EORI Number Registration: Who Needs One and How to Apply

An EORI number is the customs identity of your business. Without a valid one, the declaration cannot be lodged, the goods are not released, and the container sits at the terminal accruing demurrage. It is a five-minute administrative task that stops a shipment cold when it is missed - so it belongs on the checklist before the first purchase order, not after the vessel sails.

What EORI actually is

EORI stands for Economic Operators Registration and Identification. It is issued once per legal entity by a single customs authority and then recognised across the whole customs territory that issued it. The EU version is defined in Article 9 of the Union Customs Code; the UK operates its own parallel GB and XI series after Brexit.

• EU format - country code + national identifier, e.g. DE1234567890123, FR12345678900012
• UK format - GB + 9-digit VAT number + 000, e.g. GB123456789000
• Northern Ireland - an XI EORI, issued only to holders of a GB EORI

Who needs one

You need an EORI if your business does any of the following in the EU or UK:

1. Lodges an import or export declaration, in its own name or through a broker
2. Acts as importer of record or as declarant
3. Files an entry summary (ENS) or exit summary declaration
4. Applies for a customs authorisation - customs warehousing, inward processing, AEO
5. Uses a duty deferment account or postponed import VAT accounting

Non-EU sellers using DDP terms need one too, because on DDP the seller is the importer of record. If you are quoting DDP without an EORI in the destination territory, read DAP vs DDP before you commit - this is the single most common reason a DDP quote turns into a stuck shipment.

How to register: UK

1. Sign in to the HMRC EORI service with your Government Gateway ID.
2. Have ready: UTR, VAT number (if registered), National Insurance number for sole traders, business start date and SIC code.
3. Choose GB EORI; add XI EORI separately if you move goods to or from Northern Ireland.
4. Expect the number instantly or within five working days. Note that a GB EORI can take up to 48 hours to become active in the customs declaration system even after it is issued.

How to register: EU

There is no single EU-wide application. You apply to the customs authority of the member state where your business is established; a non-EU business applies in the member state where it first lodges a declaration, and that number is then valid EU-wide.

• Germany - Zoll online portal, typically 1 to 5 working days
• France - Douane / SOPRANO portal, typically 1 to 3 working days
• Netherlands - Belastingdienst Douane, often same day for VAT-registered entities
• Italy / Spain - Agenzia delle Dogane / AEAT, allow up to 10 working days

Documents requested are consistent across member states: certificate of incorporation or business register extract, VAT registration certificate, proof of address, and identity documents for the legal representative.

Common rejections and how to avoid them

1. Not activated yet - the number exists but the declaration system has not picked it up. Wait 24 to 48 hours before the first declaration.
2. Name or address mismatch - the EORI record must match the VAT record character for character. Update both together after a move or a rename.
3. Wrong territory - a GB EORI cannot clear a Northern Ireland movement; an XI EORI is required.
4. Group entity confusion - EORI is per legal entity, not per group. A subsidiary lodging in its own name needs its own number.

Validate before the goods move: the EU maintains a public EORI validation service, and HMRC provides an equivalent checker for GB and XI numbers.

After the EORI: what actually drives your cost

The EORI gets you through the gate; the classification and valuation decide the bill. Confirm your commodity code with the HS Code Lookup, model the duty with the Import Duty Calculator, and build the full picture with the Landed Cost Calculator. For the line-by-line arithmetic behind that number, see the landed cost formula.