How to Export Wine and Spirits from the UK

Exporting a case of wine or a pallet of whisky out of the UK isn't hard once you've done it, but the first time, it can look like a wall of acronyms. EORI, EMCS, AWRS, VI-1. None of it is complicated in isolation. Below is what's actually involved, without the jargon. If you want to export alcohol then get in touch with our team today and we will take care of the heavy lifting. 

1. Get an EORI number

Before you can lodge a single export declaration with HMRC, you need an EORI number (Economic Operators Registration and Identification), starting with "GB." It's free, it's done online, and without it your goods simply can't clear customs. This is step zero — do it before you commit to a shipment date.

2. Understand how excise duty works on exports

Alcohol is an excise good, which means duty is normally due the moment it leaves a bonded warehouse for the UK market — but goods leaving the UK entirely are treated differently. Shipments can generally move under duty suspension, tracked through the Excise Movement and Control System (EMCS), so duty isn't paid twice — once here, once at the destination. Getting this step wrong is the single most common (and expensive) mistake first-time exporters make, so it's worth setting up properly rather than guessing.

3. Know your commodity codes

Every product needs the right HS/commodity code on the export declaration — wine, spirits and champagne all sit under different codes, and getting it wrong can hold up a shipment at the border. It's a small detail that causes a disproportionate number of delays.

4. Check what the destination country actually wants

This is the part people underestimate. The UK side of the paperwork is only half the job — the receiving country has its own requirements:

• Exporting into the EU — wine typically needs a VI-1 certificate (an EU-mandated analysis and compliance document), and labelling has to meet EU rules on allergens, alcohol content and origin.
• Exporting further afield (US, Asia, Middle East) — expect country-specific import licences, labelling translations, and sometimes local distributor requirements before goods can even land.
• Packaging standards — pallets often need to be heat-treated and ISPM 15 certified, and bottles need to survive the actual journey, not just look nice leaving the warehouse.

5. If you're trading in any volume, look at AWRS

If you're wholesaling rather than sending the occasional case, HMRC's Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme (AWRS) comes into play. It's a registration and approval step, and it's worth sorting out early — trading without it when you should be registered is a compliance headache nobody needs.

The honest version

None of this is designed to be difficult, but it is designed to be precise — and the fastest way to lose money on an export order is a shipment held at a border because one document is missing. This article is general guidance, not customs or legal advice; requirements shift by product and destination, so always check current HMRC guidance or speak to a customs broker before a first shipment.

This is exactly the part we handle for people who'd rather not learn EMCS from scratch. If you're looking to export wine, champagne or spirits from the UK — whether it's a one-off order or an ongoing account — get in touch about our export service and we'll take the paperwork off your hands.