Claim a repayment or remission of charges on rejected imports
Check the time limits and how to claim back import duty and VAT youâve paid on damaged or rejected imports.
You can claim on goods that youâve paid import duties on at the UK border. In some cases, you may be able to claim import VAT if youâve been charged it.
If you claim HMRC may repay or remit a customs debt. We can either:
- repay â refund an amount of import or export duty thatâs been paid
- remit â waive the payment of import or export duty that has not yet been paid
You can claim on goods which:
- do not meet the conditions of their contract
- are defective
- are damaged before customs clearance
Who can apply
You can make a claim if you are:
- an importer or their representative
- a customs agent
- a freight forwarder or express operator acting on behalf of the importer
- a private individual, importing goods for your own personal use
When to apply
The time limit for submitting a claim for repayment of import duty and VAT is:
- 3 years for overpayments
- 1 year for rejected imports
- 90 days for withdrawal of an import declaration
How to apply
You must apply using the appropriate method for your particular circumstances. You may need to claim for VAT and import duty separately.
You must claim:
- import VAT by making an adjustment in your VAT return, if youâre VAT registered
- in the Customs Declaration service â if you have an EORI number and this is where the declaration was made
You must claim using online form C&E1179:
- if you do not have an EORI number registered to you
- if youâre a private individual
- for import VAT if youâre not VAT registered and do not have an EORI
- for repayments or to correct declarations under the Customs Duty Waiver Scheme
Claim overpaid import VAT in your VAT Return if youâre VAT-registered
If youâre VAT registered, you cannot claim overpaid VAT using the C&E1179 form or the online services.
You must make an adjustment in your VAT Return by adjusting your input tax.
If you do not have an EORI number or used state aid
If youâre claiming for rejected imports, you should apply using the online C&E1179 form if:
- you do not have an EORI number registered to you
- your business used state aid for import duty
If you import âat riskâ goods into Northern Ireland
For âat riskâ goods follow guide Apply to claim a repayment or remission of import duty on âat riskâ goods brought into Northern Ireland.
If your business is not VAT registered
If you are eligible to reclaim import VAT but your business is not registered for VAT, you can use form C&E1179 to claim for both import duty and VAT.
If you paid VAT at the point of sale
If you were charged VAT at the point of sale, the seller or online marketplace you purchased the goods from should refund the VAT element.
What youâll need â Customs Declaration Service
For all claims
Youâll need:
- an EORI number
- the movement reference number (MRN)
- your contact and address details
- the bank details of the person receiving the repayment
For overpayment claims
- a commercial invoice that shows the value of imported goods
- the amount that should have been paid to HMRC
The following are optional:
- a packing list
- the transport documents â air waybill or bill of lading
For rejected imports claims
Youâll need any supporting documents, such as:
- a copy of the import invoice
- documentary proof of entitlement
- a calculation worksheet if youâre claiming a proportion of the charges paid
Find out how to upload documents to the Customs Declaration Service.
Apply online â Customs Declaration Service
Apply if you have an EORI number and this is where the declaration was made.
Make sure you have all your necessary documents and files ready to upload before you start.
Youâll need to either use:
-
the sign in details that you used to subscribe to the Customs Declaration Service â these sign in details will be linked to your EORI number
-
your email address to get a confirmation code that you can use to sign in
If you do not have sign in details, you can create them when you first try to sign in.
Online services may be slow during busy times. Check if there are any problems with this service.
What youâll need â C&E1179 form
For all claims youâll need:
- the movement reference number (MRN)
- an EORI number from the importer or agent â Who needs an EORIĚý˛ÔłÜłž˛úąđ°ů
- your contact and address details
- bank details for the person receiving the payment
- the amount of VAT paid to HMRC if youâre claiming a refund of VAT
You must include supporting documents with the form, such as:
- a copy of the import invoice confirming the value of the goods
- documentary proof of entitlement
- a calculation worksheet if youâre claiming a proportion of the charges paid
Apply online â C&E1179 form
You will be able to save your progress and print or save a copy of your answers.
To apply youâll need to either use:
- your sign in details (you can create these if you do not have them when you first try to sign in)
- your email address to get a confirmation code that you can use to sign in
After youâve applied
HMRC will aim to make a decision on your claim within 30 days. We may contact you to ask for more information if needed.
If your claim is approved we will send you details about when to expect the refund.
After youâve applied â Customs Declaration Service
To sign in to access your claims dashboard.
After youâve applied â C&E1179
If you applied using the C&E1179 online form, youâll get an email from HMRC confirming your submission reference.
Updates to this page
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The option to claim using Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) has been removed.
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We have clarified how to apply for your circumstances and what to do if you're VAT registered. A new online form has been added.
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A new online service for repayment or remission claims for declarations made in the Customs Declaration Service has been added.
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Form C&E1179CDS has been updated.
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A section on treatment of import VAT has been added to clarify that VAT-registered businesses are not eligible to use form C&E1179 or C&E1179CDS for recovering import VAT paid on rejected goods and instead must always use their VAT return.
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The 'Who can claim' and 'How to claim' sections of the guide have been updated.
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The time limits for submitting a claim have been updated.
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First published.