Change description : 2026-08-06 15:39:00: Information has been removed about using CHIEF when discharging goods with full or retrospective authorisation or with authorisation by declaration. CHIEF is no longer in use. [Guidance and regulation]
You need to make a declaration when you place your goods into authorised use. You must include your authorised use authorisation number on your declaration.
Declaring goods sent by post
If you need to declare goods sent to you by post, make sure the package is marked with your:
authorised use authorisation number
VAT number
commodity code
the wording ‘goods eligible for authorised use relief’
Discharging goods with full or retrospective authorisation
You need to send a form, or ‘bill of discharge’, to tell us that your goods have either been put to their agreed authorised use or destroyed. For us to process the ‘bill of discharge’, all bank details must be included.
WhenTheCustomsHandlingofImportandExportFreight(CHIEF)systemisnolongeravailableforcompleting fullimportdeclarations.YoucanstilldischargeanyoutstandinggoodsthroughCHIEFifyouusedtheCHIEFsystemtocompleteyour full import declaration.
Ifyoucompletedyourfullimportdeclaration through CHIEF
Discharging goods with authorisation by declaration
You need to send a form, or ‘bill of discharge’, to tell us that your goods have either been put to their agreed authorised use or destroyed. For us to process the ‘bill of discharge’, all bank details must be included.
WhenTheCustomsHandlingofImportandExportFreight(CHIEF)systemisnolongeravailableforcompleting fullimportdeclarations.YoucanstilldischargeanyoutstandinggoodsthroughCHIEFifyouusedtheCHIEFsystemtocompleteyour full import declaration.
Ifyoucompletedyourfullimportdeclaration through CHIEF
You can only destroy your goods once we grant permission.
You must tell HMRC at least 5 days before you destroy your goods. If there is any waste or scrap left over after you have destroyed your goods, it will be automatically considered that your goods are in a customs warehouse.
You do not need a customs warehouse authorisation or to complete a customs declaration for your waste or scrap. You need to keep a record and your goods will have non-UK status.
If you cannot destroy your goods because it is not allowed due to environmental grounds, you may be able to declare them to another special procedure.
Re-exporting goods
If your goods have not been put to their authorised use, you can re-export the goods from the UK. You must contact your supervising officer to gain permission from us to do this.
Transferring goods
You cannot transfer authorised use goods from one authorisation holder to another.
You can apply to use identical goods instead of your authorised use goods, this is also known as equivalence. You can store your imported goods with UK goods and not have to differentiate between them when you pick goods for processing.
You cannot use equivalence if the non-UK goods would be subject to:
anti-dumping
countervailing
safeguard duty
an additional duty resulting from a suspension of concessions if they were declared for release to free circulation
Information has been removed about using CHIEF when discharging goods with full or retrospective authorisation or with authorisation by declaration. CHIEF is no longer in use.
12 June 2024
Discharging goods with full or retrospective authorisation and discharging goods with authorisation by declaration have been updated to advise what form needs to be submitted and in which circumstances.
25 April 2024
The links to the online form for Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) have been updated.
9 June 2021
How your goods complete authorised use has been updated to advise all bank details must be included when sending bill of discharge’ for it to be processed.
19 January 2021
In section 'Discharging goods with full or retrospective authorisation' the link 'fill in the CHIEF' has been updated.
31 December 2020
This page has been updated because the Brexit transition period has ended.