Check the amount of guarantee you need for transit movements

Guide

Last updated 23 January 2023

Why you need a guarantee

If you move goods using transit then duties are suspended until they reach their destination. You are responsible for the duties being suspended until the transit movement is correctly closed.

An HMRC approved guarantee is needed for transit movements to cover any potential debts that may arise from:

  • customs import duties
  • import VAT
  • excise duties

The guarantee provides security for any duties you may become liable for if your movements are not discharged properly. This debt is not chargeable if movements are closed properly at their destination.

Check if you need a Customs Comprehensive Guarantee

A Customs Comprehensive Guarantee (CCG) is a guarantee you can use to cover multiple transit movements.

You must have a CCG for transit in place if you:

If you have a CCG in place for transit, you can use the same guarantee to cover as many movements as you like. Your guarantee amount must be large enough to cover the total amount of all potential duties on all movements in transit at any one time.

For further information on when you’ll need a CCG, read check if you need a customs guarantee.

Choosing the right amount of guarantee cover

If you have not used transit before, you can use previous trading figures as a guide.

To work out how much guarantee you need, you need to know:

  1. The number of open movements that you’ll have in transit at any one time.

  2. The total amount of potential duties (the ‘potential debt’) that you’re suspending for all goods, across all your open movements.

You should also consider whether:

  • you are likely to expand or reduce your trading activities in the future
  • your transit movements are likely to occur at peak periods when they may take longer to discharge

Your total figure is known as your guarantee reference amount.

When you open a transit movement, part of your guarantee is allocated to it until the movement closes. You cannot open a new movement if you do not have enough guarantee left to cover it.

If you need a higher or lower guarantee reference amount at a later date, you can contact HMRC and ask to change it.

Working out how much duty is suspended

To calculate your potential debt, you should use the highest rate of UK customs duty, VAT, excise duty and any other taxes or duties that could be applied to each type of goods.

This is the rate of duty that would be charged in the UK if the goods were imported from a country without any preferential rate agreements. These rates are known as ‘third country import rates’.

You can use the commodity code guidance to help:

  • classify your goods
  • find the highest potential rate of duties to be suspended on each type of goods

If you cannot work out the potential debt for a transit movement

You can assume the amount of duties suspended to be the sterling equivalent of 10,000 EUR. You can only do this in cases where it’s not possible to determine an accurate figure.

If the sterling equivalent of 10,000 EUR does not give a reasonable calculation of the duties suspended, you can agree to use a suitable alternative calculation with HMRC.

If your movements are only going through countries with preferential rates

You can use preferential rates of duty that would apply to your goods on import if your goods are only able to cross, be diverted to, or end their movement in specific countries. For example this could apply if:

  • you put goods into transit and transport them using a haulier who is only licenced to operate across a limited number of countries
  • your goods are moving by rail on a route without the ability to be diverted, such as between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland

It’s not appropriate to use alternative import duty rates, just because the declared route is not planned to cross or enter other territories. If it’s possible for your transit movement to be diverted to other Common Transit Convention countries, then you must use UK third country import rates.

If you’re moving goods under transit between Great Britain and Northern Ireland

You must apply the same rules to calculate the potential duties as you would for movements between any other Common Transit Convention countries.

However, if you’re moving goods which cannot reasonably be moved outside of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and the island of Ireland due to logistical or regulatory restrictions, then you may use the highest rates of import duties that would apply to the goods on arrival in either the:

  • UK
  • Republic of Ireland

For example, if the goods are being moved by a haulier who is only licenced to transport goods within the Common Travel Area.

If you’re moving goods under transit between Northern Ireland and mainland EU

You must apply the same rules to calculate the potential duties as you would for movements between any other Common Transit Convention countries.

However, if you’re moving goods which cannot reasonably be moved to a country which is not the UK or an EU member state due to logistical or regulatory restrictions, then you may use the highest rates of import duties that would apply to the goods on arrival in either the:

  • UK
  • EU

For example, if the goods are being moved by a haulier who is only licenced to transport goods within Northern Ireland and the EU.

What to do next

Follow guidance on how to apply for a Customs Comprehensive Guarantee.

HMRC will issue your authorisation and guarantee certificate after we receive any required guarantee.

We’ll also issue you with a:

  • New Computerised Transit System (NCTS) access code
  • Guarantee Reference Number (GRN)

You must use both the access code and GRN to make a transit declaration in NCTS.

Help and support

If you already have a guarantee in place for transit movements and want to change your reference amount, you can contact the Customs Comprehensive Guarantee team by:

You can also find more information on transit guarantees in the Transit Manual Supplement.

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