Guidance

Controlled drugs: import and export licences

Information for companies on the import and export of controlled drugs to and from the UK.

From:
Home Office
Published
16 August 2019
Last updated
18 August 2022 — See all updates

Controlled drugs are prescription drugs named in the misuse of drugs legislation. You can check for the most common ones on the controlled drugs list. You can also read the full lists in both the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and schedules 1-5 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 (PDF, 124KB).

This guide should not be used in place of the law and, if in doubt, you should take your own independent legal advice.

If your company or organisation intends to import or export controlled drugs or precursor chemicals, you need to apply for a licence.

If you are trading in prescription-only medicines which do not contain controlled drugs, please contact the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority for guidance.

Before you apply

You need an NDS account to apply for an import or export licence. Account requests are normally processed in 5 working days. You can read the user guide for more information on what to do.

You will need a domestic licence before you can apply for an NDS account. If you do not have a valid domestic licence your request will be cancelled.

Once your account is approved you will need to tell us about your overseas trading partners and details of your controlled drug preparations. Our user guide provides information on how to do this. Trading partner and preparation requests are normally processed in 5 working days, so long as the process in our user guide is followed.

Apply for an import or export licence

Licence applications must be made electronically. Valid applications are normally processed in 10 working days.

Import licences are valid for 3 months. Export licences are valid for either 2 months or in line with the permit of the importing country, whichever expires first.

You need to apply for a new import or export licence for each individual shipment and are single-use. You can ship less of a product authorised on a licence (under-ship) but you cannot ship more (over-ship) or send/receive a different product to the one listed on the licence. Licences cannot be post-dated or retrospectively issued.

All applications for Internationally controlled drug substances are considered with reference to the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) ‘estimates’ or ‘assessments’ for that substance. Further information about this can be found on INCB’s website.

If you are applying for a UK export licence you must include a copy of the import permit.

Apply for an import or export licence

Channel Islands

The Channel Islands (Jersey and Guernsey) are not part of the UK and have their own licensing rules for controlled drugs. If you wish to import or export controlled drugs to or from the UK to the Channel Islands you, in certain circumstances, may be able to apply for a ‘frequent exporter’ licence.

Frequent exporters

If your company or organisation is making 24 or more shipments in 12 months you can apply for a time-limited frequent export licence. This licence is only available for the export of medicines in finished dose form, from the UK to the Channel Islands, listed in schedules 2-4 inclusive of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, with the exception of Cannabis Based Products for Medicinal Use in Humans (CBPM) as defined by the 2018 Regulations. It does not apply to any Schedule 1 material.

Frequent export licences are valid for a maximum of one year. If you renew your licence the following applies:

  • your renewal should be made at least one month before the existing licence expires
  • your licence will not be renewed automatically
  • your application will be assessed as a new one

You must submit a monthly return form to [email protected] detailing exactly what drugs have been shipped.

If you have not shipped for a month or more you will need to provide a return sheet showing zero, to avoid your licence being suspended.

Contact [email protected] for details on how to apply.

Export restrictions on specific drug substances

The European Union has adopted a new EU-wide control on the export of certain drugs usable in execution by lethal injection.

These controls, which came into force on 21 December 2011, were adopted as an amendment to annex 3 of Council Regulation (EC) 1236/2005 concerning trade in certain goods which could be used for capital punishment, torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

You can download the full text of Council Regulation (EU) No 1352/2011 from the Europa website.

Exporters need to seek appropriate permission from national export control authorities to export to any destination outside the EU ‘short and intermediate acting barbiturate anaesthetic agents including, but not limited to’ the following:

  • amobarbital (CAS RN 57-43-2)
  • amobarbital sodium salt (CAS RN 64-43-7)
  • pentobarbital (CAS RN 76-74-4)
  • pentobarbital sodium salt (CAS 57-33-0)
  • secobarbital (CAS RN 76-73-3)
  • secobarbital sodium salt (CAS RN 309-43-3)
  • thiopental (CAS RN 76-75-5)
  • thiopental sodium salt (CAS RN 71-73-8), also known as thiopentone sodium

Exporters should read the guide on torture goods when exporting these drugs.

Regulations may exist to prevent the export of drugs or chemicals to certain countries, for example during conflicts. Exporters must check the current regulations for the country they are exporting to.

Annual statistical returns

If you are a wholesaler, manufacturer, producer or supplier of controlled drugs you must send a completed annual returns form each year, to [email protected]. Read the guidance about annual statistical returns.

Endorsements

A condition of all import and export licences issued by the Home Office is for an immediate online endorsement of the actual shipment amounts to be made on the NDS web portal, once they have been shipped.

If you do not use a licence, or part-use a licence, you must endorse that before applying for a new licence for those items. The ‘unused’ part of a licence cannot be ‘held’ for a shipment to be made at a later date, even if that is within the validity of the licence.

If you do not regularly submit timely endorsements your NDS account may be suspended.

