A Bonded Warehouse is a customs special procedure used by businesses who both import and re-export goods to territories outside the country in which they are stored in. For example, fulfilling e-commerce sales to customers based outside the UK.
By placing goods into a Bonded Warehouse, businesses can suspend import duty and import VAT until the goods are released or re-exported, improving cash flow and reducing upfront tax costs. When managed effectively, this can deliver meaningful savings and support international growth.
BKR provides fully comprehensive support in preparing your business to become a Bonded Warehouse, before presenting your application to HMRC for a Bonded Warehouse authorisation.
From initial solution design to representation at HMRC interviews, we guide you through every stage of the approval process with precision and expertise to ensure a successful return on investment.

Whether you need help applying for, or managing an existing Bonded Warehouse, or are just exploring the concept of becoming a UK Bonded Warehouse, we have a solution for you.
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Feasibility & Eligibility Assessment
Aimed at businesses exploring the concept of applying for a Bonded Warehouse, our Feasibility Assessment is a low-budget solution to ensure your business is eligible, has considered any operational adjustments required, and has a full financial overview of both the savings and costs associated with operating a Bonded Warehouse.
The service includes:
A full in-person review of security, health & safety, and operational procedures against the mandatory HMRC eligibility criteria
Production of a dynamic commercial model to analyse both the duty-savings and operational costs of operating a Bonded Warehouse
A documented assessment report containing a list of recommendations and key observations that should be considered as part of the stakeholder decision
Application & Project Management
Full end-to-end project management to help prepare and set-up your business to become a Bonded Warehouse authorised facility. From the moment you decide to apply for a Bonded Warehouse authorisation, to the date your authorisation is granted, BKR’s specialist trade advisors will guide you through each and every stage.
The service includes:
Advisory to set-up and design operational procedures required as part of the authorisation process
Co-creation of Bonded Warehouse standard operating procedure documents and presentation of the application to HMRC officers
Full support communicating and addressing queries raised by HMRC evaluators, including attendance at the mandatory in-person interviews
A successful return on investment guaranteed as a result of BKR’s 100% successful application rate
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Outsourced Bonded Warehouse Management
A tailored solution for clients seeking to obtain, or already approved for Bonded Warehouse, who wish to explore options to outsource the daily operational management to experienced professionals, ensuring compliance, efficiency, and peace of mind.
The service includes:
Dedicated account managers that are specifically trained to oversee and manage complex Bonded Warehouse procedures from remote positions and ensure full import duty savings are being realised.
Direct integration between preferred WMS / ERP platforms and BKR’s specialist duty management software, eliminating the need for additional data entry and license subscriptions
No requirements to recruit, upskill or procure costly software that risk eroding the true financial and operational benefits of operating a UK Bonded Warehouse.
Speak With An Advisor
Let us know a little bit about how we can help and one of our customs experts will be in touch to arrange a consultation at the next mutually convenient date.
Schedule a free 30-minute consultation with one of our Advisors
Toby Spink
Director
Elizabeth Weldon
Head of Operations
Georgina Halls
Head of Advisory
Less Cost, Less Hassle, More Control
Our outsourced Bonded Warehouse management service provides a fully integrated, low-risk solution that simplifies duty management while maximising savings.
Interested parties gain immediate access to our specialist duty management software, which is supported by dedicated account managers trained specifically to manage your Bonded Warehouse requirements. Their expertise enables optimised decision-making to unlock additional duty savings while reducing the risk of non-compliance.
With minimal administration and a significantly reduced risk of human error, the service removes the need to recruit, train or upskill internal staff, delivering a stable, year-round solution that is unaffected by staff turnover or absences.

Let us know a little bit about how we can help and one of our customs experts will be in touch to arrange a consultation at the next mutually convenient date.
Contact us using the details below, or simply fill out the contact form:
While the process may appear to begin with completing an online application, in reality much of the work takes place well before the form is submitted. Many applicants encounter difficulties when they realise that HMRC expects robust systems and procedures to already be in place.
Key requirements include having suitable record-keeping processes to monitor and trace the customs status of goods within the facility, as well as clearly documented procedures that define responsibilities and day-to-day activities to ensure ongoing compliance with the conditions of authorisation.
To avoid wasted time and unnecessary cost, it is strongly recommended that you first assess your eligibility and work with a specialist. This ensures that any preparation or investment is targeted effectively and gives your application the highest possible chance of success.
A CBonded Warehouse is a specific customs procedure that allows imported goods to be stored under customs control with duty and import VAT suspended until the goods are released to free circulation, re-exported, or placed under another customs procedure.
A Bonded Warehouse is generally an informal, non-technical term commonly used in industry to describe any facility where goods are stored with duties suspended. In practice, most “bonded warehouses” in the UK and EU are operating under a Customs Warehouse authorisation, making Customs Warehouse the correct legal term.
From the date HMRC formally accepts your application, they are permitted up to 60 days to review and make a decision. If a Bonded Warehouse application is submitted alongside Simplified Customs Declaration Procedures (SCDP), this review period can extend to 120 days.
It’s important to note that significant preparation is required before an application can be submitted. This pre-application phase typically takes an additional 30–60 days, depending on the applicant’s level of readiness at the outset.
As a result, we recommend planning for a total timeframe of 90–120 days for a standard Bonded Warehouse application, and up to 180 days where a Bonded Warehouse and SCDP application are made together.
Yes. When preparing your application, we will assess all locations in which you wish to be covered by the Bonded Warehouse authorisation.
So long as all locations adhere to the same record keeping, security, health and safety and general conditions of the authorisation, there is usually no reason why additional locations cannot be added or removed at a later date either.
HMRC provides a basic set of requirements to consider before applying for a Bonded Warehouse. These include:
• Being established in the UK
• Holding a UK EORI number
• Being financially solvent
• Maintaining a good compliance record with HMRC
• Demonstrating an economic need for a Bonded Warehouse
• Having processes to declare goods to HMRC
• Managing inventory records and operating the warehouse to health and safety standards
• Providing a customs guarantee if requested
While these points cover the minimum requirements, true eligibility is typically determined through a detailed review of operational procedures and record-keeping systems.
To help applicants assess readiness and reduce the risk of costly delays or failure, we offer a Feasibility and Eligibility Assessment. This allows businesses to verify their eligibility and financial model against a significantly lower-budget, before committing to the full application process.
Beyond meeting the basic eligibility criteria, a successful Bonded Warehouse application typically depends on an applicant’s ability to demonstrate knowledge and control over the authorisation. Key factors include:
• The systems and record-keeping measures used to manage inventory
• How goods with different customs statuses will be identified
• How stock accuracy will be monitored and maintained
• How customs declarations will be submitted to HMRC
• Whether the facility has adequate security measures in place
Designing and implementing these systems can be highly technical. To help applicants assess readiness and reduce the risk of costly delays or failure, we offer a Feasibility and Eligibility Assessment. This enables businesses to verify their eligibility and financial model at a lower cost before committing to the full application process.