An EORI number UK is a customs ID (format GB + 12 digits) that HMRC and UK Border Force use to track goods moving in and out of the country. If you import or export physical products to or from the UK, you need one. Without it, your shipments get held at customs. Applying is free, takes under 10 minutes on GOV.UK, and most applicants get their number immediately.
This guide covers what the number is, exactly who needs it, the step-by-step application, and the parts that trip up non-resident founders running a UK limited company.
What is a UK EORI number?
EORI stands for Economic Operators Registration and Identification. It’s a unique number assigned to businesses and individuals who move goods across UK borders for trade.
The point is simple. HMRC and UK Border Force use your EORI to identify who’s responsible for a shipment, calculate any duty owed, and clear goods through customs. It ties a physical consignment to a real entity.
A UK EORI starts with the letters GB followed by 12 digits. If you’re already VAT-registered, HMRC usually builds your EORI from your VAT number with a 000 suffix. If you’re not VAT-registered, you get a standalone number instead.
Here’s the part people underestimate: no EORI means no clearance. Goods arriving in the UK without a valid EORI on the declaration can sit in a customs holding bay, rack up storage fees, and in some cases get returned or seized. For an e-commerce business running tight margins, that’s a problem you want to avoid before the first container lands.
Do you need a UK EORI number?
Short answer: if physical goods cross the UK border for your business, yes.
You need a UK EORI if you:
- Import stock into the UK from suppliers abroad (China, the EU, the US, anywhere non-UK)
- Export physical products from the UK to overseas customers
- Send inventory to a UK fulfilment centre from outside the UK (Amazon FBA sellers, this is you)
- Act as the importer of record for goods entering Great Britain
You usually do NOT need one if you:
- Sell purely digital products or services (software, courses, consulting, downloads)
- Only trade goods entirely within the UK with no border crossing
Special cases worth checking
Non-resident founders shipping to UK customers from abroad. If your company is the importer of record bringing goods into the UK, you need a GB EORI, even though you live overseas.
Amazon FBA sellers. Sending stock to a UK Amazon warehouse counts as importing. You need a UK EORI to clear that stock. If you’re planning this route, our guide on setting up Amazon FBA as a non-UK seller walks through the full setup.
Dropshippers. It depends entirely on where your stock sits. If your supplier is UK-based and ships to UK customers with no border crossing, you likely don’t need one. If stock ships from overseas into the UK and you’re the importer, you do.
What does a UK EORI number look like?
A valid UK EORI follows a fixed pattern.
| Type | Format | Example | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB EORI | GB + 12 digits | GB123456789000 | Great Britain imports/exports |
| XI EORI | XI + 12 digits | XI123456789000 | Northern Ireland to EU movements (post-Brexit) |
Most non-resident founders selling into the UK only need the GB number. The XI prefix matters if you move goods between Northern Ireland and the EU under the Windsor Framework arrangements.
One common mix-up: an EORI is not a VAT number, even though they can look related. If you’re VAT-registered, HMRC typically links the two, so your GB EORI reflects your VAT number plus a suffix. If you’re below the VAT threshold and not registered, you still get a separate standalone EORI. More on that split below.
How to apply for a UK EORI number (step-by-step)
Applying is free and fast. You do it directly on GOV.UK, not through a paid middleman.
Step 1: Gather your details
Have these ready before you start:
- Your company registration number (CRN) from Companies House
- Your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) if you have one
- Your VAT number and registration date if VAT-registered
- Your UK registered company address
- The date your business started trading
Step 2: Go to the GOV.UK EORI application
Head to the official page at gov.uk/eori. The form is short. You’ll sign in with a Government Gateway account (you can create one in minutes if you don’t have one).
Step 3: Submit the application
The whole thing takes under 10 minutes. Most applicants get their EORI number on screen immediately. More complex cases (new entities, additional checks) can take up to 5 working days, with the number sent by email.
Non-resident founders: applying from abroad
You can apply for a UK EORI even if you live outside the UK, as long as you have a UK limited company. The CRN is the key identifier HMRC uses to match your application.
You don’t need a UK home address, but your company must have a valid UK registered office address. If you don’t have one yet, a UK registered address with mail forwarding covers it and keeps your HMRC and Companies House correspondence in one place. It’s also bundled into our formation packages.
If you haven’t formed your company yet, start there first. Our walkthrough on how to register a UK company as a non-resident covers the full process, and the quickest route is a package like LaunchPad, which sets up the company and a UK address so you’ve got the CRN ready for your EORI application.
