French VAT on Exported Parts?

[Cruisin Cat]

I am in the process of ordering some parts from a French supplier for export to New Zealand and they have included VAT on the invoice.

Is French VAT payable on parts exported from France to outside of the EU?

[gabilo]

Not when exporting out of the EU

[Cruisin Cat]

Originally Posted by gabilo

Not when exporting out of the EU

Thanks gabilo...that's what I thought

[Zanshin]

I've tried to get the VAT removed when shipping from Europe and have had mixed success. It is true that VAT is not payable when exporting from the E.U., but some companies have no mechanism to remove the VAT from the sale and file the correct export papers and thus they will include (and ultimately pass your paid VAT to the country where they do business). Usually the smaller ones will include VAT and say that you have to claim it back yourself. Depending upon how much VAT you paid it might not be worth the effort of claiming it back yourself.

[Cruisin Cat]

Originally Posted by Zanshin

I've tried to get the VAT removed when shipping from Europe and have had mixed success. It is true that VAT is not payable when exporting from the E.U., but some companies have no mechanism to remove the VAT from the sale and file the correct export papers and thus they will include (and ultimately pass your paid VAT to the country where they do business). Usually the smaller ones will include VAT and say that you have to claim it back yourself. Depending upon how much VAT you paid it might not be worth the effort of claiming it back yourself.

Thank you Zanshin. The company I am buying the parts from is Outremer....I think this company must have the mechanism to sell their boats outside the EU with no VAT

[Zanshin]

I'm sure that they have that mechanism for boats, but might not do so for parts. I bought my Jeanneau without paying VAT, but when I order parts from Jeanneau in France and have them ship the parts outside of the EU I still get invoiced for VAT from them. So far the amounts were small enough to not warrant me getting bothered about it, but for something significant I'd surely discuss the VAT issue with them beforehand.

[sailingforfun]

I just bought a Lagoon and took delivery in France. My experience was the larger vendors had the mechanism to remove VAT, but the smaller ones didn't. I didn't want to try and claim the VAT back myself, so I purchased from vendors who could exclude the VAT at time of purchase. If you negotiate it before you make the purchase they will usually find a way to remove the VAT in order to make the sale.

[undercutter]

Originally Posted by sailingforfun

I just bought a Lagoon and took delivery in France. My experience was the larger vendors had the mechanism to remove VAT, but the smaller ones didn't. I didn't want to try and claim the VAT back myself, so I purchased from vendors who could exclude the VAT at time of purchase. If you negotiate it before you make the purchase they will usually find a way to remove the VAT in order to make the sale.

They are ripping you off and putting the money in their pocket. All of these VAT/GST schemes are the same as it is just a reporting system of a monthly/quarterly/annual basis dependent on size. All they are required to do is be able to prove that they shipped the order out of the EU or country where they are located.

I guarantee that they change the invoice after it is sent to you removing the tax and adding it to the principal amount so that it doesn't show up as a discrepancy on their books. Nice little windfall.

[sailingforfun]

That wasn't my experience. The vendors I dealt with had to submit extensive paperwork to prove the purchase left the country. Some asked for copy of passport and/or boat export papers, etc. I got the impression it was a pain in the ass for them to process the paperwork on a "one off sale" and they would get in trouble with the taxing authorities if they got caught skirting the tax. This is the country that gave the world the word "bureaucracy"

[FilBrown]

There's should be no VAT on any goods shipped outside of the European Union.

Unlike the purchase tax you get stung with in the US & Canada, you do have a chance to claim this back if you reside outside the EU.
There are a few conditions but I found a guide which may help.

https://www.travelex.co.uk/services/vat-refunds

I found an address for the French VAT office (which is called TVA in France)

Direction Générale des Impôts
Service de remboursement de TVA
10 rue du Centre
TSA 60015
NOISY-LE-GRANDE
CEDEX 93465
France

[Horus]

Originally Posted by undercutter

They are ripping you off and putting the money in their pocket. All of these VAT/GST schemes are the same as it is just a reporting system of a monthly/quarterly/annual basis dependent on size. All they are required to do is be able to prove that they shipped the order out of the EU or country where they are located.

I guarantee that they change the invoice after it is sent to you removing the tax and adding it to the principal amount so that it doesn't show up as a discrepancy on their books. Nice little windfall.

As usual you can shop whitin the EU "Tax Free". When you are there, you have to do together with the seller some paper work and show the goods and paperwork at the customs when leaving the EU.
When you are not visiting the EU and like the goods posted to your adres outside the EU the seller must do the paperwork and present the goods for export to the customs. Thats a lot to do and not every seller likes this. It might be up on the amount of the bill.
This also means that you have to pay the taxes in the country of destination!

So you won't be ripped, or what else. Whitout goods no VAT reduction in the EU! Also not afterwards!
For EU incoming goods you have to pay VAT anyhow, and already payed taxes in the country of origination won't be returned afterwards.
So sellers in the US are billing included VAT and coming into the EU VAT must be payed again.
So no "Nice little windfall" in these cases here in the EU!

[K_V_B]

Originally Posted by FilBrown

There's should be no VAT on any goods shipped outside of the European Union.

Indeed. When I for example order stuff on line in the UK or Germany, for shipping to Switzerland the VAT already disappears from the order the moment that I select Switzerland as country of delivery.

And that is how it should be.