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What it costs to import from the US to the

Forwarder fees, shipping, customs duty and VAT for a phone, compared across 6 US package forwarders. Cheapest estimated total first.

Duty
No duty up to £135. Above it, electronics and cosmetics are duty free, clothing pays 12%, sports shoes 16% and most supplements 12%.
VAT
VAT 20% on the price, shipping and duty. A US shop shipping to your forwarder does not charge UK VAT, so the courier collects it at import, also under £135.
Duty-free limit
£135 of goods, about $179, for duty only. VAT applies at any value.
Batteries
Used devices with lithium batteries cannot go by USPS, so expect DHL, FedEx or UPS.

Checked October 2026

Show totals in
$600 phone to the UK, 0.3 kg (0.6 lb) Estimated totals include the item, US sales tax, forwarder fees, shipping, duty and VAT.
# Forwarder Courier Fees + sales tax Shipping Duty + taxes Total Link
1 MyUS FedEx Economy5-9 days · From a quote £0 £12 £93 Shipping £12 · Fees and sales tax £0 · Duty and taxes £93 £557$738 Visit
Florida charges 7% sales tax in Sarasota, but this address is on the state list of certified forwarding agents, so sellers that apply the list do not charge it. A seller that ignores the list will charge 7%. Premium membership is free for 30 days, then $9.99 a month. This estimate assumes the free month.
2 Ship To Box FedEx Economy4-8 days · From a quote £13 £10 £92 Shipping £10 · Fees and sales tax £13 · Duty and taxes £92 £567+£11 Visit
No sales tax in Delaware. Free standard membership, $2 receiving fee per box, plus a $15 lithium battery fee on devices. Free consolidation.
3 Forwardme Aramex8-15 days · From a quote £0 £22 £95 Shipping £22 · Fees and sales tax £0 · Duty and taxes £95 £569+£12 Visit
No sales tax in Delaware. Free membership and free package processing. Consolidation is $3.25 per package on the free plan; Premium, $9.50 a month, promises lower shipping rates.
4 Shipito DHL Express2-4 days · From a quote £9 £41 £99 Shipping £41 · Fees and sales tax £9 · Duty and taxes £99 £601+£44 Visit
No sales tax in Oregon. Oregon is the default address for Premium members; free accounts default to Torrance, CA, where sales tax applies. Premium membership, $10 a month, for the tax-free Oregon address, plus a $2.25 processing fee per package.
5 Planet Express DHL Express Worldwide1-6 days · From a quote £2 £54 £101 Shipping £54 · Fees and sales tax £2 · Duty and taxes £101 £609+£52 Visit
No sales tax in Oregon. Planet Express also has a tax-free address in Fort Pierce, FL and one in Torrance, CA, where sales tax applies. Free mailbox, $2 mail-out fee per package. Consolidation needs Premium, $10 a month.
6 Stackry FedEx Intl Priority2-5 days · From a quote £11 £72 £105 Shipping £72 · Fees and sales tax £11 · Duty and taxes £105 £640+£84 Visit
No sales tax in New Hampshire. No membership, $2 receiving fee per package, plus a $12.50 hazmat fee on phones and smartwatches. Consolidation is $3 per package.

Shipping comes from each forwarder's own calculator, quoted at 1 lb and 5 lb and interpolated in between, so it is an estimate, not a live price. Check the forwarder's calculator before you buy. Devices with lithium batteries only go by services that accept them, usually DHL, FedEx or UPS, so most postal and budget services are left out.

Buying a refurbished iPhone? Compare prices from US sellers

Before you buy a phone in the US

  • iPhone 14 and later models sold in the US have no SIM tray and work only with eSIM. Check that your carrier offers eSIM, or pick an iPhone 13 or earlier, which takes both.
  • Pick an unlocked phone. One locked to a US carrier will not work with your local SIM or eSIM.
  • Any charger in the box has a US plug. Most phone, tablet and laptop chargers accept 100 to 240 V, so a plug adapter is enough.
  • The warranty and returns are the US seller's. The return window starts when the parcel reaches your forwarder's US address, and a repair or return means paying to ship it back to the US.

How the UK taxes this phone

Duty and taxes for the cheapest option above, in the order customs applies them.

Charge Rate Amount
Customs duty £0
Import VAT 20% £93
Total duty and taxes £93

Importing to the UK: common questions

Do I pay VAT on a parcel under £135?

Yes, at import. The £135 rule makes a seller charge UK VAT at checkout when it sends the goods to the UK. A US shop that ships to your forwarder's US address does not, so the courier collects 20% VAT on the goods, shipping and insurance before delivery. HMRC has no page on forwarders; this is our reading of its rules.

When does customs duty start?

Above £135 of goods, counted without shipping. Duty is then charged on the price plus postage and insurance. Phones, laptops, tablets, headphones and smartwatches are 0%. The government plans to remove the £135 duty relief by October 2028.

Will the courier add a fee?

Usually. DHL charges 2.5% of the VAT and duty it pays for you, at least £11, FedEx 2.5% or at least £12.90, and UPS 3% or at least £14.35. This estimate does not include courier fees.

Can I return it, and does the warranty work?

UK cancellation rights cover shops that target UK buyers. A US shop selling to a US address usually does not, so its own return policy applies and returns go back to the US at your cost. Apple may limit iPhone and iPad warranty service to the country where the device was sold.

Can I buy refurbished in the UK instead?

Yes. Apple sells Certified Refurbished products at apple.com/uk/shop/refurbished, and RefurbMe compares local refurbishers for the same models. Buying locally means local VAT is already in the price, the warranty is serviced locally and returns stay in the country.

Which forwarder is cheapest to the UK?

For a $600 phone weighing 0.3 kg (0.6 lb), MyUS comes out cheapest in our estimate at $738 delivered, using FedEx Economy. The order changes with weight and item type, and shipping prices are estimates, so check the forwarder's calculator before you buy.

Can I use a forwarder to buy from Apple's online store?

No. Apple's US online store ships only to US addresses and cancels orders sent to freight forwarder addresses. Retailers such as Amazon, Back Market or eBay sellers are the usual route, and their return and warranty terms can change once a parcel leaves the US.

The same phone, shipped elsewhere

Cheapest estimated total for a $600 phone in each country we cover. Each country has its own page.

Sources

Rules checked in October 2026. Exchange rates from 1 Oct 2026, Rates By Exchange Rate API. RefurbMe has no referral deals with these forwarders; the order is always the cheapest estimated total.