How to find your existing EORI number
Lost track of a number you already have? Try these, in order:
- Check your original confirmation. HMRC emails or posts the EORI when it’s issued. Search your inbox for “EORI”.
- Look at past customs declarations. Any import or export paperwork your freight forwarder or customs agent filed will carry it.
- Use the HMRC EORI checker. If you know your number but want to confirm it’s active, the checker (below) validates it.
If you’re VAT-registered and genuinely can’t find it, your EORI is almost certainly GB + your VAT number + 000. Worth testing in the checker before you reapply.
How to check if an EORI number is valid
Validating a number matters when you’re vetting a supplier, confirming your own registration, or making sure your freight agent has the right details.
- UK numbers: use the official HMRC tool at gov.uk/check-eori-number. Paste in the GB number and it tells you whether it’s registered.
- EU numbers: the European Commission runs a separate checker at ec.europa.eu for validating EU EORI numbers.
A GB number won’t validate on the EU system and vice versa. They’re separate registrations under separate authorities, which is a point we’ll come back to for EU shipments.
EORI number vs VAT number: what’s the difference?
These get confused constantly, so here’s the clean split.
| VAT number | EORI number | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Collecting and reporting tax on sales | Identifying you for customs and trade |
| Issued by | HMRC (VAT registration) | HMRC (EORI registration) |
| Required when | You hit the VAT threshold or register voluntarily | You move goods across the UK border |
| Format | GB + 9 digits | GB + 12 digits |
If you’re VAT-registered, your GB EORI is usually your VAT number with GB in front and 000 on the end. But you don’t need to be VAT-registered to hold an EORI. Plenty of early-stage sellers under the VAT threshold have an EORI and no VAT number. The two are independent.
When your sales do cross the VAT threshold, or you want to reclaim import VAT, that’s the moment to register. Our VAT registration service handles that side, and if you want the whole compliance stack managed, accounting and bookkeeping keeps your filings on track.
EORI numbers for non-resident founders: what you need to know
This is where most guides go vague. Here’s the practical version for founders based outside the UK.
Yes, you can get a UK EORI as a non-resident. The requirement isn’t that you live in the UK. It’s that you have a UK-established business. A UK limited company satisfies that.
Your CRN does the heavy lifting. Your company registration number is the identifier HMRC matches your EORI application against. Get the company formed first, then apply for the EORI with the CRN in hand.
You need a UK registered address. Not a residence, a registered office. This is part of standard UK company formation, and every Launchese formation package includes one. Compare the options on our plans page if you want to see what’s bundled where.
The typical order of operations for a non-resident importer
- Form a UK Ltd (gets you the CRN and registered address). A package like Digital Pro Suite adds enhanced address and support if you want more hand-holding.
- Pick the right SIC code for your UK Ltd so your activity is described correctly.
- Apply for your EORI on GOV.UK using the CRN.
- Register for VAT if and when you need to reclaim import VAT or hit the threshold.
- Stay on top of filings. Our UK compliance checklist for founders lists the deadlines that matter.
Get this sequence right and your first shipment clears without drama. Skip the EORI and your goods wait at the border while fees build.
What happens if you import without an EORI?
It’s not a small inconvenience. Here’s the realistic chain of events when goods arrive and no valid EORI is on the declaration:
- Customs can’t clear the consignment, so it’s held
- Storage and demurrage charges start accruing daily
- Your customer waits, and your delivery promise breaks
- In extended cases, goods can be returned to origin or seized
The fix (apply for the EORI) is free and fast. The cost of not having one is paid in delays, fees, and refunds. For a business importing stock regularly, there’s no reason to run that risk when sorting it takes under 10 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a UK EORI number free?
Yes. Applying through GOV.UK at gov.uk/eori costs nothing. You don’t need to pay a third party, though some formation providers include EORI support as part of a wider setup.
How long does an EORI take to get?
Most applicants receive the number immediately on screen. More complex cases needing extra checks can take up to 5 working days, with the number sent by email.
Does my EORI number expire?
No. A UK EORI doesn’t expire. It stays valid unless your business closes or you voluntarily deregister it.
Can I use my UK EORI in the EU?
No. A GB EORI only works for UK customs. If you also move goods into the EU, you need a separate EU EORI, which you can validate on the European Commission checker.
Do I need an EORI for dropshipping?
It depends on where stock is held and shipped from. If your supplier is UK-based and ships within the UK, you usually don’t need one. If stock ships from overseas into the UK and you’re the importer of record, you do.
What happens if I import without an EORI?
Your goods can be held at customs, hit with storage fees, and in some cases returned or seized. Applying for an EORI first avoids all of it.
