Check what declarations need to be made for goods you bring or receive into the UK from 1 January 2021

Last updated 29 December 2020

From 1 January 2021, if you’re a UK-based business bringing or receiving goods into Great Britain or Northern Ireland check what declarations may need to be made.

This page tells you what declarations need to be made for goods you bring or receive into Great Britain or Northern Ireland.

Before you start

1. Check if a declaration needs to be made into Great Britain or Northern Ireland.

2. Decide if you want to use the Trader Support Service if you move goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, or bring goods into Northern Ireland from outside the UK.

3. If you’re not using the Trader Support Service, decide if you want to get someone to deal with this for you, or find a training provider to help you.

4. Find out if Common Transit can be used to move goods.

Trader Support Service

If you move goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland or bring goods into Northern Ireland from outside the UK, the Trader Support Service can:

• offer support and guidance
• complete declarations for you

Sign up for the Trader Support Service to find out how you can get help moving your goods.

Bringing goods into Northern Ireland

From Great Britain
For all goods:

• an entry summary (safety and security) declaration must be submitted before the goods arrive
• a declaration will need to be made when the goods arrive

From the EU
Declarations are not needed for any goods.

From outside the EU
For all goods:

• an entry summary (safety and security) declaration must be submitted before the goods arrive
• a declaration will need to be made when the goods arrive

You can make a:

• full declaration
• simplified declaration, if you’re authorised

There are different rules for:

• carrying commercial goods in your baggage
• importing goods by post
• importing multiple low value parcels on one declaration

Moving goods through Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Common Transit may affect the declarations that need to be made.

Bringing goods into Great Britain

From Northern Ireland
For most goods, no declarations will need to be made. Guidance on this will be published at a later date.

From the EU
Check if the goods are controlled.

For controlled goods, a declaration will need to be made when the goods arrive.

If you use roll on roll off ports a declaration will need to be made before the goods arrive.

If the goods are not controlled find out the rules for declaring goods brought in from the EU from 1 January 2021.

From outside the EU
For all goods:

• an entry summary (safety and security) declaration must be submitted before the goods arrive
• a declaration will need to be made when the goods arrive

You can make a:

• full declaration
• simplified declaration, if you’re authorised

There are different rules for:

• carrying commercial goods in your baggage
• importing goods by post
• importing multiple low value parcels on one declaration

How to submit

You will still be able to use CHIEF for a limited period of time if you’re bringing goods into Northern Ireland from outside the UK and EU.

Most declarations are submitted electronically through Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) system or the Customs Declaration Service. If you’re going to do this yourself, rather than appoint an agent, you’ll need to:

• apply for access to CHIEF if you’re bringing goods into Great Britain - if you’re bringing goods into Northern Ireland from outside the UK and EU you can also use CHIEF for a limited period of time
• get access to the Customs Declaration Service if you’re bringing goods into Northern Ireland
• buy third party software that can submit declarations

Tariffs on goods

Guidance about any tariffs on goods moving between the UK and EU will be published at a later date.

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First published 18 November 2020