Moving goods into, out of, or through Northern Ireland

 

---

Find information and support to help your business manage the changes and new arrangements for moving goods into, out of, or through Northern Ireland.

nibusinessinfo.co.uk has a dedicated section to help your business navigate guidance, rules, regulations, and the support available when trading to and from Northern Ireland. See Exporting and importing.

The Windsor Framework

The Windsor Framework establishes new arrangements for moving goods into, out of, or through Northern Ireland.

The Windsor Framework is being introduced in stages until 2025, with some arrangements already in operation. For details of the changes, refer to the Windsor Framework timeline.

In our Exporting and importing section, we provide specific details and support for understanding associated processes and procedures. Below, you will also find links to information that highlights and guides you through new arrangements.

This page will be updated with the latest guidance as it becomes available.

UK Internal Market Scheme

• Apply for authorisation for the UK Internal Market Scheme if you bring goods into Northern Ireland
• Declaring goods you bring into Northern Ireland 'not at risk' of moving to the EU

Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS)

• Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme: how the scheme works
• Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme: how to register and seal consignments
• Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme: groupage and mixed load consignments
• Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme: Labelling requirements

Northern Ireland Plant Health Label (NIPHL) Scheme

• Moving plants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland

Post and parcels

• Importing and exporting by post
• Check if you can apply for the UK Carrier Scheme
• Apply for the UK Carrier Scheme

Duty Reimbursement Scheme

• Apply to claim a repayment or remission of import duty on ‘at risk’ goods brought into Northern Ireland

Customs Duty Waiver

• Claim a waiver for duty on goods that you bring to Northern Ireland from Great Britain or countries outside the UK and EU

Medicines

• Labelling and packaging of medicinal products for human use

Further guidance

• Windsor Framework - local trade advice and support organisations
• Moving goods from Northern Ireland to Great Britain
• How to export goods from Northern Ireland: step-by-step
• How to import goods to Northern Ireland: step-by-step
• Help and support for exporting

Events

You can search our Events Finder for training, information workshops and webinars from organisations that may help your business.

Upcoming export-related events include:

• General Product Safety Regulation in Northern Ireland: The Department for Business and Trade has organised a series of virtual drop-in sessions on Microsoft Teams. These events enable local businesses to ask questions and better understand how the new regulations apply in Northern Ireland:
  • Wed 18 December 10am to 11am
  • Fri 27 December 10am to 11am
  • Fri 10 January 10am to 11am
  • Fri 17 January 10am to 11am

Find events to assist with exporting and importing.

---

Exporting and importing guidance: latest updates

The links below will also keep you up-to-date with all new and recently updated site guidance on moving goods into, out of, or through Northern Ireland. 

Week beginning 9 December

• Transiting animals and animal products through Great Britain (updated guidance)
• Get an export health certificate (updated guidance)

Week beginning 2 December

• Get an export health certificate (updated guidance)
• Product safety law in Northern Ireland from 13 December 2024 (new guidance)
• Comply with Windsor Framework arrangements for medicines from January 2025 (news)

Week beginning 25 November

• Pay less import duty and VAT when re-importing goods to the UK (updated guidance)

Week beginning 18 November

• Register to make an entry summary declaration in Northern Ireland (updated guidance)
• Internal Market Movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland (updated guidance)
• Making an entry summary declaration (updated guidance)
• Apply for a Notification of Presentation waiver for goods moving from Great Britain into Northern Ireland
• Apply to make an entry declaration in your records under the UK Internal Market Scheme
• Categorising goods for Internal Market Movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland
• Register to use the Import Control System 2
• Make an entry summary declaration using the Import Control System 2

Week beginning 4 November

• Set up your business to move goods out of the UK using transit (updated guidance)
• Get proof of origin for your goods (updated guidance)

Week beginning 28 October

• Transiting animals and animal products through Great Britain (updated guidance)
• Internal Market Movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland (updated guidance)

Week beginning 21 October

• Apply for authorisation for the UK Internal Market Scheme if you bring goods into Northern Ireland (updated guidance)
• Trading and moving goods in and out of Northern Ireland (updated guidance)
• Internal Market Movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland (updated guidance)

Week beginning 7 October

• UK sanctions (updated guidance)
• UK sanctions regimes (updated guidance)
• Trading or moving CITES-listed specimens through designated UK ports and airports (updated guidance)
• Import or export endangered species: check if you need a CITES permit (updated guidance)
• Making an entry summary declaration (updated guidance)

