EORI questions and answers
Ten short answers on EORI numbers from the Commission and HMRC: format, number of EORIs, expiry, who needs one, checking, consent and Northern Ireland.
Can a business hold more than one EORI number? No. A person can hold only one valid EORI at any time (European Commission).
Does an EORI number expire? No. It can be invalidated on request, or when the business activities cease, and the data is then kept for 10 years.
Is it free? The Commission guidance says the number is assigned free of charge (guidance).
Who issues it? One customs authority only. In the EU it is the authority of the country of establishment, or for a non-EU operator the country of its first customs operation. In the UK it is HMRC.
How long does it take? The guidance says registration can take several days. It does not give a fixed time.
What does a number look like? A two-letter country code followed by a number of up to 15 letters or digits in the EU. GB and XI numbers are the prefix plus 12 or 15 digits, according to HMRC (HMRC pattern).
Do I need an EORI for goods for personal use? HMRC says no for personal, non-controlled goods. See Which EORI do I need? for other cases.
Do I need an EORI to move goods between Northern Ireland and Ireland? HMRC says you do not need an XI number if you only move goods within the island of Ireland or between Northern Ireland and an EU country (GOV.UK).
How do I check a number? Use the GB checker for GB numbers and the EU checker for XI and EU numbers. See how to check.
Why can I not see the name of a business? The name and address appear only if the holder has agreed to disclosure.
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