https://www.gov.uk/guidance/import-controls

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List of Controlled & Restricted Goods (excluded from staged approach on import custom requirements)

From 1 January, traders must submit a full customs declaration (or use Simpli�ed Customs Declaration procedures if they are authorised to do so); they must use the customs process currently applicable at the location that they are using to move their goods, and ensure that any speci�c licencing requirements are ful�lled.

This list is separate to the full list of import controls. Further information on this can be found at:

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Controlled & Restricted Goods

Notes

Goods covered by InternationalConventions / Commitments

e.g. Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES); Hydro�uorocarbonsand Ozone-Depleting Substances; Rough Diamonds (Kimberley Process); ATA Carnets.

Goods subject to Sanitary and Phytosanitary controls

e.g. animal products (products of animal origin and animal by-products); �shery products and live bivalve molluscs; High-Risk Food and Feed Notof Animal Origin (HRFNAO); live animals and germinal products; live aquatic animals for aquaculture and ornamental purposes; equines; plants and plantproducts.

Other Goods including Strategic Exports

e.g. Bottled Water; Drug Precursor Chemicals; Explosives Precursors; Firearms; Market Surveillance; Veterinary Medicines containing controlled drugs; Waste; Medicines containing controlled drugs; Medical radioisotopes; Clinical TrialSupplies; Controlled Drugs; Substances of Human Origin; Strategic Export Controls.

Type of good

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/controlled-drugs-list--2/list-of-most-commonly-encountered-drugs-currently-controlled-under-the-misuse-of-drugs-legislation

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/trading-in-drug-precursors-from-1-january-2021

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/drugs-licensing

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/drugs-licensing

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Controlled & Restricted Goods

Notes

Excise goods • Alcohol (Wine and Made-wine, Beer, Cider and Perry, Spirits), Low alcohol beverages, Denatured alcohol, Imported composite goods containing alcohol (for example, liquor chocolates)

• Tobacco products (for example, Cigarettes, Cigars, Hand-rolling tobacco, Chewing tobacco, Other smoking tobacco, Unmanufactured Tobacco and Tobacco refuse, tobacco for heating), Tobacco product manufacturing machines

• Hydrocarbon oil

• Goods subject to Climate Change Levy

• Biofuels and fuel substitutes

• Road fuel gases

Controlled drugs Controlled drugs speci�ed in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, as amended, and the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, as amended, including cocaine, diamorphine (heroin), morphine, opium, cannabis, amphetamine, lysergide (LSD), barbiturates and many others. These are banned from import, unless exempted by either:

• regulations made under Section 7 of the Act

• a licence issued by the

The list of controlled drugs and their classi�cation under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 can be found It is the responsibility of the importer (not the shipping agent) to ensure that appropriate licence cover is obtained and properly declared and produced at import. For further information, please visit the

Drug Precursor Chemicals Current rules for trading in these chemicals with countries outside the EU will apply to trade with the EU.

Traders who wish to import categories 1, 2a, 2b, 3 and 4 drug precursor chemicals must be licensed by, or registered with the Home O�ce as appropriate. From 1 January 2021, traders will need to apply for an import or export licence when trading with EU countries in certain categories of drug precursor chemicals.

For further information visit the

Toxic Chemicals Chemicals under Schedule 1 of the Chemical Weapons Convention’s (CWC) can only be imported into the UK from a State Party to a CWC Schedule 1 licence holder, and under an import licence issued by the CWC UK National Authority in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

Type of good

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Controlled & Restricted Goods

Type of good Notes

Endangered species (CITES-listed endangered animals and plants or their products)

The UK will continue to comply with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

To import CITES-listed specimens of endangered animal or plant species, checks of CITES permits will be required at the border.

At the end of the transition period, CITES specimens will only be able to enter the UK via speci�c designated points of entry. The UK will continue to comply with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

From 1 January 2021, checks of CITES permits will be required at the border to import CITES-listed specimens of endangered animal or plant species.

Fishery products Catch certi�cates (and processing statements & storage of documents if applicable) will need to be submitted in advance of importing �sh into the UK. For imports, a catch certi�cate will be needed for each:

• consignment• direct landing of �sh or �shery products

The importer will have to submit the certi�cate to the relevant Port Health Authority or �sheries authority. The certi�cate will need to be submitted at least 2 hours prior to arrival via road (inc. ferries) and 4 hours prior to arrival via airfreight, rail and for direct landings from a �shing vessel. (72 hours’ prior notice still applies for 3rd country �shery product imports via container vessels.)

This deadline could be adapted to take account of the type of �shery or distance from �shing ground to port. The relevant authority shall, on the basis of risk management, check the catch certi�cate and verify the information provided (including physical inspections). For direct landings of third country vessels (landing and transhipment), at least 5% should be inspected. Catch certi�cates will need to be submitted in advance of importing �sh into the UK.

The exporter will have to submit the certi�cate to the Port Health Authorities or relevant �sheries authority. The certi�cate will need to be checked at least 3 working days before the estimated arrival time into the UK. This deadline could be adapted to take account of the type of �shery or distance from �shing ground to port. Catch Certi�cates will be risk assessed by Port Health Authorities who may verify/inspect the consignment if necessary.

