To bring a pallet from France to the United Kingdom or Ireland, agree EXW or FCA with your supplier, price the shipment online in the “From France” direction, for 1 to 3 pallets, then book with a free account. Collection takes place anywhere in mainland France except Corsica, on average within 24 hours if you book before 4 pm French time. Into the UK, plan an import declaration.
Who brings pallets over from France?
Three situations recur: a purchase from a French manufacturer or wholesaler who sells ex works and leaves the transport to the buyer; goods returned from a customer or depot in France; and regular restocking of a shop, workshop or warehouse in the United Kingdom or Ireland. The method never changes: a price, a booking, a collection.
Where can the pallet be collected in France?
Anywhere in mainland France except Corsica: at a manufacturer, a wholesaler, a warehouse or a business customer, in a large city or deep in the countryside. Monaco, Corsica and the French overseas territories need a quote request. A five-digit French postcode is enough to calculate the price; the full address is only asked for when you book.
The online price works from France too
In the calculator, choose “From France”, enter the French collection postcode, your country and your postcode, then your pallets. The ex-VAT price appears in 30 seconds, without signing up, for 35 European countries including the United Kingdom and Ireland. DHL Freight is also priced on some continental routes, though not to the UK or Ireland.
What the online price covers, and when to request a quote
The online price covers 1 to 3 pallets per shipment, up to 2,500 kg of taxable weight, 800 kg per pallet, 400 × 240 cm of floor space and 200 cm high, height compulsory. Beyond that, or for unusual goods, request a quote: a member of our team replies with a firm price in under 2 working hours.
| Your shipment | Online price | Quote request |
|---|---|---|
| Number of pallets | 1 to 3 | More than 3, up to a full load |
| Weight | 2,500 kg taxable, 800 kg per pallet | Heavier loads |
| Dimensions | 400 × 240 cm of floor space, 200 cm high | Out of gauge |
| Goods | General cargo, no ADR, no temperature control | Dangerous or temperature-controlled goods |
| Places | Mainland France excluding Corsica ↔ 35 countries | Corsica, Monaco, overseas territories, Malta, some islands |
| Reply | Price in 30 seconds | Under 2 working hours, 24 hours at most |
EXW, FCA or DAP: who arranges the transport?
The Incoterm agreed with your supplier says who books and pays for the transport. Under EXW, ex works, you take charge of everything from their premises, in principle including loading. Under FCA, they load the goods onto the vehicle you send. Under DAP, they deliver to your site themselves, so there is nothing for you to book.
| Incoterm | Who books the transport | Who loads | Where the risk passes |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXW — ex works | You, the buyer | You in principle, often the supplier in practice | When the goods are made available at the supplier |
| FCA — free carrier | You, the buyer | The supplier | Once loaded onto the vehicle |
| DAP — delivered at place | The supplier | The supplier | On arrival, before unloading |
What your French supplier needs to prepare
Ask for a sound pallet, loaded without overhang, stretch-wrapped over its full height so that the goods are tied to the pallet, and labelled on two sides with the sender, the consignee and the order reference. For the online price, it must not exceed 200 cm in height, pallet included, or 800 kg.
The documents for a shipment from France
Two documents travel with every pallet: the CMR consignment note, drawn up from your booking and signed at collection and on delivery, and your supplier’s commercial invoice, which identifies the goods and their value. Into Ireland, an intra-EU movement, that is all: no customs formalities apply. Into the United Kingdom, customs documents come on top.
Into the United Kingdom: customs formalities since Brexit
Since Brexit, a pallet leaving France for the United Kingdom crosses a customs border. Formalities are compulsory at both ends: an export declaration in France and an import declaration in the UK. The online offer flags them, but customs clearance charges are not included in the price, so plan them with your customs agent.
- EORI number: an EORI number starting with GB, quoted on the import declaration.
- Export declaration in France: lodged by your supplier under FCA, by you under EXW.
