Guidance

Submit a Beer Duty return

Submit a return (EX46) to declare duty on beer, and declare other movements in and out of your registered premises.

When you should submit a return

You must submit a Beer Duty return by the 15th day of the month after the end of each accounting period.

Use the return to declare:

  • duty owed on beer
  • over and under declarations
  • beer delivered to, and received from, other UK registered premises or excise warehouses
  • duty reclaimed on spoilt beer
  • duty reclaimed as drawback
  • beer imported into the UK
  • beer exported outside of the UK

You must submit a return even if you do not owe anything.

If you need to submit a return for a period older than 6 months, you should contact the Beer Duty helpline.

Information you need before you start

You’ll need:

Submit your return online

You’ll need the Government Gateway user ID and password for your account registered for Alcohol Duty.

You’ll receive a confirmation email when you submit your return.

Start now

Send your return by post

You can find tax type codes and rates for Alcohol Duty in UK Trade Tariff: excise duties, reliefs, drawbacks and allowances.

Get all of your information together before you start. You’ll fill this form in online and you cannot save your progress.

Fill in the:

Print and post it to HMRC, using the postal address shown on the form.

This file may not be suitable if you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader). If you need a more accessible format, email different.format@hmrc.gov.uk and tell us what format you need. It will help if you tell us what assistive technology you use. Read the accessibility statement for HMRC forms.

Email HMRC to ask for the form in Welsh.

What to do next

Find out how to pay Beer Duty.

Updates to this page

Published 18 August 2023
Last updated 13 September 2023 + show all updates
  1. Welsh translation added.

  2. First published.

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