Further details are available from the Department for Environment and Rural A�airs (Defra).

Marketing standards - fertilisers

Ammonium nitrate: from 1 January 2021, there will be changes to the rules for the import of ammonium nitrate materials from EU and non-EU countries into GB.

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Controlled & Restricted Goods

Type of good Notes

Marketing standards - fertilisers continued

This will a�ect solid ammonium nitrate fertilisers when the following applies:

• a nitrogen content of more than 28% of its weight• in a consignment weighing 500 kilograms or more

A detonation resistance certi�cate is required for each batch of ammonium nitrate that is being imported.

Each certi�cate should relate to a sample from each production run batch. A ‘batch’ means the quantity of material manufactured in a production run without alteration of composition or characteristics, with a maximum batch run of 92 days.

Further:

• each batch, or part batch, must arrive in GB no more than 60 days after the detonation resistance certi�cate is issued

• email fertilisers@defra.gov.uk at least 5 days before the shipment arrives in GB

Records must be kept of any batch or part batch and their detonation resistance certi�cates for at least 2 years after the date of import.

For imports from the EU, there will be a 2-year transitional period to introduce these changes (from 1 January 2021). For imports from non-EU countries (third countries), the 2-year transitional period will not apply.

For critical safety checks, a detonation resistance certi�cate must be sent not later than 5 days before the anticipated date of arrival of the material into GB. This is required by 2003 Ammonium Nitrate Materials (High Nitrogen Content) Regulations.

Anti-personnel mines Imports of anti-personnel mines and any component of an anti-personnel mine are banned, except for the exclusive purpose of development and/or training in the techniques of mine detection, mine clearance or mine destruction. Import licences are issued by the Import Licensing Branch of the Department for International Trade. For advice, contact enquiries.ilb@trade.gov.uk.

Explosives With certain limited exemptions an authorisation is required for the acquisition, keeping, transfer, storage and/ or manufacture of explosives. Authorisations to acquire explosives are granted by the Police, while licences to store and/or manufacture explosives are granted by the Police, Local Authority or HSE, depending on the type and quantity of explosives. Both may be required before explosives can be lawfully kept in the UK.

Those who wish to import explosives into the UK should ensure that the explosives have been assigned a hazard classi�cation by a signatory to the European Agreement Concerning for International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) and hold a Competent Authority Document (CAD)

https://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/index.htm

https://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/index.htm

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Controlled & Restricted Goods

Type of good Notes

Explosives continued which speci�es the hazard classi�cation and any conditions in relation to the transport of the explosives.

With certain exemptions, importers should also apply for an Intracommunity Transfer Document (ICT) which authorises the transfer of the explosives into the UK. A Recipient Competent Authority (RCA) document is required for the domestic transfer of explosives.

Manufacturers or importers are required to mark most civil explosives with a unique identi�cation code. Where it is required the unique identi�cation code must be marked on (or in certain cases attached to) each individual item. Di�erent marking requirements apply depending on the size of the explosive.

Economic operators must ensure that explosives are not placed on the market unless they conform to certain requirements, including meeting the essential safety requirements and conformity attestation against the relevant tests. Further information is available on the

For further advice please contact explosives.policy@hse.gsi.gov.uk.

Firearms The commercial import of all �rearms, including some military goods such as cannons, torpedoes and missiles, but with the exception of some air ri�es/ pistols, need an import licence.

Import licences are issued by the Import Licensing Branch of the Department for International Trade. For advice contact enquiries.ilb@trade.gov.uk.

Private individuals should present to customs their �rearms certi�cate, giving them authority to hold the imported �rearm.

Pyrotechnic Articles, including Fireworks

With certain limited exemptions, an authorisation is required for the acquisition, keeping, transfer, storage and/ or manufacture of pyrotechnic articles, including �reworks. Licences to store and/ or manufacture pyrotechnic articles, including �reworks are granted by the Police, Local Authority or HSE, depending on the type and quantity of pyrotechnic articles.

Those who wish to import pyrotechnic articles into the UK should ensure that the pyrotechnic articles have been assigned a hazard classi�cation by a signatory to the European Agreement Concerning for International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) and hold a Competent Authority Document (CAD) which speci�es the hazard classi�cation and any conditions relation to the transport of the explosives.

Economic operators must ensure that pyrotechnic articles are not placed on the market unless they conform to certain requirements, including meeting the essential safety requirements and conformity attestation against the relevant tests.

Further information is available on the

http://www.onr.org.uk/cnss/licensing.htmhttps://www.gov.uk/guidance/importing-relevant-nuclear-materials-from-the-eu-from-1-january-2021-licensing-requirements

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Controlled & Restricted Goods

Type of good Notes

Military goods Items speci�cally designed or modi�ed for military use, for example percussion caps, detonators, signalling �ares, armoured vehicles, telescopic sights or other optical devices, collectors’ pieces or antiques.

Further information is available on https://www.gov.uk/trade-tari�

Nuclear materials Materials include medical radioisotopes.

Under licence only.

