What is an EORI number?

Are you importing or exporting goods to or from a non-EU country? Then you need an EORI number. Without this identification number, Customs cannot process your import or export declaration, and your shipment will be held up at the border. What exactly is an EORI number, how do you apply for it for free, and what changes when you do business with the United Kingdom? You can read everything you need to know in this blog.

What is an EORI number?

An EORI number, or Economic Operators Registration and Identification number, is a unique identification number for companies and market participants importing or exporting goods to and from a country outside the EU. The Dutch Customs use this number to link your customs declaration and any customs permits to your company.

A Dutch EORI number consists of the country code NL, followed by 9 digits. These 9 digits are based on your RSIN number or, if you are a sole trader, on your BSN (Citizen Service Number). An EORI number issued in one EU member state is valid in all EU member states.

When do you need an EORI number?

You need an EORI number as soon as you, or your customs broker, import or export goods to or from a non-EU country. This includes:

• A customs declaration for import or export
• Applying for a customs permit, for example for AEO status or an AEO permit
• Transport through a country outside the EU, including transit

This applies to every legal form: from sole traders to BVs. Are you transporting a full load via FTL transport to the United Kingdom, or a smaller shipment via groupage or LTL transport? In both cases, you need a valid EORI number before your import or export declaration can cross the border. Do you work with Incoterms for international sales? In that case, the EORI number of the party making the declaration is also leading.

Can you create your own EORI number or do you have to apply for it?

Do you handle your own customs declarations and already have an RSIN number? Then you can create your own EORI number: country code NL, followed by your RSIN number. If your RSIN number is shorter than 9 digits, you supplement it with leading zeros until you reach 9 digits. If you are a freelancer or sole trader, you use your BSN instead of the RSIN number.

If you are unsure whether your EORI number is correct, or if your company’s legal form changes, it is better to apply for the number or have it verified by the Tax and Customs Administration or Customs, rather than creating it yourself.

How do you apply for an EORI number for free with Customs?

Applying for an EORI number is free and can be done in two ways:

• Digitally via eHerkenning: log in to belastingdienst.nl/eori with eHerkenning level 3 or higher. Your application is usually processed the same working day or within 1 working day.
• By post: if you do not have eHerkenning, you can download the ‘Application for EORI number’ form, fill it in, and send it to Customs Netherlands. Applications by post usually take 5 to 10 working days.

Want to know more about the official procedure? View the Dutch Customs page on the EORI number. Please note: a branch office cannot apply for its own EORI number; this always goes through the head office. If your company’s legal form changes or if you merge with another company, you must apply for a new EORI number.

EORI number for the United Kingdom (GB EORI)

Since Brexit, EU and British EORI numbers have been strictly separated. If you trade with the United Kingdom, you need a separate GB EORI number in addition to your Dutch (NL) EORI number to get your shipment through British customs.

You apply for a GB EORI number via gov.uk/eori with HMRC. For this, you always need Government Gateway login details, which you can create during the application if you do not already have them. The other details you need to provide depend on your situation: if your company is based in the UK, you also provide your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) and SIC code; if you are VAT-registered, you enter your VAT number; and if you are applying as an individual or sole trader, you also need your National Insurance number. The procedure is the same for England, Wales, and Scotland.

Do you regularly transport goods to the United Kingdom? View our page on transport to England for everything else you need to know about border formalities. In addition to the GB EORI number, you will also encounter documents at the British border such as the C88 import document, the GMR (Goods Movement Reference), and the MRN number, another customs identification number linked to your declaration.

How do you look up and verify your EORI number?

Do you want to check if the EORI number of a customer, supplier, or transport partner is valid? You can do this via the official EORI validation tool of the European Commission. You enter the number and immediately see if it is registered and in which member state.

Please note: in the EORI database, you can only search by the EORI number itself, not by company name or Chamber of Commerce (KVK) number. Therefore, keep your own EORI number carefully once you have received it, and do not confuse it with your VAT number or other company numbers.

EORI number versus VAT number and RSIN

An EORI number, VAT number, and RSIN number are easily confused, but each has its own function. You use your VAT ID for turnover tax with the Tax and Customs Administration. Your RSIN number is an internal identification number of the Tax and Customs Administration for legal entities and partnerships, linked to your registration with the Chamber of Commerce. Your EORI number is specifically intended for customs matters: it identifies your company for every import or export declaration within the EU.

In the Netherlands, for most companies, your EORI number is easily derived from your RSIN number (country code NL in front, supplemented to 9 digits). Nevertheless, it remains a separate number with its own registration with Customs, independent of your VAT number or Chamber of Commerce registration.

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Frequently asked questions about the EORI number