Fees

Each licence costs £24. If you do not use a licence, or make a mistake in the application but do not cancel it before processing, the fee must still be paid.

If you do not pay your invoices each month, your NDS account may be suspended.

Contact details

Import and export licensing

Email [email protected]

or call 0300 105 0248

This address deals with the import and export of controlled substance into or from the UK, import and export licenses, applications, endorsements of licenses, or general enquiries about import and export licensing.

Customer complaints

Email [email protected]

This address deals with customer complaints about import and export, or domestic licensing of controlled drug, precursor chemical or industrial hemp licensing. You should first attempt to resolve any issues initially with either the domestic licensing or import-export team directly using the contact details above.

Updates to this page

Published 16 August 2019
Last updated 18 August 2022 + show all updates

  1. Updated guidance on timings for account requests, applying for an import or export licence and endorsements.

  2. NDS web portal link has been updated.

  3. Updated telephone number to 0300 0724654.

  4. Updated Channel Islands section.

  5. Updated email address for monthy returns to [email protected].

  6. First published.

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Contents

Part of Import goods into the UK: step by step

  1. Step 1 Check if you need to follow this process

    Follow these steps if you're moving goods permanently to:

    • England, Wales or Scotland (Great Britain) from a country outside the UK
    • Northern Ireland from a country outside the UK and the EU

    What you need to do is different if you are:

  2. Step 2 Get your business ready to import

    You need an Economic Operators Registration and Identification number (EORI number) that starts with GB to import goods into England, Wales or Scotland. You'll need a new one if you have an EORI number that does not start with GB.

    If you move goods to or from Northern Ireland, you may need one that starts with XI.

    1. Get an EORI number

    If you store goods in the UK for sellers outside the UK, you may need to apply to the Fulfilment House Due Diligence Scheme.

    1. Find out if you need to apply to the Fulfilment House Due Diligence Scheme

    There are processes that can make clearing customs quicker and easier to manage if you have to make import declarations regularly.

    1. Find out about using simplified declaration procedures
    2. Check if Authorised Economic Operator status is right for you

  3. and Check the business sending you the goods can export to the UK

    The business sending you the goods may need:

    • to make an export declaration in their country
    • licences or certificates to send goods to the UK

    Check whoever is sending the goods is able to export them from their country.

  4. Step 3 Decide who will make customs declarations and transport the goods

    You can hire someone to deal with customs and transport the goods for you, or you can do it yourself.

    Most businesses that import goods use a transporter or customs agent.

    1. Find out how to hire someone to deal with customs for you

  5. Step 4 Find out the commodity code for your goods

    You’ll need to include the commodity code on your import declaration. This will determine the rate of duty you need to pay and if you need an import licence.

    Your customs agent or transporter might be able to help you with this.

    1. Find the right commodity code for your goods

  6. and Work out the value of your goods

    When you make your import declaration, you’ll need to include the value of your goods - this helps work out how much duty and VAT you’ll need to pay.

    1. Work out the value of your goods for customs

  7. Step 5 Find out if you can reduce your Customs Duty

    You may be able to pay less or no Customs Duty if the UK has a trade agreement with the country you're importing from.

    1. Find out if you can pay a lower rate of Customs Duty because of a trade agreement

    You may also be able to reduce the amount of duty you pay based on what the goods are and what you plan to do with them.

    1. Check other ways you can pay a lower rate of Customs Duty

  8. and Find out if you can delay your Customs Duty

    You may be able to delay sending information about goods or paying Customs Duty.

    1. Check if you can delay your Customs Duty

  9. Step 6 Check if you need a licence or certificate for your goods

    There are special rules and you may need to get licences or certificates if you are importing any of the following:

  10. Step 7 Check the labelling, marking and marketing rules

    1. Check the marking, labelling and marketing standards for food, plant seeds and manufactured goods

  11. Step 8 Get your goods through customs

    If you've appointed someone to deal with UK customs for you, they'll make the declaration and get your goods through the UK border.

    1. Make an import declaration yourself and get your goods cleared by UK customs

  12. Step 9 Claim a VAT refund

    If you're VAT registered, you can claim back any VAT you paid on the goods you've imported. You’ll need your Import VAT Certificate (C79).

    1. Find out how to claim a VAT refund

  13. Step 10 If you paid the wrong amount of duty or rejected the goods

    If you paid too much Customs Duty or import VAT or rejected the goods, you can claim a refund or ask for a payment to be waived.

    1. Find out how to claim a refund or make a claim for rejected imports

    If you paid too little Customs Duty or import VAT, report it to HMRC.

    1. Find out how to tell HMRC you’ve underpaid and pay the difference

  14. Step 11 Keep invoices and records

    You must keep records of commercial invoices and any customs paperwork, including your Import VAT Certificate (C79).

    If you imported controlled goods, for example firearms, keep any paperwork that shows who owns them.

Also part of