When importing your goods into the UK, a customs broker will declare your shipment to customs on arrival at the UK border. Customs entries do not all process the same way, though, and your shipment will be allocated one of the customs clearance routes, depending on the commodity, number of imports you have brought in, or as part of a random check.
The following are the main customs clearance routes, listed from most common to least:
Customs clearance route “H”
Route “H” is the most common of the customs clearance routes because most declarations are pre-lodged before arrival.
Customs clearance route “6”
Customs clearance route “1”
Customs declarations are randomly selected to go route 1 for normal imports; however, your goods may be pulled for more regular documentation checks for the following reasons:
– Your commodity requires additional surveillance.
– You are a new importer, or are importing into a new area of the UK for the first time.
– You have previously been audited by HMRC and were issued guidance on changing your processes.
Of the customs clearance routes that require additional checks, route 1 is the most common.
Customs clearance route “3”
Failure to send your documents to the NCH could result in HMRC changing your customs clearance routes from 3 to 1 in the future, so it is important to forward documents accordingly.
Customs clearance route “0”
If a clearance goes route 0 and the supplementary declaration has been made, check the values for weight of pieces match across both entries.
Customs clearance route “2”
Are there any other customs clearance routes?
If you need customs services, or would like to know anything else about customs clearance routes, please get in touch with one of our experts.