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 Get UK customs clearance when importing goods into the UK: step by step

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

    Follow these steps to get your goods for import through UK customs if you’re managing the process yourself.

    Getting customs clearance is complicated. You can hire a transporter or customs agent to make the import declaration and get your goods through UK customs.

    1. Hire someone to deal with customs for you

    Your business must be ready to import the goods before you can get customs clearance.

    1. Find out about importing goods into the UK
    1. Check if you need to make an import declaration

  2. Step 2 Set up your business for making import declarations

    You need an 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 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

    Depending on where you're moving goods, you need to be registered on the right systems and have compatible software to make declarations.

    1. Check what systems and software you need to make declarations

  3. Step 3 Check if you can make the customs process quicker

    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

    If you're importing goods from the EU to England, Scotland or Wales (Great Britain) you might be able to delay making a declaration for up to 6 months.

    1. Check if you can declare your goods later if you're importing goods from the EU

    If you regularly import goods using Common Transit, you can apply to start movements of goods at your own premises.

    1. Check if consignee status is right for your business

  4. Step 4 Register to import goods with restrictions

    You need to register as an importer if you import things like plant or animal products, high-risk food or feed, medicines, textiles, chemicals or firearms.

    Register to import:

  5. Step 5 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:

  6. and Check the labelling, marking and marketing rules

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

  7. Step 6 Arrange for the goods to be inspected

    If you import things like plant or animal products, you need to choose a place where the goods can be inspected. This needs to happen before they’re allowed through the UK border.

    1. Find an inspection point for animals and animal products
    2. Find an inspection point for plants, plant products, seeds and wood
    3. Find an inspection point for high risk food and feed that is not of animal origin
    4. Find an inspection point for endangered species, or products made from endangered plants or animals

    You need to let the inspection point know when the goods are arriving. You might have to pay a fee for the inspection.

  8. Step 7 Submit and manage the import declaration

    1. Find out how to submit import declarations
    2. Find out how to change or cancel an import declaration

    If you're importing goods from the EU to England, Scotland or Wales (Great Britain) you might be able to delay making a declaration for up to 6 months.

    1. Check if you can declare your goods later to make the importing process quicker

  9. Step 8 Pay VAT and duty

    HMRC will tell you how much to pay after you submit the declaration.

    1. Find out how and when to pay VAT and duty

  10. Step 9 Get the goods released if they're held up at the border

    The goods may be held at the border if, for example:

    • you have not paid the right amount of duty or VAT
    • you do not have the right import licences for the goods or business
    • they did not pass inspection
    • they've been combined with a shipment that has been held up

    If this happens you will be told why.

    1. Contact the National Clearance Hub to get help

Also part of