Import tax on books ?

[Agent]

Do you still have to pay import tax on books, or are they exempt ? (from the US)

Cheers

[Bluecube]

'sfar as I know books are exempt from tax but I could be wrong. Nothing on the Customs and Excise website?

[Funkstar]

books are exempt from import tax because there is no tax on them anyway.

[JPreston]

Think you folks are confusing import duty and VAT, which are two completely different things.

As it happens though there is no import duty due on books coming into the UK, and books are also zero-rated for VAT....IIRC ...

[Funkstar]

fair enough. same net result on books though

[arthurleung]

The PDF from the custom say books are zero duty and 17.5%/0% (depends on how they're classified, not sure about the details)

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsP...CE_PROD_009989

I've imported a lot of Chinese / Japanese books in the past (probably around 100kg) and never have been taxed at all

[JPreston]

The PDF from the custom say books are zero duty and 17.5%/0% (depends on how they're classified, not sure about the details)

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsP...CE_PROD_009989

I've imported a lot of Chinese / Japanese books in the past (probably around 100kg) and never have been taxed at all

Blimey, that's a lot of books.

Basically, published books i.e. books that you read are zero rated. Cheque books, books of cloakroom tickets, notebooks etc are all classified as stationery and hence standard rated.