How to check a UK fulfilment centre's FHDDS status
Ask who will actually operate the warehouse, then match that entity's name, address and FHDDS number against HMRC's current register. Resolve differences and save the evidence before releasing China-made stock. Cambridge China Bridge can coordinate the factory dispatch documents with its own staff in China.
Identify the business that will hold your stock
Ask the fulfilment centre for its operating entity's full legal name, company registration number where applicable, trading names, warehouse address and FHDDS registration number. Compare these with the storage contract and invoice. Ask explicitly whether the business selling the service also operates the warehouse, or uses another operator.
Keep the China supplier check separate from this receiving-side check. Our guide to verifying a Chinese supplier before payment covers the factory end. Here, the question is which business will actually receive and hold your goods in the UK.
Find the entry in HMRC's register
Start from HMRC's publication titled Fulfilment House Due Diligence Scheme registered businesses list, identified in the sources below. Open the name group relevant to the operating entity and use your browser's page search for its legal name. Also try its trading name and the registration number supplied by the operator.
The register entries show a business name, address and FHDDS number. Match the complete number and name, then compare the address. Save the matching entry, the page's update information and your checking date. Use the live publication rather than a search-result snippet or an old screenshot supplied by the warehouse.
Resolve a different name or warehouse address
If the contract names a brand but the register names another entity, ask for a written explanation connecting them. If the receiving address differs from the listed address, ask the operator to explain the relationship and provide approval documentation relevant to the proposed storage arrangement. Treat either mismatch as a question to resolve before dispatch.
For subcontracted storage, ask who physically holds the stock and whose approval the proposed arrangement relies on. Do not accept a group company's registration number without an explanation linking it to the actual operator and site. Assess receiving arrangements separately using choosing a UK warehouse.
Pause dispatch if approval is unclear
An application receipt is not evidence of approval. HMRC states that trading before the application has been approved is a criminal offence. If the operator says its application is pending, put dispatch on hold while it resolves approval.
If you cannot find a matching entry, ask for the operator's approval evidence or its written explanation of why registration does not apply to your arrangement. Do not label it unregistered solely because a name search failed. HMRC's register publication directs scheme questions to VAT enquiries or its scheme contact email; use those details to seek clarification.
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Keep a dispatch decision record
Keep the contract, operator details, saved register entry, mismatch explanations and receiving instructions together. Record who checked them and who authorised dispatch. Repeat the check before a later shipment if the operator, site or contractual entity changes, and ask for notice of proposed subcontracting.
Confirm the delivery address and receiving contact with the operator before asking the factory to release stock. Coordinate this with checks before paying the supplier's balance. Cambridge China Bridge's staff in China can help align the factory's dispatch documents with your agreed receiving instructions.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I check a fulfilment centre's FHDDS registration?
Use HMRC's Fulfilment House Due Diligence Scheme registered businesses list. Open the relevant name group and match the operating entity's name, address and FHDDS number.
Can a warehouse accept stock while its FHDDS application is pending?
Where approval is required, do not treat a pending application as approval.
What if the warehouse address differs from the FHDDS register?
Ask for a written explanation linking the listed business to the receiving site and approval documentation relevant to the arrangement. Resolve the difference before dispatch.
What if I cannot find the warehouse on HMRC's register?
Try its legal name, trading name and supplied FHDDS number. Request approval evidence or an explanation of why registration does not apply, then seek HMRC clarification before releasing stock.