The following procedures briefly outline the import procedures necessary to guide a UK business through the process of placing an order with a foreign supplier, payment and subsequent importation to the UK.

Please note that in many cases, special circumstances may alter these requirements or their sequence. Out staff are very experienced, and are on hand to advise you. Please feel free to contact us on any matter. We're here to help you.

1. Application for an Import Licence

2. Open Letter of Credit

3. UK Importation

4. Arrange collection and delivery

1. Import Licence
You should be aware that many countries, including the UK, aim to limit the quantity of their imports, or to restrict importation of certain categories of goods. Such controls are usually achieved through the imposition of import licences, quotas, duties or levies. For goods imported into the UK, import licensing is implemented at ports and airports by HM Customs and Excise, who are also responsible for the collection of revenues due.

Goods are imported into the UK under either an Open General Licence or an Individual Import Licence. Most imports can be covered under the general licence but an individual licence will normally be required for goods specified in the Schedule of the Licence such as clothing, textiles, steel, firearms and agricultural produce. Individual licences are either 'Open' (valid for one year for the import of a specific commodity without restrictions as to quantity or value) or 'Specific' (valid for the importation of a stated quantity or value of a specific commodity and valid for a defined period).

For further details please contact the Import Licensing Branch at the following address.

Import Licensing Branch
Queensway House
West Precinct
Billingham
TS23 2NF

Telephone: 01642 364333/334
Fax: 01642 533557
E-Mail: enquiries.ilb@imlb.dti.gov.uk

2. Open Letter of Credit
Letter from the importer's Bank, addressed to the exporter giving the Bank's promise to pay an agreed sum of money to the named exporter for goods ordered by the importer.

This is a considerably secure method of payment as it replaces the unknown credit of the buyer with the unimpeachable credit of the Bank.

The Letter of Credit can be clean or documentary. A clean Letter of Credit makes cash available on demand. Letters of Credit used by traders are always documentary. This means that the exporter is required to produce documents stated in the Letter of Credit evidencing current shipment of the goods ordered before the money is released.

3. UK Importation

Trade with countries outside the European Union

UK Customs & Excise

All goods imported into the UK must be declared to HM Customs & Excise for the assessment of duties and other levies. This is your responsibility as the importer, however as an appointed agent, we would be pleased to declare the goods on your behalf.

VAT, Duty Levies and Surcharges

You are liable for VAT, duty levies and surcharges which must be paid or deferred before imported goods are released by customs.

Trade within the European Union

Since the beginning of 1993, member countries of the European Union (EU) constitute a single customs area which allows for the unrestricted movement of the majority of goods and services between member states. This means that most goods imported between countries of the EU do not need any accompanying documentation, although import licenses may still be required for certain goods. As no documentation is required, statistical information on intra-EU trade must now be provided by importers, on a quarterly or monthly basis depending on the level of business.

4. Arrange collection and delivery
Once your goods are cleared by HM Customs and Excise, we will arrange for their collection from the port (air or sea) and deliver to either your premises or your client’s premises.

There maybe occasions when you are not quite ready to receive the goods, or instances where you have imported a large consignment and wish to receive the order piecemeal. We will arrange for the storage of your goods, close to the port, therefore avoiding unnecessary transport costs, until a time when you are ready to accept deliver pieces of the order.

To avoid the necessity to pay UK import taxes until their delivery, we can organise for storage at a Customs approved warehouse facility.