Check if Authorised Economic Operator status could benefit you

Before you apply

You must have:

• read and understood the criteria and checks involved
• gathered the information you’ll need to answer the questions
• your EORI number
• responsible customs managers and specific personnel available onsite for the audit visits
• documented procedures available

How to apply

A responsible person, for example a Director, within the business should apply for the status. You’ll need to give up to date evidence of the person’s role, responsibilities and competences.

To meet the criteria, you must have evidence of your business procedure and processes. We’ll visit you to check your documentation and test your systems. The evidence of your business meeting the criteria should be available to see on our visits. Make sure your business is ready for the visits before you apply.

If you’re a group of companies, you need to submit separate applications for each legal entity.

There is no provision to grant AEO status to a specific site, division or branch of your legal entity. Your application must cover all the activities and locations of your legal entity involved in the international trade supply chain and the AEO criteria will be applied across all those activities and locations.

A parent company outside the UK can apply in the UK with the branch authorised as a permanent business establishment.

A branch may apply if it proves to be a legal person in its own right, for example if it is authorised to enter into contracts independently from its parent company in a third country.

If contracts are with the parent company in the third country rather than the office or branch in the UK, the parent company should make the application for AEO on the basis that it has a permanent business establishment in the UK.

After HMRC receive your application, they will carry out their checks and aim to visit you as soon as possible. The status can take up to 120 days to approve.

You can find more information about applying for AEO status.

Contact HMRC

Contact HMRC if you have any questions about AEO status telephone 0300 322 9451 or email: AEOapplications@hmrc.gov.uk.