Buying Electronic equipment from UK: Do I have to have permission from HK Customs?

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  1. #1

    Buying Electronic equipment from UK: Do I have to have permission from HK Customs?

    I am considering buying a piece of music equipment from UK (not available in HK). The UK supplier have asked me to check Customs / Excise regulations at my end....Do I have to lodge an import declaration with HK Customs & Excise....or are electronic goods exempt? The machine is worth more than $4000 HKD...
    Does anyone have experience of this ?

    Many thanks in advance...


  2. #2

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    Should not be a problem - like almost all other products (obvius exceptions include alcohol and tobaccothere are virtually not import duties or restriction on electronic equipment.
    What kind of equipment are you looking to purchase? I would be surprised if it was not imported (if not available through a local distributor).


  3. #3

  4. #4

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    CD / DVD Duplication and some other equipment needs licensing / permits for import.

    Best to just email them the type or specific model of product you want to import and ask them. The process including Import Declaration..


  5. #5

    Thanks Beachball / Mr. knowitall,

    The equipment is a pre-amp and the particular model / make I want is definitely not available in HK....
    Have spoken to Customs and Excise on phone. They said as long as it's for personal use and comes with a declaration / description of what's in the box, it will not be a problem.....


  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by honkkongjohn:
    I am considering buying a piece of music equipment from UK (not available in HK). The UK supplier have asked me to check Customs / Excise regulations at my end....Do I have to lodge an import declaration with HK Customs & Excise....or are electronic goods exempt? The machine is worth more than $4000 HKD...
    Does anyone have experience of this ?

    Many thanks in advance...
    Did you get the stuff from the UK? Did you file the import declaration?



    Import / Export Declaration




    Any person who imports or exports any article, other than an exempted article, is required to lodge an accurate and complete import/export declaration within 14 days after the importation/exportation of the article. (SEE ANNEX)


    Annex (Import / Export Declarations) Back to Top


    Under the Import and Export (Registration) Regulations (Cap. 60 sub. leg. E), every person who imports or exports any article other than an exempted article is required to lodge with the Commissioner of Customs and Excise an accurate and complete import/export declaration within 14 days after the importation/exportation of the article. Prosecution may be initiated against any person who fails to lodge the required declaration, or knowingly or recklessly lodges any declaration that is inaccurate in any material particular. The Commissioner of Customs and Excise has also authorised specific officers of the Census and Statistics Department to enforce the regulations relating to the lodgment of accurate and complete import/export declarations.

    While you are not required to lodge an import/export declaration in respect of an exempted article, you are requested to advise your carriers/forwarders to indicate clearly on the cargo manifest the relevant category of your exempted article (see below) in order to facilitate trade documentation and verification work. It should however be noted that this arrangement does not prejudice this Department's right to require you to provide proof or evidence to support your claim of exempted article, or to take any action provided under the Import and Export (Registration) Regulations (Cap. 60 sub. leg. E), when necessary.



    Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department

  7. #7

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    It's a very old thread, but from the linked Customs page:

    Exempted Articles

    The categories of exempted articles as stipulated in regulation 3 of the Import and Export (Registration) Regulations (Cap. 60 sub. leg. E) are as follows :

    <snip>
    6. personal baggage including any article which is shown to the satisfaction of the Customs to be imported or exported otherwise than for trade or business, but not including motor vehicles;
    So any import for personal use is clearly exempt.

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by PDLM:
    It's a very old thread, but from the linked Customs page:So any import for personal use is clearly exempt.
    Clearly not since the cited article refers to 'personal baggage' but the OP is having the item shipped.

    Based on the link it appears only postal packets with a value of less than HKD4000 are exempt (article "g.").
    Last edited by Raccon; 05-02-2010 at 02:47 PM.

  9. #9

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    There's nothing in the phrase "personal baggage" that implies to me that it must be somehow immediately accompanying the owner. Personal baggage to me is anything belonging to an individual being moved around for that individual's personal use.


  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by PDLM:
    There's nothing in the phrase "personal baggage" that implies to me that it must be somehow immediately accompanying the owner. Personal baggage to me is anything belonging to an individual being moved around for that individual's personal use.
    I don't think that is the common understanding of the term nor does your view match the definition of "baggage" in any reputable dictionary.

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