What Is an EORI Number?

An EORI (Economic Operators Registration and Identification) number is a unique ID used by UK customs authorities to track and process your import and export declarations. It is issued free by HMRC and takes the form GB followed by 12 digits, for example GB123456789000.

Every commercial import or export declaration submitted to HMRC's Customs Declaration Service (CDS) must carry a valid EORI number identifying the trader responsible for the goods. Without one, the declaration is rejected and the shipment cannot clear customs.

Do I Need an EORI Number to Import into the UK?

Yes. A GB EORI number is mandatory for every commercial import into the United Kingdom, regardless of the goods' origin country or value. This applies whether you are importing a single pallet or running a container a week.

Without a valid EORI on the declaration, your goods cannot be cleared and will accrue storage and demurrage charges at the port or airport while you apply — one of the most common and entirely avoidable causes of delayed cargo.

Do I Need One as a Sole Trader, or for Personal Use?

Sole traders importing or exporting commercially need a GB EORI number in exactly the same way as a limited company. The EORI is linked to you as the legal trader — your National Insurance number and Unique Taxpayer Reference, not a company registration number — so trading as a sole trader is not a reason to skip registration.

If you are a private individual bringing in a genuine one-off personal item rather than trading commercially, you usually do not need an EORI number. In practice, couriers and postal operators often still ask for a GB EORI if the shipment is processed through the commercial customs system rather than the simplified parcel post route, so it is worth checking with your carrier before assuming you are exempt.

We Handle EORI Registration As Part of Onboarding

When you set up a customs clearance account with Gxpresss, checking and registering your EORI number is part of the process — one less thing to get wrong before your first shipment.

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How Do I Get an EORI Number?

Registration is free and done directly through gov.uk:

  1. Check you need one — confirm you are importing or exporting commercially, or plan to within the next few days. HMRC asks for a start date on the application.
  2. Sign in with Government Gateway — go to the EORI application page on gov.uk and sign in, or create a Government Gateway account if you don't already have one.
  3. Provide your business details — your National Insurance number (sole traders) or company registration number and Unique Taxpayer Reference, your VAT number if registered, and the date you started or plan to start importing.
  4. Submit the application — there is no fee. Most applications are approved within a few hours.
  5. Give your EORI to your customs agent — pass the number to your freight forwarder or broker so it can be included on every declaration.

How Long Does It Take to Get an EORI Number?

Many applications are approved within a few hours. HMRC's published maximum is 5 working days if further checks are needed, for example if the details you provide don't immediately match HMRC's records.

Apply well before your first shipment is due to arrive rather than after booking the freight — a missing EORI cannot be resolved once a container is already dockside.

How Much Does an EORI Number Cost?

Nothing. An EORI number is completely free to register through gov.uk. Be cautious of any third party offering to obtain one for you for a fee — the government application itself never carries a charge.

How Do I Check or Find My EORI Number?

If you already registered, your EORI number is in the confirmation email HMRC sent at the time, and it also appears in your Government Gateway account under your business tax details.

To check whether a specific GB EORI number is valid — your own, or one a supplier has given you — use HMRC's free EORI number checker service on gov.uk. This only validates GB numbers; the EU's own EORI database cannot confirm a post-Brexit UK number, which is a common source of confusion when checking a number by company name across borders.

Why Is My EORI Number Not Valid?

The most common causes, in order of likelihood:

  • Just issued — a newly registered EORI can take a few hours to propagate through HMRC's systems. Wait and recheck before assuming an error.
  • Typo or missing digits — a UK EORI is 14 characters exactly (see below); double-check against your confirmation email.
  • Old EU EORI number — a pre-Brexit EU-issued EORI is not valid for UK declarations. You need a separate GB number even if you held one before 2021.
  • Never actually registered — confirm the application was submitted and completed, not just started.

Do I Need an XI EORI Number for Northern Ireland?

You need a separate XI EORI number if you move goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, or between Northern Ireland and non-EU countries, under the Windsor Framework. It is distinct from your GB EORI and used specifically for Northern Ireland customs processes.

You must already hold a GB EORI number before HMRC will issue you an XI one — the XI registration is an addition, not a replacement, and is applied for separately through gov.uk.

How Many Digits Is an EORI Number?

A UK EORI number is 14 characters in total: the two-letter country prefix (GB or XI) followed by 12 digits, for example GB123456789000. The final three digits are usually 000 for most traders, representing the main trading location.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. The EORI number identifies the legal trader responsible for the customs declaration — it must be your own, or your business's own, not a supplier's, customer's, or freight forwarder's number. Using the wrong EORI can invalidate the declaration.

No, a GB EORI number does not expire once issued. HMRC may deactivate one if a business stops trading or is deregistered, but there is no routine renewal requirement.

Yes. The same GB EORI number covers both import and export declarations — you do not need a separate one for each direction of trade.

No, they are different identifiers issued for different purposes, though your VAT number is one of the details HMRC asks for when you apply for an EORI number. You can hold an EORI number without being VAT-registered, and vice versa.

Yes. EORI registration does not require VAT registration. Non-VAT-registered sole traders and businesses apply using their National Insurance number or Unique Taxpayer Reference instead of a VAT number — VAT registration is only asked for if you already have it, not required to get an EORI number.

If you are VAT-registered, add your VAT number when you apply for your EORI number and HMRC links the two automatically. If you already have an EORI number without a VAT number linked — for example because you registered for VAT afterwards — you can update your EORI record with your VAT number through your Government Gateway account on gov.uk.

Your customs declaration is rejected and your goods cannot be cleared. The shipment sits at the port or airport accruing storage and demurrage charges until a valid EORI number is added to the declaration, so this is one of the most expensive and entirely avoidable delays in UK importing.