Clearing customs without concerns.
Clearing customs without concerns.
Shipping quickly and without complications to almost every country in the world – that’s our field. All goods that are exported have to be cleared and released through customs. We have collected all the important information for you. We also want to offer you the tools to make it easy for you to ship your international parcels.
All goods sent to countries outside the EU go through customs. Depending on the destination, you therefore need to enclose a commercial invoice. If your product has no commercial value, then you state 'no commercial value' on the invoice.
Draw up your invoice in English
Make three copies of the commercial invoice/proforma invoice
One for the export country
one for the importing country
one for the receiver
Add two of these copies in a packing list envelope and pack the envelope on the outside
Add a copy in the parcel itself
On the commercial invoice, a number of fields are mandatory. Use the format for the commercial invoice or pro-forma invoice on the support page.
An EORI number is assigned to commercial importers and exporters by national customs authorities. Private individuals cannot apply for an EORI number. The EORI number is an identification number used in the processing of import declarations and Customs handling.
You can apply for an EORI number on the website of the Tax and Customs Administration. The number consists of a combination of existing figures. More information can be found at www.belastingdienst.nl.(Dutch only)
Customs uses a commodity code or European HS code (Harmonised System) to classify products. This code consists of at least 8 digits for export. By using this code Customs knows:
Which products are in your shipment.
How much import duties and other import taxes are to be levied on them.
Note: If the code is not filled in correctly, Customs may classify your products in a different product category. Your customer may have to pay a different price for this and you may be fined for incorrect classification. In the extreme case, DPD cannot make a Customs declaration.
To determine the commodity code of your product, you should take into account that many products cannot be found literally by their most common name. For example, a 'laptop' or a 'tablet' should be classified as a 'p
ortable automatic data processing machine, weighing no more than 10 kg'.
The tax authorities have a handy tool to classify your products yourself. You can find it here.
Search for your product preferably in English so you get the best search results, for example carpet instead of rug. If you use a label tool of DPD, don't forget to add the quantity. For example: wool carpet (2m2)
DPD UK Import Prohibited list | 5,70 € | 5,90 € | 10,00 € |
HS code category | UK Tariff Description | Prohibited Reason | Comment/ Examples |
01 | Live animals | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Animal Health Certificate | Live or Dead Animals |
02 | Meat and Offal | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Animal Health Certificate | Live or Dead Animals |
03 | Fish and Crustaceans | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Animal Health Certificate | Live or Dead Animals |
04 | Dairy produce, eggs, natural honey etc | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Animal Health Certificate | Perishable items |
05 | Other products of animal origin | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Animal Health Certificate | Live or Dead Animals |
06 | Live Trees | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Phytosanitary Certificate (import)
| Perishable items |
07 | Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Phytosanitary Certificate (import)
| Perishable items |
08 | Edible fruit and nuts | Phytosanitary Certificate (import) | Rice, Wheat, Grain etc |
10 | Cereals | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Phytosanitary Certificate (import)
| Rice, Wheat, Grain etc |
13 | Gums and Resins | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | Controlled Drugs i.e Opium |
15 | Animal or vegetable fats and oils | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | Perishable items |
16 | Preparations of Meat/Fish | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | Perishable items |
22 | Beverages, spirits and vinegar | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Excise Goods | Alcohol |
23 | Residues and waste from the food industries | Animal Health Certificate | Pet food prepared animal fodder |
24 | Tobacco and tobacco substitutes | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Excise Goods | Tobacco, loose leaf tobacco products |
27 | Mineral Fuels, oils and waxes | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Excise Goods | Dangerous/Hazardous Goods |
28 | Inorganic Chemicals | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Excise Goods | Dangerous/Hazardous Goods |
2901 - 2939 | Organic Chemicals | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | Dangerous/Hazardous Goods |
30 | Pharmaceutical products | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | Pharmaceutical products |
31 | Fertilisers | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | Dangerous/Hazardous Goods |
36 | Explosives | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives |
3808, 3811 | Pesticides | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | Dangerous/Hazardous Goods |
4301-4303 | Furskins and artificial fur | Animal Health Certificate | Raw hides & skins |
5302 | True hemp | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | True hemp, cannabis |
6807 - 6808, 6811, 6812, 6815200000 | Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similar materials | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | Dangerous/Hazardous Goods |
7101, 7102 | Pearls and diamonds | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | Jewellery, Precious Metals and Stones |
85437070 | Electrical equipment and parts thereof | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | Live or Dead E-Cigarette Products |
8601-8606, 8608-8609 | Railway or tramway locomotives | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | Dangerous/Hazardous Goods |
8802, 8805 | Aircraft,spacecraft, and parts thereof | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | Dangerous/Hazardous Goods |
93 | Arms and ammunition | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives |
9705, 9706 05 | Collections and collector's pieces | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Animal Health Certificate | Fine art, antiques etc |
98 | Complete Industrial Plant | Free circulation restrictions | Industrial Plant |
HS code category
01
HS code category
02
HS code category
03
HS code category
04
HS code category
05
HS code category
06
HS code category
07
HS code category
08
HS code category
10