• Uranium ore concentrates, plutonium, uranium 233, uranium enriched in isotopes 233 or 235, natural uranium and mixtures, compounds and alloys containing any of the foregoing, including spent or irradiated nuclear reactor fuel elements (cartridges).

These can only be imported into the UK issued by the

See chapters 26 12, 28 44 and 84 82 of the UK Integrated Trade Tari�.

O�ensive weapons O�ensive weapons which are designed to kill or in�ict serious injury and do not have a legitimate use, are banned or restricted from being imported into the UK. It is an o�ence to import certain speci�ed weapons including knives, swords and other blades into the UK.

Some organisations are allowed to import and hold restricted o�ensive weapons for speci�ed purposes; this includes museums, galleries, universities and HM forces.

Restricted o�ensive weapons may also be imported by individuals under speci�c circumstances, for example for exclusive use in theatrical performances, �lm productions, religious ceremonies or martial arts.

For further information including a list of o�ensive weapons please see Home O�ce Guidance. If you require further information about the legislation in relation to importation of knives, swords and other o�ensive weapons, please email public.enquiries@homeo�ce.gsi.gov.uk.

Realistic imitation �rearms Realistic imitation �rearms, which are imitation �rearms that appear so realistic that you cannot easily tell that they are not real, can only be imported into the UK in certain circumstances.

The import of realistic imitation �rearms is prohibited unless there is a valid reason for import such as re-enactment of a historic event, a member of an airsoft or paintball group or as �lm props.

This is not an exhaustive list of reasons – please see the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 (Sections 36 and 27) for further information.

Torture equipment Imports of goods which could be used for the purposes of torture or capital punishment are banned. These include:

• gallows and guillotines

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/�uorinated-gases-and-ozone-depleting-substances-how-to-do-business-from-1-january-2021

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Controlled & Restricted Goods

Type of good Notes

Torture equipment continued • electric chairs for the purpose of execution of human beings

• air-tight vaults designed for the purpose of execution of human beings by the administration of a lethal gas or substance

• automatic drug injection systems designed for the purpose of execution of human beings by the administration of a lethal chemical substance

• electric-shock belts designed for restraining human beings by the administration of electric shocks having a no-load voltage exceeding 10,000 V

The only exception to the ban on the import of torture equipment is when goods are to be used for the exclusive purpose of public display in a museum in view of their historic signi�cance. For advice contact enquiries.ilb@trade.gov.uk.

Ozone depleting substances and hydro�uorocarbons

Imports and exports of ozone depleting substances (ODS) and hydro�uorocarbons (HFCs) are controlled under the Montreal Protocol (MP).

If you’re a business that produces or imports HFCs, either in bulk or contained in products or equipment, you will need to be registered on the GB HFC registry system* and may need to apply for GB quota or hold su�cient quota authorisation to place them on the GB market. If you import HFCs and are not registered on the GB HFC Registry and do not have quota or authorisations when checked by the National Clearance Hub against your customs declaration, the goods will be stopped and detained.

If you import ODS, you will need to be registered on the GB ODS registry and licencing Systems and apply for GB quota. Imports of ODS must also be accompanied by a valid electronic licence, which is detailed in the customs declaration and checked by National Clearance Hub. If the goods are not covered by a valid licence at the time of import, they will be detained until a valid licence is obtained.

Unlicensed imports and exports of ODS are a criminal o�ence in the UK and imports of HFCs without quota can incur a civil penalty of up to £200,000. All businesses involved in importing F-gas (HFCs) and ODS into GB must register with the Environment Agency’s HFC and ODS systems.

* The Environment Agency will administer the GB system on behalf of England, Scotland and Wales, subject to receiving the direction of the Scottish and Welsh Governments, from the end of the Transition period.

For more information, see guidance from the Environment Agency on F gas and guidance on

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-sanctions

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/trading-internationally-in-rough-diamonds-from-1-january-2021

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-brexit-communications-resources

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Controlled & Restricted Goods

Type of good Notes

Ozone depleting substances and hydro�uorocarbons continued

which is detailed in the customs declaration and checked by National Clearance Hub. If the goods do not hold a valid licence, they will be detained until a valid licence is obtained.

• HFCs can only be imported by a quota holder within quantitative limits. A business’s HFC quota is considered an annual electronic licence.

For further information, please see from the Environment Agency.

Rough diamonds Trade in rough diamonds is regulated by the Kimberley Process (KP) Certi�cation Scheme. When the UK becomes an independent participant in the KP, all rough diamonds exports from the UK to the EU will require UK KP certi�cation. For updates and further information check the

For advice contact the Government Diamond O�ce at kpuk@fco.gov.uk.

Anti-dumping duty and countervailing duties

The covers a range of goods, including some products from the following sectors:

• fertilisers• biodiesel• ceramics• steel

Steel safeguards Tari� safeguards relating to the importation of steel and steel products.

See chapters 72 and 73 of the for further information.

Sanction goods and weapons of mass destruction-related goods

Goods subject to UK sanctions or speci�c goods subject to import licensing controls under UK sanctions (for example Iran and North Korea).

This covers a range of goods, for examples see chapters 27, 28, 44, 69, 71 and 76 of the

List of