GB to NI goods: Category 1, 2 or Standard?
Check your goods in the Northern Ireland Online Tariff using their composition and Chinese origin. Category 1 requires full customs processes; Category 2 and Standard goods can use simplified processes if the movement qualifies. Prepare the factory details with Cambridge China Bridge.
Start with the product, origin and route
This guide concerns goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. HMRC bases categorisation on the goods’ composition and origin, so being China-made does not alone settle the category. Gather the material, function, composition and origin evidence. Use our commodity code guide to establish the code before checking the movement category. For mixed parcels, see our guide to courier forms with limited code fields.
Run the official category check
Open HMRC’s categorisation guidance and follow its Northern Ireland Online Tariff route. Check the actual product and origin rather than a generic supplier description. Save the result and record which product specification you used. If the result depends on an exemption, ask your customs intermediary to confirm the supporting evidence before relying on it. For repeat movements, see our Trader Goods Profile guide.
What the category changes
The category changes both the available process and the information required. For Category 2 goods, prepare the relevant document, certificate, authorisation and reference details, net mass and supplementary units. Ask your intermediary to confirm the applicable additional procedure code.
| Result | Effect on the process | Commodity code |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | Full customs processes; simplified processes unavailable | 10 digits |
| Category 2 | Simplified processes possible, with additional information and applicable document controls | 8 digits; 10 digits also accepted |
| Standard | Simplified processes possible, subject to movement eligibility | 6 digits; 8 or 10 digits also accepted |
Check eligibility separately
A category result is only part of the check. Submitting Internal Market Movement Information requires UK Internal Market Scheme authorisation. Eligible goods must be ‘not at risk’, in free circulation in Great Britain and moving into free circulation in Northern Ireland, and in direct transport between them. Ask your intermediary to check the intended destination, customs status and proposed procedure before booking transport.
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Give your intermediary a usable product file
Send the specification, origin evidence, category result and any proposed exemption evidence together. Ask the factory to explain material substitutions or changed components before dispatch, then recheck the result against the revised specification. For chemicals and coated components, use our REACH guide when preparing the material questions. Cambridge China Bridge’s staff in China can help collect factory information for your intermediary’s review.
Frequently asked questions
Are all goods made in China Category 1?
No. HMRC bases categorisation on composition and origin. Check the actual product in the Northern Ireland Online Tariff rather than assigning a category from the country alone.
Can Category 2 goods use simplified processes?
Yes, if the movement qualifies. They require an 8-digit commodity code, or 10 digits if preferred, plus additional information and applicable document controls.
Does Standard mean I need no customs information?
No. Standard goods still require Internal Market Movement Information and must meet movement eligibility conditions. A 6-digit commodity code is permitted.
Can an exemption change my goods category?
Sometimes. HMRC says qualifying exemptions may enable simplified processes. Ask your intermediary to confirm the conditions and supporting evidence; do not assume a licence always changes the category.