Week beginning 23 September

• Trading and moving goods in and out of Northern Ireland (updated guidance)

Week beginning 16 September

• Apply for the UK Carrier Scheme (updated guidance)
• Apply for authorisation for the UK Internal Market Scheme if you bring goods into Northern Ireland (updated guidance)
• Importing and exporting by post (updated guidance)
• Check if you can apply for the UK Carrier Scheme (updated guidance)
• Trading and moving goods in and out of Northern Ireland (updated guidance)
• Create a goods movement reference (updated guidance)
• Importing and exporting organic food (updated guidance)
• Importing or moving live animals, germinal products, animal by-products and high risk food and feed not of animal origin (updated guidance)
• Poultry meat marketing standards (updated guidance)
• Importing and exporting fresh fruit and vegetables (updated guidance)
• Trader Support Service extended (news)

Week beginning 9 September

• Export services survey (news)
• Using tariff rate quotas to import sheepmeat, poultry and beef into Northern Ireland from outside the UK and EU (new guidance)
• Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme: Labelling requirements (updated guidance)

Week beginning 2 September

• Transiting animals and animal products through Great Britain (updated guidance)

Week beginning 26 August

• Import food and drink from the EU to Great Britain (updated guidance)
• Duty suspensions and tariff quotas (updated guidance)

Week beginning 19 August

• Get someone to deal with customs for you (updated guidance)
• Importing and exporting fresh fruit and vegetables (updated guidance)

Week beginning 12 August

• The Windsor Framework: Unlocking opportunities for NI businesses (news)
• Charging VAT on goods dispatched from Northern Ireland to the EU (updated guidance)
• Importing or moving fish to the UK (updated guidance)
• Find out when to make an exit summary declaration (updated guidance)
• Get an export health certificate (updated guidance)

Week beginning 5 August

• InterTradeIreland Trade Series webinars (news)
• Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme: Labelling requirements (updated guidance)
• Export or move livestock and poultry (updated guidance)

Week beginning 22 July

• Apply for authorisation for the UK Internal Market Scheme if you bring goods into Northern Ireland (updated guidance)
• Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme: how the scheme works (updated guidance)
• Export or move livestock and poultry (updated guidance)
• Export horses and ponies: special rules (updated guidance)

Week beginning 8 July

• Importing or moving fish to the UK (updated guidance)
• Create a goods reference number (updated guidance)

Week beginning 1 July

• How to set up an account to defer duty payments when you import goods (updated guidance)

Week beginning 20 May

• Using the UKCA marking (updated guidance)
• UKCA marking: roles and responsibilities (updated guidance)
• UKCA marking: conformity assessment and documentation (updated guidance)
• Placing manufactured products on the market in Great Britain (updated guidance)

Week beginning 29 April

• Windsor Framework: New GB to NI parcel delivery scheme (news)
• Apply for the UK Carrier Scheme (new guidance)
• Check if you can apply for the UK Carrier Scheme (new guidance)
• Importing or moving fish to the UK (updated guidance)
• Making a full export declaration (updated guidance)

Week beginning 15 April

• Import food and drink from the EU to Great Britain (updated guidance)
• Apply to use simplified declarations for imports (updated guidance)
• Making an export supplementary declaration (updated guidance)
• Making an import declaration in your records (updated guidance)
• Get an export health certificate (updated guidance)
• Apply to use simplified declarations for exports (updated guidance)
• Making an import supplementary declaration (updated guidance)

Week beginning 8 April

• Import or export endangered species: check if you need a CITES permit (updated guidance)
• Customs Declaration Completion Requirements for The Northern Ireland Protocol (updated guidance)

Week beginning 4 March

• Making an export supplementary declaration (updated guidance)
• Trade with  Japan (updated guidance)
• Create a goods movement reference (updated guidance)
• Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme: how to register and seal consignments (updated guidance)

Week beginning 26 February

• Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme: how to register and seal consignments (updated guidance)

Week beginning 19 February

• Trading and moving goods in and out of Northern Ireland (updated guidance)
• Moving qualifying goods from Northern Ireland to the rest of the UK (updated guidance)
• Moving food and animal feed from Northern Ireland to Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) (updated guidance)