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Updates: Customs Civil Penalties Guidance

2024

28 October 2024 published amendments

Penalty notice: introduction

Updated link to ARTG3000

2023

2 August 2023 published amendments

Warning letter: considering whether to issue a warning letter: checking whether we are within time limits for a warning letter

amend 'must' to 'should' with regards to time limits for issuing CPWL

amend 'must' to 'should' with regards to time limits for issuing CPWL

2022

31 May 2022 published amendments

Introduction: about this guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Introduction: overview of Customs Civil Penalties (CCP)

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Introduction: Example of wording for Civil Penalty Warning Letters and Penalty Notices

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Glossary

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Customs law and HMRC compliance strategy: legal provisions that apply to Customs penalties

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Customs law and HMRC compliance strategy: HMRC compliance strategy

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Persons who must comply with Customs law: Traders

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Persons who must comply with Customs law: Agents

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Persons who must comply with Customs law: Authorised Economic Operators (AEO)

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Customs Civil Penalties Guidance: establishing a contravention of Customs law

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Customs Civil Penalties Guidance: discretion to take penalty action

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Customs Civil Penalties Guidance: penalties

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Customs Civil Penalties Guidance: right to be heard

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Customs Civil Penalties Guidance: time limits for issuing a warning letter or penalty notice

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Reasonable excuse: contents

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Mitigation: what is mitigation

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Mitigation: use of discretion to mitigate

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Customs Civil Penalties Guidance: reviews and appeals against warning letters and penalty decisions

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Customs Civil Penalties Guidance: further contraventions after the issue of a warning letter or penalty notice

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Non International Trade officers operational process: introduction

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Non International Trade officers operational process: warning letter: action to take once you have arrived at a decision

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Non International Trade officers operational process: warning letter: sending a request for authorisation

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Non International Trade officers operational process: warning letter: who an authorising officer might be and what actions they should take

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Non International Trade officer operational process: warning letter: issuing a warning letter

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

International Trade officers operational process: introduction

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

International Trade officer operational process: warning letter: action to take once you have arrived at a decision

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

International Trade officers operation process: warning letter: flowchart of action to take

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

International Trade officers operational process: warning letter: sending a request for authorisation

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

International Trade officer operational process: warning letter: who an authorising officer might be and what actions they should take

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

International Trade officers operational process: warning letter: issuing a warning letter

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

International Trade officers operational guidance: penalty notice: action to take once you have arrived at a decision

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International Trade officers operational process: penalty notice: flowchart of action to take

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International Trade officers operational process: penalty notice: considering mitigation: is mitigation due

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International Trade operational process: penalty notice: authorisation of penalties: sending a request for authorisation

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

International Trade officers operational process: penalty notice: issuing a penalty notice: completing a penalty notice (C31)

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

International Trade officers operational process: penalty notice: issuing a penalty notice: further guidance for completing a penalty notice

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

International Trade officers operational process: penalty notice: issuing a penalty notice: issuing the notice

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

Customs Civil Penalties Guidance: operational overview

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Brexit Banner message removed and review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

HMRC roles: role of Compliance Officer

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Brexit Banner message removed and link to CCPG21500 added

HMRC roles: role of PN301 Team

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Brexit Banner message removed and review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

HMRC roles: role of Customs Civil Penalties Officer (CPO)

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Brexit Banner message removed and review of CITEX civil penalties guidance

HMRC roles: role of Customer Compliance Manager

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HMRC roles: role of other teams

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Classifying the category of contravention: introduction

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Classifying the category of contravention: poor compliance

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Brexit Banner message removed and CITEX civil penalty guidance reviewed

Classifying the category of contravention: serious errors

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Classifying the category of contraventions: deficiencies in systems, records, security of premises etc

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Classifying the category of contraventions: failure to produce records or information

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Options for addressing a contravention: introduction

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Options for addressing a contravention: no action necessary

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Options for addressing a contravention: issue a warning letter

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Options for addressing a contravention: issue a penalty

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Brexit Banner message removed and CITEX civil penalties guidance reviewed.

Options for addressing a contravention: direct to penalty

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Options for addressing a contravention: amendment or revoking an authorisation

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Options for addressing a contravention: provide education confirmed by written instruction

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Customs Civil Penalties Guidance: no action necessary

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Providing education: types of education available

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Providing education: examples of where to provide education

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Warning letter: introduction

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Warning letter: considering whether to issue a warning letter: what is a warning letter

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Warning letter: considering whether to issue a warning letter: Customs Penalty Action Checklist

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Warning letter: considering whether to issue a warning letter: checking whether we are within time limits for a warning letter

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Warning letter: considering whether to issue a warning letter: establishing who is to be warned

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Warning letter: considering whether to issue a warning letter: considering the category of contravention

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Warning letter: considering whether to issue a warning letter: considering any previous action taken

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Warning letter: considering whether to issue a warning notice: considering reasonable excuse

