Check how to declare personal goods you bring into or take out of the UK
Find out if you can declare personal goods orally or by conduct.
If your goods are for personal use, you do not normally need to make a formal declaration (requiring you to complete an electronic customs declaration) when you bring them into or out of the UK.
These goods include private vehicles that have been in the UK before, and personal effects and gifts carried in your luggage or driven in a vehicle.
If your vehicle is new and has not been in the UK previously, you must check the requirements for importing new vehicles and exporting new vehicles.
You can declare most personal goods by making a declaration by conduct or an oral declaration. These methods of declaring your goods are simpler than other methods, but they are still defined as legal declarations.
If your goods are to sell or to use in your business, you must check how to declare commercial goods.
If you’re travelling with a horse or travelling with a pet, you must check what the requirements are and if you need a goods movement reference.
If you’re moving household items (not using a commercial removal company) during a transfer of residence, you must check for additional requirements.
How to declare personal goods by conduct or orally
A declaration by conduct is when you transport your goods through a customs control point (usually a green channel marked ‘nothing to declare’) at a port (including roll on roll off locations) or airport. You do not need to stop or speak to a customs officer, you can simply:
- walk through a customs control point with the goods
- drive past a customs control point with the goods inside your vehicle
- continue your onward journey if there are no customs control points (this is still deemed to be a declaration by conduct)
An oral declaration can be made by passing through a red channel (or using a red phone, where available) at a port or airport, and verbally telling a customs officer:
- what the goods are
- what the purpose of the goods is
- who you’re making this declaration for (yourself or on behalf of someone else)
If you’re travelling on a ferry crossing, the ferry operator may ask you to confirm that you do not need a goods movement reference.
If you’ve checked this guide and are eligible to make your declaration orally or by conduct, you will not need a goods movement reference for your journey. You may be asked to confirm this by agreeing with a statement such as:
‘I have read the GOV.UK guidance ‘Check how to declare personal goods you bring into or take out of the UK’ and I confirm I am not carrying commercial or chargeable goods which are subject to import or export customs declarations’.
When you can declare personal goods by conduct
Goods you bring into the UK
You can declare goods you bring into the UK by conduct if they are below your personal allowance limit and are for your own use or intended to be given as a gift.
You can also declare goods by conduct if they are eligible for relief from import duty (if they were bought in the UK or have been brought into the UK previously) and are:
- listed in Part C or Part D of the List of goods applicable to oral and by conduct declarations and you are temporarily travelling into or out of the UK
- listed in Part A of the List of goods applicable to oral and by conduct declarations, and declared by an individual either if they are:
- accompanied at a roll on roll off location
- unaccompanied when imported at another listed location
- pleasure craft
- private aircraft
- certain goods under under the temporary admission procedure
You cannot use a declaration by conduct if you bring goods into the UK for repair or modification that will increase the goods’ value. This is called inward processing.
Goods you take out of the UK
You can declare goods you take out of the UK by conduct if they are:
- for your own use or intended to be given as a gift
- contained in accompanied baggage, as long as they meet the merchandise in baggage criteria
- portable musical instruments (if you’re temporarily travelling into or out of the UK)
- listed in Part E or Part F of the List of goods applicable to oral and by conduct declarations
- fodder and feeding stuffs for animals on their journey
- certain goods under the temporary admission procedure, as long as:
- they are eligible for relief from import duty
- you’re temporarily travelling out of the UK
- pleasure craft
- private aircraft
You cannot use a declaration by conduct if you take goods out of the UK for repair or modification that will increase the goods’ value. This is called outward processing.
When you can declare personal goods orally
Goods you bring into the UK
You can declare goods you bring into the UK orally if they are below your personal allowance limit and are:
- for your own use or that you want to give as a gift
- contained in accompanied baggage if they meet the merchandise in baggage criteria
- listed in Part A of the List of goods applicable to oral and by conduct declarations, as long as they are eligible for relief of import duty under section 8 (agriculture and animals) or section 37 (returned goods relief) of the UK Customs Tariff: Reliefs from Import Duty document (version 1.2, dated 22 March 2021)
- certain goods under the temporary admission procedure
Goods you take out of the UK
You can declare goods you take out of the UK orally if they are:
- for your own use or that you want to give as a gift
- contained in accompanied baggage if they meet the merchandise in baggage criteria
- means of transport subject to registration in the UK
- spare parts, accessories and equipment connected to that means of transport
- fodder and feeding stuffs for animals on their journey
- reusable packaging
- certain goods under the temporary admission procedure
When you cannot declare personal goods by conduct or orally
You cannot declare personal goods by conduct or orally if they:
- do not meet the requirements given in this guidance
- have a value of more than your personal allowance
- are prohibited or restricted goods (for example, guns)
- are subject to any of the following in the UK:
- a rejected claim for repayment or remission of duty
- a tariff suspension
- restriction on export
- UK Agricultural Policy
You must make a full import declaration or a full export declaration for these goods.
You should also check the requirements of the country you’re leaving or travelling to, as they may be different from UK requirements.