Do you need a ToR? The new UK online system

At UPakWeShip, we pride ourselves in being experts in the forms and documents needed to safely and securely ship your belongings overseas. We know it can be confusing and overwhelming, with so much information online – which is why when you’re moving to the UK, we’ll be letting you know about the ToR form.

The ToR, or Transfer of Residence form, was introduced to the UK to allow you to ship your items into the country duty-free and tax-free. It should be one of the number one things on your to-do list, as we need your ToR number in order to ship your belongings.

However, to obtain duty and tax-free entry of your used household items there is a criteria:

• You must be shipping your own belongings within 12 months of your personal arrival to the UK.
• You must have lived outside of the UK for the past 12 months.
• You must declare all of your items that you are going to ship have been used for more than 6 months and that you are not going to sell them within the next 12 months.

You can find the full terms and conditions of the ToR on the UK Government’s website, however, before you start the process it’s important to have prepared:

• Your packing list
• A photocopy of your passport page
• Proof of your UK address
• Proof of your current address
• Details of any vehicle you’re bringing with you (yes, we ship vehicles too!)

We know it sounds daunting, and nobody likes paperwork, but don’t worry, when you ship with us, your shipping coordinator will know all of the ins and outs and will talk you through the process…

…Which has just become significantly shorter, thanks to the UK finally getting with the times!

From the 1st of January, the once email-in ToR system has become digitised – you simply submit your ToR via this online application, smoothing about the whole process tenfold!

If you know you’re ineligible for the ToR tax and duty-free relief, for example, all your items are less than 6 months old or you’re sending items to somebody else, then you will need to provide a packing list with used values and a letter explaining the circumstances why you are shipping these items as well as completing the ToR form. UK Customs may then charge duties and taxes if you do not qualify for duty-free entry.

Are you looking at moving to the UK? UPakWeShip has instant, all-inclusive prices for your move available on our website.