What is an EORI number and why you need one?

Economic Operators Registration and Identification – EORI

So, you have a shipment you need to get from point A to B. Well, there is some paperwork we are going to need from you to help with this. One of the key parts of this is an EORI number.

Now don’t panic, this may seem confusing, however we have broken down exactly what this is and how to get one. This number will need to be on your commercial invoices and customs declarations. It will be personal to your business and is a way for HMRC to identify you (in the simplest way possible).

The team here at Blaiklock are very skilled at assisting with issues such as this and will happily lend a hand.

Not sure what an EORI number is or why you need one?

Brexit occurred in January 2020 and the Uk-European Union trade deal was created during the transition period up until 31^st December 2020. As part of this all-UK businesses located in Great Britain that import or export goods in or out of the EU need an Economic Operators Registration and Identification number (also known as EORI).

This number is used for completing customs procedures and the way for Customs to identify who is importing/exporting the goods. This will be quoted on all documentation such as declarations and clearances and is also used for the purpose of identifying traders who wish to apply postponed VAT accounting.

It will be a 12-digit number that begins with the two-letter code used to identify the country that issued the number – GB123456789000, for example.

Why do we need your EORI number?

When using us as your freight forwarder we will need to complete customs forms on your behalf and to do this we need to be able to identify you to customs. If there’s no EORI number provided with the import or export, goods may be held up for customs clearance and there may be associated storage fees.

If you are based in or move goods in and out of Northern Ireland, you will also require an XI EORI number. You should apply even if you’re not sure if you’ll need this as there’s no cost – but not having the right EORI number could result in customs delays. You can have both XI and GB numbers, these tend to be the same with just the letters at the start differing.

How do you get one?

As of 2019 the government started sending out GB-series EORI numbers to businesses that believed needed them. This would have been sent to your business registered address. If you haven’t received this then please use the link below to do this:

www.tax.service.gov.uk/customs/register-for-cds

If you are unsure of whether you have one or not you can use the links below to find out:

(it will most likely be GB – your VAT number – 000)

www.gov.uk/check-eori-number

www.ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/dds2/eos/eori_validation

Before you apply for you XI, check you’re eligible for an XI EORI number. You must have applied for a GB EORI number before you can get an XI EORI number. Once you have your GB EORI number, you’ll need to fill in an XI EORI registration form. You’ll get your XI EORI within 5 days.

What do you need when applying?

• Government Gateway ID and Password, plus the mobile device you set up two step authentications with.
• VAT number and effective date of registration if your business is registered for UK VAT.
• Your National Insurance number if you’re a sole trader.
• Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) for your business, or yourself if a sole trader/other one-person trader. This can be found in your tax returns.
• Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code for your business – you can find these in the Companies House register entry for your business.