Tell HMRC about grey market goods arriving in the UK
Give HMRC notice to stop parallel imports arriving in the UK that have been marketed or overproduced without consent of the rights holder.
Parallel imports (sometimes called ‘grey market goods’) are genuine goods, manufactured with the consent of an intellectual property rights holder or licensee, but either:
- marketed without their consent
- produced in excess of an agreed amount
As a rights holder, you can use our online form to give us notice to stop these goods being imported into the UK from either:
- outside the EEA (EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein)
- within the EEA, if they have not been entered for free circulation
You’ll need to notify us at least 30 working days before you expect the goods to arrive in the UK. You cannot use this form to tell us about goods once they’ve already been imported into the UK.
Before you start
Prohibited goods may be seized under UK customs law. Before you notify us, you may want to seek legal advice to understand:
- the implications of goods being treated as prohibited
- any indemnity, securities and court proceedings that may follow as a result
You’ll need to pay an administration fee of £30 (plus VAT) to HMRC for each form you submit. We’ll ask you to confirm that you’ve made this payment before you fill in any other details on the form. Check the current VAT rates.
You can make a bank transfer using Faster Payments, CHAPS (Clearing House Automated Payment System) or Bacs (Bankers Automated Clearing System):
- from your online bank account
- by phoning your bank
You cannot pay using any other method.
If you pay by CHAPS or Faster Payments, your payment will be received on the same or next working day.
If you pay by Bacs, allow 3 working days for the payment to reach HMRC.
We recommend you check your bank’s processing times and maximum transaction limits before you pay.
Use the following account details to make a payment:
- sort code — 08 32 40
- account number — 11963228
- account name — HMRC Misc Resource Receipts Bank Account
You must quote the reference ‘IPR’ when you pay.
What you’ll need
You’ll need to be able to tell us some information about the goods when you fill in the form. We’ll need to know the:
- details of the goods being imported
- trade mark reference
- commodity code
- port of arrival
- expected date of arrival
It will also be helpful if you can tell us any of the following:
- the consignor’s details
- the country of origin and consignment
- the importer’s details, including their EORI number and VAT registration number
- how the goods are being transported into the UK
Notify us now
You can include up to 5 types of goods on a single form. To report more than 5 types of goods, you’ll need to complete more than one form, even if these goods are in the same consignment.
Once you’ve filled in the form, save it and send it to us by email. We’ll give you the email address when you complete the form.