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Warning letter: considering whether to issue a warning letter: example of a decision to use a warning letter

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Warning letter: completing a warning letter

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Customs Civil Penalties Guidance: COVID-19 Guidance

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Warning letter: Record-keeping and reporting

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Penalty notice: introduction

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Penalty notice: considering whether to issue a penalty notice: what is a penalty notice

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Penalty notice: considering whether to issue a penalty notice: The Customs Penalty Action Checklist

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Penalty notice: considering whether to issue a penalty notice: checking whether we are within time limits for a penalty

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Brexit Banner message removed and guidance updated

Penalty notice: considering whether to issue a penalty notice: establishing who is to be penalised

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Brexit Banner message removed and guidance reviewed.

Penalty notice: considering whether to issue a penalty notice: considering any previous action taken

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Brexit Banner message removed and guidance reviewed

Penalty notice: considering whether to issue a penalty notice: considering reasonable excuse

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Penalty notice: considering whether to issue a penalty notice: considering overall whether a penalty is the best way of achieving compliance

Brexit Banner message removed and guidance reviewed and updated

Brexit Banner message removed and guidance reviewed and updated

Penalty notice: considering whether to issue a penalty notice: example of a decision to charge a penalty

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Brexit Banner message removed and guidance updated

Penalty notice: considering whether to issue a penalty notice: seeking advice from the PN301 Team

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Brexit Banner message removed and reference to CITEX CCP Network changed to PN301 Team

Penalty notice: deciding on the amount of a penalty: introduction

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Penalty notice: deciding the amount of a penalty: setting penalty amounts

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Brexit banner message removed and update to guidance

Penalty notice: deciding the amount of a penalty: considering mitigation

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Brexit Banner message removed. Local Compliance changed to WMBC. CRM changed to CCM.

Penalty notice: Debt management

Brexit Banner message removed. Reference to CITEX CCP Network changed to PN301 team.

Brexit Banner message removed. Reference to CITEX CCP Network changed to PN301 team.

Amending or revoking and authorisation: recommending the amendment or revoking of an authorisation

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Amending or revoking an authorisation: example

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Reviews and appeals: reviews and appeals against warning letter and penalty decisions

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Reviews and appeals: new information provided

Brexit Banner message removed and reference to CCP Network updated to PN301 Team

Brexit Banner message removed and reference to CCP Network updated to PN301 Team

2021

27 October 2021 published amendments

Reasonable excuse: reliance on a third party

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Reasonable excuse: shortage of funds

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Reasonable excuse: what is not a reasonable excuse

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Reasonable excuse: how will HMRC be satisfied that there is a reasonable excuse

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Reasonable excuse: what is reasonable excuse

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Reasonable excuse: introduction

Archiving reason text added

Archiving reason text added

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Reasonable excuse: contents

Links to pages CCPG11710 to CCPG11760 archived

Links to pages CCPG11710 to CCPG11760 archived

19 January 2021 published amendments

Customs law and HMRC compliance strategy: legal provisions that apply to Customs penalties

Removed plural from tables of contraventions paragraph, removed "EC and" from civil penalty provisions paragraph.

Removed Community Transit and Common Agriculture paragraphs, removed references to Channel islands being EU Customs territory.

Removed plural from tables of contraventions paragraph, removed "EC and" from civil penalty provisions paragraph.

Removed Community Transit and Common Agriculture paragraphs, removed references to Channel islands being EU Customs territory.

format change

format change

Customs Civil Penalties Guidance: further contraventions after the issue of a warning letter or penalty notice

Updated wording to include references to education letter and imposing penalties.
Replaced old paragraph with new one on making visits after letter of instruction.
Replaced "Further contravention" paragraph with newer version.

Updated wording to include references to education letter and imposing penalties.
Replaced old paragraph with new one on making visits after letter of instruction.
Replaced "Further contravention" paragraph with newer version.

2020

28 April 2020 published amendments

Reasonable excuse: what is reasonable excuse

Updated to make definition of reasonable excuse consistent with Compliance Handbook CH71500 which is the approved definition.

Updated to make definition of reasonable excuse consistent with Compliance Handbook CH71500 which is the approved definition.

2018

14 December 2018 published amendments

Classifying the category of contraventions: deficiencies in systems, records, security of premises etc

Update to guidance to reflect change to the process

Update to guidance to reflect change to the process

Options for addressing a contravention: direct to penalty

Long title corrected

Long title corrected

2017

7 August 2017 published amendments

Classifying the category of contraventions: failure to produce records or information

First 3 bullets updated per change control request.

First 3 bullets updated per change control request.

2016

6 October 2016 published amendments

Options for addressing a contravention: direct to penalty

update to the guidance to reflect change to the process

update to the guidance to reflect change to the process

Introduction: contents

Removal of example letters - they are now in SEES

Removal of example letters - they are now in SEES