All You Need to Know About Sending a Pallet Through Customs

Shipping internationally may seem like a long and drawn-out process, especially now the UK is no longer part of the European Union.

Thankfully, that doesn’t have to be the case at all. We’ve written some top tips to ensure your goods clear customs without a hitch.

What Is Customs?

Think of customs as border control for goods. 

Customs is there to control and monitor what can and can’t leave the country, and it’s essential that nothing harmful passes through them.

The process of goods passing through customs is called Customs Clearance, and this process can take a matter of minutes or a few hours depending on volumes.

However, if customs suspect there’s an issue with your goods, it could take longer. Then you could be talking days, or even weeks in special cases!

Therefore, it’s vital that you have the correct paperwork to avoid customs hold-ups.

How Do I Send a Pallet Through Customs?

Sending a pallet through customs may seem daunting, but with careful planning, your goods will be cleared in no time.

The first step in a successful clearance is ensuring your pallet is suitable. 

Customs won’t accept a damaged pallet, so it’s important to check your pallet thoroughly to ensure there are no cracks or weak areas that could cause collapse during transit.

It’s also worth checking that your goods are placed securely on your pallet, and that they’re strapped and/or wrapped tight enough, so they don’t tip over in transit. 

If you’re using our international collections service to ship to and from countries within the European Union, customs clearance may be a lot faster than import/export overseas, as all countries within the EU share the same customs rules and protocols.

What Is a Commercial Invoice?

A commercial invoice is a mandatory legal export document that is required for your goods to clear customs. An incorrect commercial invoice is one of the most common causes of delays, so it’s important to get it right first time. Here’s a list of some of the information that must be included in your commercial invoice: 

• Seller EORI - The Seller's EORI & VAT number, this is usually also the collection address. If you do not have a UK EORI, you can register here if VAT registered or here if not VAT registered.
• Buyer EORI - The Buyer's EORI & VAT number (if in the EU), this is usually also the delivery address. Please check if the EU EORI & VAT is valid. 
• Buyer Address - Buyer's full address and contact details. 
• Sellers Address - Seller's full address & contact details

The full list of information can be found in our commercial invoice checklist.

Still unsure? We’ve made an example commercial invoice for guidance. 

Alternatively, you can find more information on our help page.

Shipping to the Republic of Ireland

If you're sending your goods on a pallet with PalletOnline to the Republic of Ireland, it's as simple as entering the county in the pallet location box provided.

Delivering and collecting pallets to Ireland has never been easier thanks to our streamlined quick pallet quote process.

For instance, if you'd like to book a pallet collection in County Antrim, just type in 'County Antrim' and select the pallet location for delivery.

To make things even faster, make sure to choose 'Ireland' in the country box.

No need to worry about specifying 'County' when booking a pallet collection in places like County Antrim; our system will understand exactly where you mean.

Shipping to Northern Ireland

If you're sending your goods on a pallet with PalletOnline to the Republic of Ireland, it's as simple as entering the county in the pallet location box provided.

Delivering and collecting pallets to Ireland has never been easier thanks to our streamlined quick pallet quote process.

For instance, if you'd like to book a pallet collection in County Antrim, just type in 'County Antrim' and select the pallet location for delivery.

To make things even faster, make sure to choose 'Ireland' in the country box.

No need to worry about specifying 'County' when booking a pallet collection in places like County Antrim; our system will understand exactly where you mean.

Do I Need a Commercial Invoice to Ship to Northern Ireland?

No, you don’t need an invoice to ship pallets to Northern Ireland if the items are staying in Northern Ireland for use in Northern Ireland. 

If you’re shipping the goods to a private individual, you just need to make sure that you select the residential option when booking. 

If you’re shipping to a business in Northern Ireland, we will need the importer’s EORI Number, and they must be TSS registered.

What Is Duty and Do I Need to Pay It?

Duty tax, also known as tariffs, is a tax placed on goods purchased from abroad.

Now that the UK has left the EU, there is a hard border between the two trading entities. Therefore, duty is payable on goods entering the EU from Great Britain (Scotland, England & Wales). 

It’s important to note that no duty is applicable if the goods are of UK or EU origin. Remember to include the statement of Origin on your commercial invoice to benefit from this rule.

For example, Chinese goods would be liable to duty if they were to cross the UK border, whereas goods of German origin would not.

I’ve Sent Parcels with Another Courier Post Brexit and It Wasn’t This Hard. Why Do I Need to Do All of This?

Now that the UK is no longer part of the EU, cross-border trade has become more complex as additional documentation is required for importing and exporting goods.

Essentially, since Brexit, the process of sending goods across the channel into Europe has become just like sending pallets anywhere else in the world.

Our International Service is not a courier service; therefore, we need to follow the full customs rules of each country or trading bloc involved.

That includes being EORI Registered and providing a complete and accurate commercial Invoice.

We hope this blog has given you a better insight into the world of international shipping.

Here at PalletOnline, we have a dedicated European expert on hand to answer any queries you may have. Got a question? Ask away!

Ready to book your first international shipment? Get your free and no-obligation quote now, and we’ll guide you through every step of the way.