The amount of people that are buying their products on AliExpress is rising every day, as the webstore from China offers the best value for your money. But what about the taxes on your AliExpress import? Will you have a nasty surprise when you receive your AliExpress import from China? Just read the blog to know how AliExpress import duty works for the US and UK!
AliExpress Import Tax for the USA
The situations for AliExpress import duty for the USA have been changing the last few years, depending on the president. President Barack Obama introduced AliExpress import tax exemption to 800$, which means that you can make bigger orders. President Trump however increased the tariffs by 25%, if your order goes over 800$. So basically as long as you’re staying under 800$ value for your AliExpress import, you’re good to go.
However please note that the 800$ value is per day, not per AliExpress import package! So if you have multiple packages coming in that hit customs on the same day, there is a big chance your packages will be opened to see if they exceed the 800$ value for AliExpress import duty. It’s best to split up big orders over multiple days, not only does customs usually not open smaller packages, but you’ll increase the chance that the AliExpress imports will pass through customs over multiple days too.
AliExpress Import Tax for the UK
There are two things to keep in mind for AliExpress import duty for the UK. One, if the value of the package is above £15, you will have to pay VAT. However the VAT rate is dependent on the package content, for AliExpress baby clothing has a VAT rate of 0% for example. A good rule of thumb is an added 20% of the total value of the package as additional AliExpress import VAT rate. It will probably be lower than that, but 20% is the maximum, and by using that as a standard, you won’t have any nasty surprises.
Secondly, If the total value of the package is above £135, you’ll need to pay AliExpress import tax as well. The customs tax or duty is dependent on the product, and the set rates for the European Union. Now things get a little complicated concerning the Brexit situation. Here is a useful link from the UK government in all cases of Brexit, and the AliExpress import duty costs. In general, the advice is: order in smaller batches, because those will slip by customs easier.
AliExpress Import Duty Tips
As we’ve said before, the best is to divide a big order into smaller orders, that because customs usually do not bother with small value packages for AliExpress import. As long as you’re under a $800 or £15, your package should slip by easily. However also recommend for the US to not approach the value of $800, because bigger packages make customs suspicious, and they will open the package to check that you’re not trying to avoid any AliExpress import tax.
The second tip is to choose the normal shipping or airmail for your AliExpress import. Yes, sometimes you really want to have your order fast, but DHL or another shipping company outside of the normal postal service will check AND declare the exact value of the AliExpress import. So a small package with a smartwatch of £150 value can slip through with air mail, but DHL will put the exact value on there, which means you’ll have to pay AliExpress import tax when you receive your order.
AliExpress Import Duty – Avoid Taxes on Import From China
You now know everything you need to know to avoid taxes or duties on your AliExpress import. Keep the value of the AliExpress import low, to avoid suspicion and the possibility that customs will check the value. And choose for airmail instead of DHL for AliExpress import that are small but have a higher value than the allowed minimum. If you keep these two things in mind, you’ll be assured that your AliExpress import will arrive safely at your doorstep, tax free! If you have any other questions regarding AliExpress import tax, simply send an email to info@AliExpressinfositenederland.nl.
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Lily Chen is a passionate and experienced online shopper with a deep love for exploring the world of Chinese e-commerce. She's been navigating the ins and outs of platforms like AliExpress for over a decade and has honed her skills in finding the best deals, hidden gems, and innovative shopping strategies.