PRE-ARRIVAL

Anybody sailing to or from the UK should read: the UK Government page on Customs Rules.

Arriving into Great Britain:

You must tell HMRC if you’re arriving into Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) from anywhere other than Northern Ireland.

Report arrivals from:

• EU countries
• rest of the world
• the Channel Islands

Arriving into Northern Ireland:

You must tell HMRC if you’re arriving into Northern Ireland from anywhere other than Great Britain.

Report arrivals from:

• EU countries
• rest of the world
• Ireland (you do not need to report passenger or crew details)
• Channel Islands

If you are leaving or entering the UK on a pleasure boat of any kind, you are required to submit an online, pleasure craft report.

Visit spcr.homeoffice.gov.uk and complete the simple, one-stop digital form up to 24 hours before you depart. This is a new online form (August 2022) and replaces form C1331 – although the old paper-version of the form can still be completed should yachts not have internet access (see below).

ARRIVAL FORMALITIES

Advance Notification:

On arrival in UK waters all yachts arriving from outside the UK or the Channel Islands should call the National Yachtline.

Phone: 0300 123 2012
Opening times: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Yachtline will want to check that nothing has changes since the pre-departure online submission. If you did not manage to complete the pleasure craft report they will endeavour to obtain all required information by phone and/or email (follow the link to find out what information is required). They will involve the UK Border Force (UKBA) (for Customs and Immigration) as required.

If there are animals or birds on board or any illness, health clearance must be obtained. The captain should contact the port health authority or local authority responsible for port health control by radio, 4 to 12 hours before arrival. See below for more details.

General Process:

All yachts must fly the ‘Q’ flag, where it can readily be seen, as soon as you enter UK waters (the 12-mile limit) – this includes if coming from the Channel Islands. At night the flag should be illuminated. Do not take down the flag until clearance with Customs is complete.

• Immigration: Anyone on board who is not a UK national must get a UKBA officer’s permission to enter the UK from a place other than the Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands. If there is anyone on board requiring immigration clearance, the National Yachtline will be able to advise on how to contact the nearest UKBA office by phone to arrange clearance. The skipper must ensure the family and given names, date of birth and nationality are provided for all crew.
• Customs: If you have not completed the online pleasure craft report form prior to arrival, the National Yachtline will ask you to complete form C1331. This can either be completed online and emailed, or printed and mailed. See Customs for more details.
• Health: If there are animals or birds on board or any illness, health clearance must be obtained. The captain should contact the port health authority or local authority responsible for port health control by radio, 4 to 12 hours before arrival and, if this is not possible, immediately on arrival. Until health clearance is given no one, except officials, may board the vessel nor anyone leave.

CLEARING OUT

Domestic Clearance:

If you are going directly to another UK port, you won’t need to make a Customs report unless specifically asked to do so by an officer.

Immigration does not have to be notified when leaving the UK if the destination port is in the Channel Islands.

International Clearance:

When leaving the UK (other than going to Northern Ireland), yachts should once again use the online pleasure craft report form, or complete Form C1331 (as above for arrivals).

See UK Government Guidance on Departure from the UK.

If a planned departure is delayed by more than 48 hours or abandoned, Border Force must be informed accordingly. Telephone: 01304 664 120.

You need to notify a Border Force (Immigration) officer only if you are carrying someone who has no right of abode in the UK. In these circumstances you must tell a Border Force officer in advance.

Pleasure Craft Unit of Expertise
E-mail: pleasurecraft.lcsouth@hmrc.gov.uk.
Telephone: 03000 516 864

Last updated:  August 2022

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