- Import declaration in the UK: usually lodged by a customs agent acting for you.
- Commercial invoice: value, origin and commodity code of every item.
The same applies to Gibraltar and to the other destinations outside the EU customs union, the Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla included.
Import duty: commodity codes and preferential origin
Whether duty is payable on entry into the United Kingdom depends on the commodity code of each product and on its origin. Goods that originate in the EU and meet the rules of origin of the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement can enter at a zero tariff, provided preference is claimed on the import declaration.
Origin means where the goods were made, not where they were bought: an item made in Asia and resold by a French wholesaler does not qualify. Ask your supplier for the statement on origin with the order, not once the goods have left.
VAT: the goods and the transport are invoiced separately
Your supplier invoices the goods; we invoice the transport. Into the United Kingdom, the sale is an export from France, free of French VAT once the export is proven, and UK import VAT is due on entry. A VAT-registered business can account for it on its VAT return through postponed VAT accounting.
Into Ireland, the sale is an intra-Community supply, invoiced without VAT if your VAT number is valid on VIES, and you reverse-charge the VAT. The transport is invoiced ex VAT, with no French VAT, to any business established outside France.
Booking and paying: a free account and card payment
To book at the price shown, open a free business account with your company name and your VAT number or tax ID. You pay by card, in euros, when you book: ex VAT for a business established outside France. The monthly invoice follows between the 10th and the 15th of the following month.
Collection in France: on average within 24 hours
If the booking is confirmed before 4 pm French time, which is 3 pm in the UK and Ireland, collection at your supplier takes place on average within 24 hours. The driver calls on a working day between 8.30 am and 5 pm, along their round, so the exact time is not known in advance.
Delivery to you: a lead time that varies and is never guaranteed
The delivery time depends on your country and region, on the number of platforms the pallet passes through and, for the United Kingdom, on customs clearance: it varies and is never guaranteed. For a fixed date, request a quote for a dedicated vehicle. On arrival, check the goods and note any damage on the CMR before signing.
Check before you book
Most problems are set up before collection: a pallet taller than declared, a supplier closed when the driver calls, an incomplete address, an EXW sale with no means of loading or, for the United Kingdom, missing customs paperwork. Each one is avoided by a few minutes’ check with your supplier before you book.
- Dimensions, height and weight of each pallet confirmed by the supplier.
- Address, opening hours, closure days and a contact at the collection site.
- Incoterm agreed and loading responsibilities clear.
- For the United Kingdom: EORI number, customs agent, commodity codes and statement on origin ready.
- For Ireland: a VAT number valid on VIES for your supplier’s invoice.
FAQ
- Is the price the same from France and to France?
- No, each direction has its own rate. In the calculator, choose “From France” for a pallet collected at your French supplier and delivered to you: the ex-VAT price appears in 30 seconds, for 1 to 3 pallets. If your supplier offers to deliver under DAP, compare their charge with that price before you decide.
- Do I need an EORI number to import a pallet from France into the UK?
- Yes. Since Brexit, a business importing goods into the United Kingdom needs an EORI number starting with GB, quoted on the import declaration. The declaration itself is usually lodged by a customs agent acting for you. These formalities are compulsory and their charges are not included in the online price. Goods from France to Ireland need no EORI.
- Is there import duty on goods bought in France?
- Into the United Kingdom, goods that originate in the EU and meet the rules of origin of the EU–UK trade agreement can enter at a zero tariff, provided preference is claimed, usually on the strength of the exporter’s statement on origin. Goods made elsewhere and resold from France may be dutiable. Into Ireland, an intra-EU movement, no duty applies.
- How long between booking and delivery?
- If the booking is confirmed before 4 pm French time, collection in France takes place on average within 24 hours, on a working day between 8.30 am and 5 pm. The delivery time then depends on your country, your region and, for the United Kingdom, customs clearance: it varies and is never guaranteed. For a fixed date, request a quote.