT registration I'm sure.



  • #5
    dotsman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,636 ✭✭✭dotsman


    They are in the EU. So it is no different than from buying from a business in kerry/donegal. You pay whatever figure is given at the checkout, which will include vat (doesn't matter if French or Irish). There are no additional or hidden charges. There is no duty. There are no customs.

    Welcome to one of the most basic concepts of the EU.



  • #6
    L1011
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 71,142 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119497659#Comment_119497659

    There's still excise duty on items that have excise duty - and perfume is listed as having it here even though as far as I can tell the rate is 0%. It used to be about a tenner a litre - in the 70s - which wouldn't make a huge impact on a 50ml bottle admittedly; but this seems to have been ended.



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