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EORI number: When do you need it for customs procedures, and how do you get one?

CATO / Blog / EORI number: When do you need it for customs procedures, and how do you get one?
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You order goods from a supplier in China, the UK, or the US, and the shipment suddenly gets stuck at customs. Without an EORI number, the customs authority won't clear the shipment, even if everything else about the goods and payment is in order.

Companies trading only within the EU rarely run into this problem, but as soon as goods cross the EU's external border, EORI registration becomes a requirement.

Getting one in advance is simple and free. The problem arises when a company only realizes it needs an EORI number once its goods are already held up at the border.

What is EORI and who needs one

EORI (Economic Operators Registration and Identification) is a unique identification number for economic operators dealing with customs authorities, valid across the entire European Union. It is assigned by the customs administration of one member state, and the company or sole trader then uses it for any customs procedure anywhere in the EU.

  1. Who needs it: Companies and sole traders that import or export goods to or from countries outside the EU, including the UK following Brexit.
  2. Who doesn't need it: Businesses trading exclusively in goods within the EU, or companies providing services only, without any physical movement of goods across the EU's external border.
  3. E-commerce and buying from foreign suppliers: The need for an EORI number is often discovered by online stores once they start buying goods directly from manufacturers in China or other third countries.

How does the registration work

A company or sole trader applies for an EORI number with the Czech Customs Administration, typically electronically through the customs administration's portal. The application requires basic identification details of the business, including its company registration number and tax ID.

  1. Number format: A Czech EORI number takes the form of "CZ" followed by the entity's tax ID.
  2. Validity: The number is assigned once and is valid in all EU member states; there is no need to apply for a new EORI number when trading with a different EU country.
  3. Link to VAT: Customs procedures and EORI are directly connected to import VAT and intrastat reporting, so it's worth handling registration together with an accounting firm that knows both areas.

What to watch out for

  1. Apply in advance, not at the last minute: The EORI number must be active before the first customs declaration is filed. Sorting it out on the fly, once goods are already at the border, means delays and storage costs.
  2. Check your supply chain too: If a freight forwarder or customs agent files the declaration on your behalf, make sure they are acting under your EORI number, not their own, otherwise you remain invisible to customs as the importer of record.
  3. Don't confuse it with your VAT tax ID: EORI and your tax ID are two different numbers with two different purposes, even though the EORI number is derived from it. Customs systems require the EORI number specifically, not the tax ID.

Without an EORI number, importing or exporting goods outside the EU effectively grinds to a halt. At CATO, we'll check whether you need an EORI number and arrange registration so it's ready before you urgently need it.


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