Clearance is not a formality at the end of the shipment — it is the step where a missing number can cost you a week of demurrage. Here is what has to be in place before the container ever sails.
Three things need to exist before your first container arrives, and all three take longer to obtain than people expect.
If you are an overseas seller using Amazon FBA, note that storing goods in a UK fulfilment centre generally requires a UK VAT registration, and the importer of record on the entry should be your UK-registered entity, not the marketplace.
Customs Declaration Service replaced CHIEF for UK imports. The data is broadly similar but stricter about consistency. Your broker will ask for:
| Item | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Itemised, in the currency you actually paid, with Incoterm stated |
| Packing list | Carton count, weights, dimensions — must match the invoice |
| Commodity code | 10-digit UK code per product line |
| Country of origin | Where the goods were manufactured, not where they were shipped from |
| Customs value | Price paid for the goods, plus freight and insurance to the UK border if not already included |
| Bill of lading or AWB | Released by the carrier, or a telex release against payment |
| EORI and VAT numbers | Importer's GB EORI, and VAT number for PVA |
For certain goods you also need a licence or certificate: CE/UKCA documentation for many products, FSC or phytosanitary certificates for wood, MSDS and UN38.3 reports for batteries, and a GB-based responsible person for cosmetics and some medical devices.
The commodity code determines the duty rate under the UK Global Tariff. It is ten digits, and getting it wrong is the single most expensive administrative mistake in importing — a wrong code can mean paying 12% instead of 0%, or triggering anti-dumping duty on top.
Two things to know:
In our experience most holds are administrative. The common ones:
While a container sits, the clock on demurrage and storage runs. Free time is typically five to seven days from discharge; after that it is charged per container per day. A hold that takes a week to resolve can cost more than the clearance fee itself several times over.
Not necessarily. For most small and medium importers the forwarder's broker is simpler: one point of contact, one invoice, no handover of documents between two companies. You lose a little visibility, and you should insist on receiving the CDS entry number and a copy of the declaration for your records.
Bring in your own broker when you import frequently, when you have several forwarders and want consolidated reporting, or when your goods involve complex classification, duty relief or special procedures. In that case the forwarder moves the goods and your broker does the customs work — which needs to be arranged before the container arrives, not after.
Either way, ask for the declaration. It is your legal record, and you will need it if HMRC ever asks how the value was arrived at — or if you want to reclaim the import VAT. If you want us to handle clearance and delivery as one job, see our UK customs service or send us the details.
Apply free on GOV.UK. You need a UK company and normally a VAT registration; HMRC usually issues the number within a few working days.
Yes. A broker can file the declaration on your EORI while you remain the importer of record — which is what you want if you intend to reclaim the import VAT.
CDS is HMRC's replacement customs system. Import declarations are now filed on CDS; the data requirements are similar but consistency between documents matters more.
It depends entirely on the commodity code — 0% on some electronic components, higher on textiles and footwear. Send us the product details and we will confirm the rate before you ship.