HS code category
HS code category
15
HS code category
16
HS code category
22
HS code category
23
HS code category
24
HS code category
27
HS code category
28
HS code category
2901 - 2939
HS code category
30
HS code category
31
HS code category
36
HS code category
3808, 3811
HS code category
4301-4303
HS code category
5302
HS code category
6807 - 6808, 6811, 6812, 6815200000
HS code category
7101, 7102
HS code category
85437070
HS code category
8601-8606, 8608-8609
HS code category
8802, 8805
HS code category
HS code category
HS code category
98
5,70 € | UK Tariff Description | Live animals | Meat and Offal | Fish and Crustaceans | Dairy produce, eggs, natural honey etc | Other products of animal origin | Live Trees | Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers | Edible fruit and nuts | Cereals | Gums and Resins | Animal or vegetable fats and oils | Preparations of Meat/Fish | Beverages, spirits and vinegar | Residues and waste from the food industries | Tobacco and tobacco substitutes | Mineral Fuels, oils and waxes | Inorganic Chemicals | Organic Chemicals | Pharmaceutical products | Fertilisers | Explosives | Pesticides | Furskins and artificial fur | True hemp | Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similar materials | Pearls and diamonds | Electrical equipment and parts thereof | Railway or tramway locomotives | Aircraft,spacecraft, and parts thereof | Arms and ammunition | Collections and collector's pieces | Complete Industrial Plant |
5,90 € | Prohibited Reason | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Animal Health Certificate | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Animal Health Certificate | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Animal Health Certificate | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Animal Health Certificate | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Animal Health Certificate | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Phytosanitary Certificate (import)
| DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Phytosanitary Certificate (import)
| Phytosanitary Certificate (import) | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Phytosanitary Certificate (import)
| DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Excise Goods | Animal Health Certificate | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Excise Goods | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Excise Goods | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Excise Goods | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | Animal Health Certificate | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions | DPD UK's Terms & Conditions / Animal Health Certificate | Free circulation restrictions |
10,00 € | Comment/ Examples | Live or Dead Animals | Live or Dead Animals | Live or Dead Animals | Perishable items | Live or Dead Animals | Perishable items | Perishable items | Rice, Wheat, Grain etc | Rice, Wheat, Grain etc | Controlled Drugs i.e Opium | Perishable items | Perishable items | Alcohol | Pet food prepared animal fodder | Tobacco, loose leaf tobacco products | Dangerous/Hazardous Goods | Dangerous/Hazardous Goods | Dangerous/Hazardous Goods | Pharmaceutical products | Dangerous/Hazardous Goods | Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives | Dangerous/Hazardous Goods | Raw hides & skins | True hemp, cannabis | Dangerous/Hazardous Goods | Jewellery, Precious Metals and Stones | Live or Dead E-Cigarette Products | Dangerous/Hazardous Goods | Dangerous/Hazardous Goods | Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives | Fine art, antiques etc | Industrial Plant |
The United Kingdom has legislation which makes it compulsory for the sender to always pay Value Added Tax (VAT) on parcels ≤£135. This tax is collected by HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue Custom).
Shipments going outside the EU will involve customs formalities. You also have to add specific documents to your parcel. Which documents depends on the customs requirements of the country to which you are exporting, the type of product you are shipping and the value of the product.
Could you use a little help with the customs formalities? DPD is happy to help you to ease the customs process.
Shipments going outside the EU will involve customs formalities. You also have to add specific documents to your parcel. Which documents depends on the customs requirements of the country to which you are exporting, the type of product you are shipping and the value of the product.
Could you use a little help with the customs formalities? DPD is happy to help you to ease the customs process.
If you have shipments to the United Kingdom, you will be dealing with shipments to a non-EU country. You will therefore have to meet specific customs requirements.
Does your company already have an EORI number for export to the UK?
Are you allowed to export your products to the UK?
Do your products have correct HS codes?
DPD offers the INCO term DAP. However you have to make a choice who pays:
DAP DP (Duties & taxes Paid - sender pays) Are you sending products to a private person with a value of ≤ £135 based on DAP DP? Then you (the sender) must pay the VAT to HMRC. A registration is then required.
DAP NP (Duties & taxes Not Paid - receiver pays) When you use the online shipping service of DPD, you automatically choose DAP NP. The option DAP DP is not offered via the online shipping service.
Each shipment consists of a maximum of one parcel. Bulk shipment is only possible after approval by DPD.
Deliver 100% complete data. If the data is not correct, the parcel will be returned.
DPD uses an automated system. Therefore at first no invoice is needed. However, if Customs wants to check your parcel, Customer Service will ask you to send in the commercial invoice. So always keep this at hand.
If you would like DPD to take care of your export declaration, then you must issue a once-only ‘Agreement to act as direct representative’. This authorisation lets us take care of the customs clearance. You do, however, remain liable for the content of the export declaration. DPD does not take over this responsibility.
You can download the authorisation. Once you have completed it, you can send it to [email protected]
Have you already authorised DPD? Then you do not have to issue a new authorisation.
If you would like DPD to take care of your export declaration, then you must issue a once-only ‘Agreement to act as direct representative’. This authorisation lets us take care of the customs clearance. You do, however, remain liable for the content of the export declaration. DPD does not take over this responsibility.
You can download the authorisation. Once you have completed it, you can send it to [email protected]
Have you already authorised DPD? Then you do not have to issue a new authorisation.