Customs bonded warehouse

TSP Fulfilment is one of the few independent fulfilment companies in the North East of England with a dry bonded warehouse license

A customs bonded warehouse is a secure space which allows you to store goods imported from outside of the UK before they reach their final destination.

Importing and exporting from foreign trade zones can become costly, so bonded warehousing is an advantageous way to manage the expenses—for example import duty that allows to defer VAT charges until the goods are sold (i.e. withdrawn for consumption) or removed from the bonded warehouse.

Approved by HM Revenue & Customs

HMRC regulates all UK Customs Bonded Warehouses with strict import and export rules and regulations, which are regularly checked to ensure they are conforming with foreign trade zones. A bonded warehouse storage facility where imported merchandise can be processed and sold must be approved by HMRC (import and export) to allow for customs entry. By working with TSP Fulfilment, you can use our customs bonded warehouse and improve your cash flow.

How a customs bonded warehouse service benefits your business

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Improved cash flow

With a customs bonded warehouse, import duty and VAT charges can be deferred until your products are sold or leave the warehouse. This can considerably improve cash flow as no initial payment is required, and duties and taxes can be paid once the goods have been picked and packed for home consumption, or left the warehouse.

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Cost savings

Fluctuating demand may mean that goods sell slowly, therefore with bonded storage the payment of duty can follow the demand and sales pattern. If goods are re-exported for international trade, the customs clearance will not be payable in the UK, but instead it will be paid in the country of destination, avoiding double payment of duty.

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Supply on demand

You can use customs bonded specific warehousing and distribution centres to work on importing merchandise well in advance of any seasonal sales peaks, so they are available for customer demand and can be immediately withdrawn for consumption. This allows you to supply and sell merchandise based on customer demand and at the same time, improve your customer service.

Help with customs control

Bonded warehouses can often help with the necessary customs and tax documentation, customs valuation, approving a certificate of origin or providing necessary knowledge on global shipping and customs law. Try to look for a customs bonded facility where imported merchandise can be processed, picked and packed, and shipped for home consumption.

Why are customs bonded warehouses used?

Businesses may use customs bonded specific warehouses to store their imported goods if they’re unsure of their final destination or as temporary storage if they plan to re-export goods outside the UK.

If you’re waiting for full UK customs clearance and duty payment, you can use a bonded warehouse as a warehouse facility. If the bonded storage offers an order fulfilment centre service with an option to pick and pack, you can also arrange to sell merchandise directly for home consumption.

Different Types of Warehouse

There are two types of customs bonded warehouse facilities in the UK that correspond to a specific bond for customs entry:

Wet Bonded Warehouse
Mainly hold alcohol and tobacco products (not provided by TSP)

Dry Bonded Warehouse
Holds all other types of products

Payment of Customs Duties in the UK

VAT
The standard VAT rate for most goods is 20% and is charged on imports from foreign customs: the EU and the rest of the world.

Customs Duty
Duty is a charge on imports from outside of the UK, and a customs brokerage assigns to pay duty rates with accordance to the commodity type and specific bond (for example, alcohol and tobacco products will abide by different duty payment rates).

Warehousing costs
Costs are calculated based on the type of import resources and the amount of warehouse space used.

Bonded Warehouse + Order Fulfilment
Call us to discuss how both can improve your China cargo import, goods pick-pack and distribution.

HMRC logo

Costs for importing goods into the UK will depend on what it is that you’re importing; therefore, costs can vary. More information, including customs law in a special economic zone, can be found on HMRC website.

The following list outlines some of the UK customs duties and taxes, as well as import costs to keep in mind.

Quick facts about customs bonded warehousing

Our customs bonded warehouse, approved by HM Revenue & Customs, enables us to store goods imported from outside of the UK whilst deferring the charges of Duty and VAT until the goods have been shipped from our facility, improving your cash flow by up to 25%.
To be eligible for customs bonded warehousing, your goods must be imported from foreign customs territory (outside of the European Union (EU)), remain under customs control and be liable to customs duties and/or import VAT.

TSP Fulfilment operates a dry-bonded facility, fully approved and audited by HM Revenue & Customs.

Yes, you can monitor all of your imported goods anytime, anywhere, using our cloud-based warehouse management system while our team of expert staff oversee the movements for you.

When goods are stored in a non bonded warehouse, the importer is required to pay tax on the goods that are received, before ensuring they are inspected almost immediately . With a customs bonded warehouse, immediate inspection is not required as goods can be held until duties and inspection is addressed. Bonded storage is also cost effective and can allow goods to be held closer to the end user.

Get started with our customs bonded warehouse