HMRC Customs Special Procedures Authorisation Application Form

If your business imports goods into the UK for processing before re-export, or exports UK goods for processing abroad, you may be eligible for HMRC Customs Special Procedures that can suspend, reduce or reclaim customs duties. This authorisation application form helps UK businesses apply for inward processing, outward processing, and other relief schemes that can significantly reduce costs and improve cash flow.

What Are Customs Special Procedures?

Customs Special Procedures (formerly known as customs reliefs) allow businesses to:

• Suspend duties on imported goods temporarily admitted for specific purposes
• Reclaim duties on goods exported after processing in the UK
• Reduce customs costs when goods are re-exported or used in manufacturing
• Improve cash flow by deferring or eliminating duty payments

Common special procedures include inward processing (IP), outward processing (OP), temporary admission, customs warehousing, and end-use relief.

Who Needs This Authorisation?

This form is essential for UK manufacturers, processors, and traders who:

• Import raw materials or components for processing and re-export
• Export goods for repair, processing or assembly abroad before re-import
• Temporarily import goods for testing, exhibition or demonstration
• Store non-UK goods in customs warehouses
• Need to demonstrate economic conditions are met for their activities

Industries commonly using special procedures include aerospace, automotive, pharmaceuticals, electronics manufacturing, textiles, food processing, and engineering.

Why Use Paperform for HMRC Applications?

This Paperform template streamlines the entire HMRC Customs Special Procedures authorisation process by:

• Capturing all required information in one structured, professional application
• Using conditional logic to show only relevant questions based on your procedure type
• Calculating economic conditions automatically based on your inputs
• Allowing document uploads for supporting evidence and financial records
• Creating audit trails of all submitted applications

Once submitted, you can use Stepper (stepper.io) to automate follow-up workflows—routing applications for internal review, sending confirmation emails with reference numbers, updating spreadsheets or CRM systems, and triggering reminders for missing documentation. This keeps your compliance team organised and ensures nothing falls through the cracks.

What Information You'll Need

Before completing this application, gather:

• Your business's EORI number and VAT registration
• Details of the goods to be processed (commodity codes, descriptions, values)
• Processing operations to be undertaken
• Expected timescales for import, processing and re-export
• Financial records demonstrating economic viability
• Details of any existing authorisations or customs arrangements

Compliance You Can Trust

Paperform is SOC 2 Type II compliant and handles sensitive business and customs data with enterprise-grade security. All submissions are encrypted, and you can control access with SSO and role-based permissions. For businesses managing multiple entities or clients, Agency+ plans allow you to manage separate authorisations for different legal entities within one account.

Get your HMRC Customs Special Procedures authorisation application started today with this comprehensive template, designed specifically for UK businesses navigating post-Brexit customs requirements.