Check if you can use transit to move goods to the EU and common transit countries

Guide

Last updated 20 January 2023

Transit is a customs procedure that can help you move goods between:

  • the UK
  • the EU
  • other Common Transit Convention countries

You can move goods under transit by air, rail, road or sea.

How transit helps you move goods

Using transit can help you:

  • move your goods quickly
  • reduce the number of customs declarations you’ll need to complete

When moving goods under transit you can delay:

  • completing customs declarations on goods until they end their transit movement
  • paying customs duties and other charges on the goods until they end their transit movement

This is because:

  • customs declarations and duties are not required at each border crossing as the goods are under duty suspense
  • you can complete some customs processes away from the border at either:

Where you can move goods to

You can move goods to or through Common Transit Convention countries.

The UK is a member of the Common Transit Convention.

The other members are:

If your goods are going by road to, or through, a country which is not part of the Common Transit Convention

You may be able to use Transport Internationaux Routiers (TIR) to move your goods to countries which are part of the TIR convention. You can find out more about TIR on the European Commission website.

Using transit to move your goods

You can get someone to deal with customs movements for you.

If you want to handle your own transit movements

Find out how to set up your business to move goods out of the UK using transit.

Other ways you can move goods under duty suspense

You may be able to move goods under duty suspense:

Get help with transit

Contact HMRC to get help with imports and exports.

Printer-friendly version