You can post goods abroad if your business gets small orders from overseas. For bigger orders, most businesses use a courier or freight forwarder.
You need to complete certain tasks to move goods within the EU
Check if you need a licence or to follow special rules to export restricted goods from the UK.
Attach the proforma invoice (and licence, if you need one) to your consignment.
You must keep records of proforma invoices and any official paperwork for 6 years.
Register for VAT in the country you’re selling to if you’re distance selling and both:
If you move goods anywhere within the EU worth over £250,000 in the last calendar year, make an Intrastat declaration. You don’t need to do this if you’re not registered for VAT in the UK.
There are more tasks to complete to export outside the EU than within it. You may also need to pay import duty in the country you’re exporting to.
Check the import rules of the country you’re exporting to.
Check if you need a licence to export restricted goods outside the UK.
Find your goods’ commodity code - you’ll need this for your commercial invoice. The code affects any import duty that will be charged.
Register for an EORI number, if you don’t have one. It usually takes 3 working days. We need the number when you get it.
Get an EORI numberAttach the commercial invoice (and licence, if you need one) to your consignment.
We use your commercial invoice to make an official customs declaration. Your goods can be held up in customs if the information you give isn’t accurate.
You must:
If you’re VAT registered, you can zero-rate the VAT on most goods you export to non-EU countries.