If you purchase clothes for personal use from an overseas seller, they can be sent to you directly without needing pre-registration. However, commercial importers must ensure they have notified the authorities of their European purchases. This includes clothes shipped from EU countries, like Italy, Germany, and Spain, for example, and European countries outside the trading bloc, such as Switzerland or Norway. The UK has a third-party status these days, which means all commercial goods must be declared before entering the country. Find out what you need to do to ship clothing from Europe today.
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Register with HMRC
To import commercially, you will need to be registered with HMRC. It is no good simply providing customs officers with your VAT registration number or your company’s tax number because customs uses its system. Obtain an EORI number so that your correspondence with HMRC – much of which can be managed online nowadays – is accounted for properly. Remember that HMRC will likely regard you as a commercial importer even if you only have half a dozen or so of the same garments shipped from Europe. They’d probably consider this commercial stocking rather than personal consumption.
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Book your shipment
Many European suppliers will offer to arrange shipping to the UK for you. However, it is much easier – and often a great deal cheaper – to book the logistical side of things from home. Seek out a freight forwarding firm with experience in clothing imports. Usually, finding one member of the British International Freight Association is the best move since this is a sign of expertise and quality. Ask your appointed firm about groupage shipments, too. This way, your clothes order can be sent in a container along with other similar goods, and the shipping cost will be vastly reduced.
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Declare each import
You need to declare each shipment of clothes you order from European suppliers. According to Barrington Freight, a logistical and customs clearance agent based in Essex, different types of clothing need different commodity codes to be used. For example, 6110129010 should be used for declarations of handmade cashmere cardigans for women, while 6404110000 is the best code for basketball trainers with rubberized outsoles. As you can see, it gets pretty complex significantly if certain items might fall into two or more categories. Therefore, getting professional help with customs declarations is usually worth it to avoid delays.
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Settle your duty
Clothing is subject to tax in most cases but not all. Specific safety wear may be exempt. HMRC will require you to outline the origin of the goods. For example, Chinese-made coats that a French wholesaler has supplied need to be declared as such. Professional assistance in importation can be beneficial to avoid costly mistakes.
