Find the Customs Clearance Process in UK

Posted by Ren Sat on April 23rd, 2021

Necessary Documents for Customs Clearance Process

Customs clearance process involves preparation and submission of all the necessary documents required to facilitate imports or exports of goods into or outside the country. It is a mandatory procedure, and each shipment needs to submit documents to the department of customs for clearance.  

Documents Require to Import Goods

If you have all the documents ready, no one can stop you from getting the clearance declaration. However, it’s a very difficult task for first-time importers to know what documents they need to submit. Well, the documentation for the customs clearance process varies from country to country; some may ask you for additional papers, some may not. Taking this into consideration, we have listed all the necessary documents required in the customs clearance process.

Bill of Lading

Bill of lading is one of the most crucial documents for import customs clearance declaration. It contains all the necessary details about the shipment. It basically represents the ownership of the product, and without the bill of lading, goods cannot be delivered.

Commercial Invoice

A commercial invoice is another crucial document that an importer must have; it contains buyer and seller’s details, information about types of goods, the number of goods, price of the products, and other information. The customs department needs to know the value of your goods for calculating how much tax and duty you have to pay.

Packing List

A packing list is a document provided by the shipper; it contains information about the goods types and how they are packed. It shows the total number of cartons, dimensions & weight of the cartons, and the number of items in cartons. The customs department can use the packing list for the entry and clearance of goods into the country.

EORI Number

An EORI number is a kind of importing passport that the customs department can use to identify you and your shipments. EORI stands for Economic Operator Registration and Identification; it is a European identification that you can use to ship your goods anywhere in the EU and other included countries.

Certificate of Origin

A certificate of origin is a document issued by the relevant government department of the country from where the goods are being exported. Some countries have customs treaties with the UK, so a certificate of origin may help you reduce customs duty.

CE Certificate

A CE certificate a document that indicates your goods follow the EU standards, which means your products meet all the EU safety, environmental, and health requirements. It is basically a safety compliance certification, and you need to carry it if your goods are any of the followings:

Toys, machinery, electronic equipment, electrical equipment, personal protective equipment, pressure equipment, in-vitro diagnostics, medical devices, simple pressure vessels, active implantable medical devices, radio and telecommunications terminal equipment, lifts, gas appliances, recreational crafts, non-automatic weighing instruments, equipment and protective systems used in explosive atmospheres, construction products, cableways, explosives for civil use, measuring equipment, and water boilers.

These are all the documents that you must carry with you for a successful customs clearance process, but there are a few other documents that you may need to carry in some cases. They are certification for port health, test certification, material safety data sheets (MSDS), import/export licenses, and certificates for authorization.

 Related Article:- Find the Process Involved in Customs Clearance