Guidance

Apply for Designated Export Place approval

Find out how to apply to operate a Designated Export Place (DEP) to clear goods inland at an approved premises before moving goods to an air or sea port.

A Designated Export Place (DEP) is a place approved by HMRC, where export consignments can be consolidated and presented to customs inland for clearance. This allows customs checks to be completed on goods before they鈥檙e removed to the port or airport for export. Normal processes will still apply at the port or airport including presentation of goods and departure. You鈥檒l find a DEP outside of but near to the approved port or airport.

You鈥檒l need to apply for approval from HMRC to operate a DEP.

Which goods are excluded from a DEP

Goods excluded from a DEP are those:

  • exported from a customs warehouse
  • already declared under the entry in the declarant鈥檚 records procedure
  • declarations made under Customs Supervised Export approval

What declarations you can make

You can make the following declarations:

  • full export declaration
  • export declarations for low value goods
  • export declarations for non-statistical goods
  • the 2-part simplified declaration procedure 鈥� prior authorisation is required to operate this procedure

Check guidance on using simplified declarations for exports for more information.

What customs controls happen at a DEP

Your goods can be subject to customs controls, this could be:

  • document checks
  • fiscal or anti-smuggling checks

We鈥檒l carry out these checks while the goods are held on site at the approved location. Your goods may be checked again at the border if required.

Before you apply

Before you can apply for approval you鈥檒l need:

  • your EORI number starting GB or XI
  • details of the inventory system you intend to use along with DEP locations
  • details of the chosen Community System Provider to be used and any badges held for the DEP locations you wish to have approved

Apply for approval

To apply for DEP approval, you鈥檒l need to download the application form, check the terms and conditions and the supporting documents you鈥檒l need.

  1. Download and fill in the application form.

  2. Print and sign it.

  3. Attach and email your form to: [email protected].

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email [email protected]. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Find out how accessible our forms are.

After you鈥檝e applied

When we receive your application, the National Export System (NES) authorisation team will contact you to confirm this.

After we鈥檝e considered your application, we鈥檒l send you a letter telling you if we鈥檝e approved your application or not. If you do not get approval, the letter explains the reasons why and tells you about the review and appeals procedure.

If you get approval

When you鈥檙e approved as a DEP operator you鈥檒l be able to:

  • accept goods from your clients for export
  • consolidate these into an export consignment
  • present the export declaration covering them to customs for clearance

Using an electronic inventory system

You must use and maintain an electronic inventory system that meets customs requirements. This is either:

If you use an in-house inventory

Any in-house inventory system should be:

  • approved separately by HMRC before use
  • secure, allowing full control and audit of export consignments
  • capable of supplying management information on, for example, records of all goods for export entering and leaving the facility
  • detailed in the DEP application

What you must do as a DEP operator

You must make available:

  • suitable facilities and assistance for unloading, examining, sampling and clearing the goods and for examining vehicles if appropriate
  • calibrated equipment necessary for weighing, and taking account of goods, maintaining such equipment in a satisfactory condition
  • all necessary assistance to customs when goods are selected for examination and sampling
  • safe working conditions for customs or Border Force staff attending the premises (this includes safe means of access to containers and vehicles)

You must make sure any customs checks are satisfied so that you can get positive customs clearance before the removal of the goods from the DEP.

Updates to this page

Published 18 December 2020
Last updated 3 February 2025 show all updates
  1. Information about the letter we鈥檒l send you after considering your application has been added.

  2. Information about the Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) system has been removed because the service is no longer available.

  3. The email address to apply for a DEP approval has been updated.

  4. First published.

Sign up for emails or print this page