Import Requirements/Costs for RFD's or, er, importers

[meles meles]

https://www.ilb.bis.gov.uk/docs/DoINeed ... icence.pdf

Not my field, but I've looked into this in the past and dug up the following doc. Point 95 covers Section 1 and suggests to me that only domestic authority i.e. FAC / RFD, is required for European imports?

You are absolutely correct in this however countries such as Holland and Germany will not ship a firearm to the UK without sight of an Import Licence despite the 'European Village'

No, you don't say ! What happened to the Common Market with harmonised trade regulations?

[Grizzly]

Hello all you RFD's,

Can someone give me an idea of what is actually required on the UK side of importing guns and or accessories (if there's a difference)? The US seems to be stepping up its restrictions on exports so i'm wondering what the difficulties are on this side of the pond (if any). At what point do you cease becoming an individual buying something from a US retailer and you become an 'importer' that requires (presumably) some kind of license/paperwork?

Thanks

EDIT: Actually i'll make it simpler, forget actual firearms, what about just accessories/component parts for them

If it's a personal import ie. not for commercial resale, you can use your domestic authority (FAC) to import so no import licence per se is required. Just get a letter/email from Roy at DTI confirming the UK government do not require you to have an import licence. This will form part of your DSP 83 export licence application to the US government.

Point 18 if it's non commercial. Looks like they've recently updated.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... n-2014.pdf

[Blackstuff]

So reading this there appears to be no additional burden (financial or paperwork) to importing non-component parts (i.e. magazines, sights, stocks, fore guards etc). Makes you wonder where the usual $ to £ mark up comes from :roll:

[techguy]

Export license from USA ($250 if you do it yourself $500+ if you have an agent do it for you), shipping, import duty, VAT, and handling. Then you need to add *some* profit on top.

I'll give you an example of some stuff which required no export license, was $800 in goods, $80 shipping, then had £100 import duty etc to pay on top.

[John MH]

Don't forget the Parcelfarce handling fee, usually £8.00 but if its an 'Express' service its £16.00 although there is nothing 'Express' about it clearing Customs.

[techguy]

Don't get me started on Customs... the last delivery (no restricted items) was in customs for nearly 3 weeks.