Duties and taxes due for artworks vary from country to country and are the resposibility of the purchaser. These taxes could be applied if artworks are sent across country borders- these taxes are called customs duties and vary according to the countries involved and what is being shipped. For information on duty charged for artworks in the country in which you are based, please contact your national custums and excise office.

Postal companies are obligated to collect customs for any taxes due when importing an item. They will keep hold of any item until those duties have been paid by the customer, which may result in delays to delivery as well as additional clearance charges levied by the courier.

In the UK, for example, customs duties are made up of 2 components, import duty and VAT. UK customs classes contemporary works of art as 'import duty free' and incur a reduced rate of VAT (5% versus the normal current rate of 20%). For information on duty charged for artworks in the country in which you are based, please contact your national customs and excise office.

Artfield Galleries will make sure the correct paperwork is filled in prior to dispach. In most cases, this should allow items to pass through customs easily. Artfield Galleries can provide no guarantee that additional customs costs will not be incurred. If you have any concerns or questions, we strongly recommend you get in touch with us prior to dispatch.