Making your first export declaration

Never filed one before? Here’s exactly what happens, step by step, with a way to check it before you submit.

The first time you file an export declaration is the only time it feels daunting. Up to now, a broker or forwarder has handled it, so the process has been invisible to you, and anything invisible feels harder than it is. The good news is that the work itself is straightforward. It’s a form, it asks for details you already have, and once you’ve done it once you’ll wonder what the fuss was about.

Before you start: what to have ready

First submissions go smoothly when you gather a few things first. None of it is specialist. It’s the information you already hold about your business and the shipment.

The one item to sort in advance is your EORI number. It’s the reference HMRC uses to identify businesses that trade internationally, and you’ll need it before you can file. If you don’t have one yet, or aren’t sure, the guide walks you through getting it. Alongside that, have your business address to hand, a clear description of the goods and their commodity code, the destination country, the value of the shipment, and your delivery terms.

If you’re not certain a declaration is needed for this particular shipment, it’s worth a quick check of when a declaration is required before you begin, so you’re starting in the right place.

The four steps, start to finish

The whole submission is a four-step form. Here’s what each step asks of you, so you know what’s coming before you see it.

Step 1 Your business details.

You enter who you are and your EORI number. Once it’s saved, you won’t have to type it again next time.

Step 2 The goods.

You describe what you’re sending and give the commodity code, quantity, and weight. This is the part first-timers slow down on, and that’s fine. Take your time here.

Step 3 The shipment.

Destination, value, and delivery terms. All of it comes straight off your commercial paperwork.

Step 4 Review and submit.

You check the entries, and the declaration goes through a direct digital link to HMRC. You get confirmation back, and the record stays in your account.

The platform checks your entries as you go and flags anything that doesn’t look right before you submit, so you’re not filing blind.

If you want someone to check it first

This is the part that settles most first-timers. The concern is the fear of getting something wrong and creating a problem with HMRC. So, before you submit your first one, you can ask us to review it for a flat £10. A second pair of eyes confirms you’ve got it right, and you file with confidence rather than crossed fingers. It’s entirely optional and only ever at your request. What the review covers is set out under service levels.

What it costs

A first declaration costs the same as every other: a flat £29.50, with no subscription and nothing to pay until you submit. That makes a first shipment a low-risk thing to try. If you’d like the full breakdown and how it compares to a broker, the export declaration cost page lays it out.

After your first one

Once you’ve filed once, the platform remembers your details, so the second declaration is quicker and the tenth is routine. Most people find the whole thing takes only a few minutes after the first. The mental barrier turns out to be the biggest part, and it only exists until you’ve done it once.

Call to action

Creating an account is free, and you only pay the £29.50 when you file. When you’re ready to make your first export declaration, you can set up your account and start whenever it suits you.

Ready to begin? You can create your account and file your first declaration today.