What’s My Duty? estimator now online

MEDIA RELEASE

2 November 2012

What’s My Duty? estimator now online

The New Zealand Customs Service has launched What’s My Duty?, an import duty estimator to help people buying goods online know how much duty and GST they may be liable for. It’s available at www.whatsmyduty.org.nz

“The rise in online shopping has been phenomenal,” says Carolyn Tremain, Comptroller of Customs, “However a lot of people buying goods online don’t realise that they may have to pay duty and GST when the goods arrive into New Zealand — what they’re actually doing is importing.”

What’s My Duty allows shoppers to choose from a list of the most common products bought online and calculates the import duty and GST required to be paid. If the amount to pay is less than $60, then the amount is waived under the de minimis provision of the Customs and Excise Act 1996. For most items, this means that there’s nothing to pay if the goods cost less than $400.

“People importing goods need to be aware that if they have to pay import duty and GST, the goods will not be released from Customs’ control until this amount is paid.”

“We’re continuously working on making it easier for people to pay the correct amounts due,” adds Ms Tremain.

What’s My Duty? is the first stage of a Customs project looking at ways on how Customs can collect the duty payment before the goods arrive in New Zealand, which will speed up the delivery process.

A What’s My Duty? app for iPhone, iPad, and Android is currently being developed and will be available before Christmas.

Customs is responsible for ensuring that goods coming into New Zealand are safe, don’t infringe on intellectual property rights, and have the correct amount of import duty and GST paid on them. Customs collected over $11.3 billion in Crown revenue in the 2011/12 financial year.

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