EORI number registration, matched to HMRC's records the first time.
Legalkarobar.com registers your UK company's GB EORI number with HMRC — VAT-linked or standalone, plus XI EORI for Northern Ireland trade if you need it — and links it to the Customs Declaration Service so your first shipment isn't held up by a details mismatch.
What's included in registration
What is an EORI number, and where does your company actually use it?
EORI — Economic Operators Registration and Identification — is the unique customs identifier HMRC assigns to a business, and it's required on every customs declaration your company files.
One number, checked on every shipment
Since Brexit, any business moving goods between Great Britain and another country — including every EU member state — needs a GB EORI number to make customs declarations. It's also required to use HMRC's Customs Declaration Service (CDS), which fully replaced the older CHIEF system in June 2024, and to register for an export licence on the SPIRE system.
If your business also moves goods to or from Northern Ireland, a separate XI EORI is generally needed alongside your GB EORI, since the two cover different parts of your trading activity.
HMRC-issued
A unique identifier tied to your business, not to any individual shipment.
VAT-linked format
VAT-registered businesses get GB + VRN + 000; others get a standalone number.
CDS-required
You need it to file declarations on HMRC's Customs Declaration Service.
Never expires
Valid indefinitely unless cancelled or the linked VAT registration ends.
Any UK business that moves goods across a border
Information needed for EORI registration
Every field is checked against HMRC's existing records — a mismatch here is the single biggest cause of delay.
Government Gateway account
Used to submit and track the application; we help set one up if you don't have one.
Company registration details
UK company name, registered address and company number, exactly as held by Companies House.
VAT registration number (if applicable)
Determines whether your EORI is VAT-linked or issued as a standalone number.
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code
Describing your company's main trading activity.
Contact & authorised signatory details
Name, position, email and phone number of the person completing the application.
Northern Ireland trade details (if relevant)
Confirming whether an additional XI EORI registration is needed.
Five stages, typically 5 working days
Eligibility & Route Check
We confirm whether your GB EORI will be VAT-linked or standalone, based on your registration status.
Gateway & Documents
Government Gateway access is set up or verified, and company and VAT details are gathered.
HMRC Submission
The application is filed with every detail cross-checked against existing HMRC records.
Processing & Confirmation
We track the application until your GB EORI number is confirmed by HMRC.
CDS Linking & XI EORI
Your EORI is linked to CDS for filing, with XI EORI added if you trade with Northern Ireland.
VAT-linked GB EORI vs. standalone vs. XI EORI
Three different EORI scenarios, depending on your VAT status and where you trade.
| Item | VAT-Linked GB EORI | Standalone GB EORI | XI EORI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | UK VAT-registered businesses | Businesses and sole traders not VAT-registered | Businesses moving goods to/from Northern Ireland |
| Number format | GB + VAT number + 000 | GB + separate 12-digit HMRC number | XI-prefixed number, issued alongside GB EORI |
| Tied to | Your VAT registration | Your business entity directly | Your existing GB EORI registration |
| Changes if | VAT registration is deregistered | Business details change materially | Northern Ireland trading activity stops |
| Typical timeline | Within 5 working days, often 48 hours | Within 5 working days, often 48 hours | Processed alongside or shortly after GB EORI |
Setting up your UK company from scratch? See our UK company formation services — EORI registration is one part of the wider compliance picture.
EORI number registration, explained in under 3 minutes
EORI Number Registration Walkthrough — Step by Step
Our compliance team explains how to choose the right application route, what HMRC checks against, and how the number gets linked to CDS — the same five stages covered in the How It Works section above.
Read video transcriptTranscript: This walkthrough explains EORI number registration in five stages. First, we confirm whether your GB EORI will be VAT-linked or issued as a standalone number, based on your VAT registration status. Second, we set up or verify your Government Gateway account and gather your company and VAT details. Third, we submit the application to HMRC, cross-checking every field against your existing records to avoid a mismatch delay. Fourth, we track processing until your GB EORI number is confirmed, typically within 5 working days. Fifth, we link the number to the Customs Declaration Service and register a separate XI EORI if your business also trades with Northern Ireland.
Registration built around what HMRC actually checks
Most EORI delays come down to a detail that doesn't quite match what HMRC already holds — a shortened company name, a different address format, a VAT number typo. We check every field against your existing HMRC and Companies House records before anything is submitted.
Cross-checked before submission
Company, VAT and address details are matched against official records first, not fixed after a rejection.
CDS linking included
Getting the EORI number isn't the finish line — we make sure it's actually usable on your first customs declaration.
Built for Indian-founded UK companies
We regularly register EORI numbers for UK entities run by founders and directors based in India.
Also handled alongside EORI
What businesses say after registering
We assumed our EORI number would just come with VAT registration automatically. Legalkarobar.com sorted the actual application and had it confirmed inside a week.
Our first application got stuck because the address on file didn't match Companies House exactly. Once that was fixed, the second attempt went through in two days.
Needed both a GB and an XI EORI since we ship into Northern Ireland too. Having one team handle both instead of figuring it out ourselves saved a lot of back and forth.
EORI number registration questions, answered
Talk to our UK compliance team
Share your company details and trade routes — we'll confirm which EORI type applies, what's needed, and your realistic timeline within 24 hours.
By submitting, you agree to be contacted about EORI number registration and related compliance services.