Exporting or importing objects of cultural interest
Source: gov.uk (2025-06-27)

What you need to know and do to export or import objects of cultural interest.

Exporting objects of cultural interest from Great Britain

You need a UK export licence to export objects of cultural interest from Great Britain to any destination outside the UK.

You do not need an export licence to move objects of cultural interest from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

How to apply for an export licence

The export licensing system is administered by Arts Council England (ACE), and the application can be completed online on ACE’s website (https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/supporting-arts-museums-and-libraries/export-licensing#t-in-page-nav-2).

You can also find more information about procedures and guidance for exporters (https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/supporting-arts-museums-and-libraries/export-licensing#t-in-page-nav-3), including information about when a referral to expert advisers is needed, the Open General Export Licence (https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/export-controls/export-licensing#section-2) and the statutory guidance (https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/supporting-arts-museums-and-libraries/export-licensing#t-in-page-nav-3).

If your licence is approved

A digital version of the issued licence will be emailed to you. You can also access a digital version of the issued licence via the Export Licensing Online portal (https://artscouncil-self.achieveservice.com/).

You will need to attach a digital copy of the issued export licence to your Export Declaration and send it to HMRC’s National Clearance Hub through CDS.

Officers at the National Clearance Hub will check the licences and declarations and if all is in order will notify ACE that Permission to Progress (P2P) has been given so that the ACE can close that licence.

Exporters are advised to retain a digital copy of the licence and present it to Border Force Officers if requested to do so.

What you need to do is different if you are:

sending goods through the post (https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/106)

taking goods in your luggage, car or van to sell (https://www.gov.uk/take-goods-sell-abroad?step-by-step-nav=b9347000-c726-4c3c-b76a-e52b6cebb3eb)

taking goods temporarily out of the UK (https://www.gov.uk/take-goods-sell-abroad?step-by-step-nav=b9347000-c726-4c3c-b76a-e52b6cebb3eb)

Exporting objects of cultural interest from Northern Ireland

The arrangements for exporting objects of cultural interest from Northern Ireland are different to those for Great Britain. Some exports of objects of cultural interest from Northern Ireland will require an EU export licence.

Exports from Northern Ireland to EU Member States require a UK export licence.

Exports from Northern Ireland directly to non-EU countries require an EU export licence.

Direct movements from Northern Ireland to Great Britain do not require an export licence. Objects from Northern Ireland which are being exported to a non-UK destination through a port or airport in Great Britain will require a UK export licence for their final export from the UK.

Exports from EU Member States which are in transit through Northern Ireland, which have not been definitively despatched from the EU or which have not entered into free circulation in Northern Ireland, may require an EU export licence issued by the relevant EU Member State to permit them to be exported to Great Britain.

EU and UK export licences for objects of cultural interest from Northern Ireland are also issued by ACE. Information and guidance on export licences for objects of cultural interest is available on ACE’s website (https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/export-controls/export-licensing#section-1).

If you are in any doubt as to whether you require an export licence or which export licence you require, you are strongly advised to contact ACE at: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Importing objects of cultural interest into Great Britain

There are no licensing requirements for importing objects of cultural interest into Great Britain. However, if you are importing into from an EU Member State you’ll need to comply with the EU export licensing regime. If you are importing into Great Britain from any other country, you’ll need to comply with the export licensing regime of that country. You should check with the licensing authorities in the country of export to find out what you need to do.

Importing objects of cultural interest into Northern Ireland

If you are importing into Northern Ireland from the EU, you’ll need to comply with the export licensing regime of the relevant EU member state. You should check with the licensing authorities in the country of export to find out what you need to do.

If you are importing into Northern Ireland from any non-EU country, or moving objects from Great Britain, the following requirements may apply.

It is prohibited to bring into Northern Ireland cultural goods listed at Part A of the Annex to Regulation (EU) 2019/880 (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2019.151.01.0001.01.ENG) on the introduction and the import of cultural goods which have been removed from the country in which they were created or discovered in breach of the laws and regulations of that country.

This includes cultural goods brought into Northern Ireland from Great Britain. It does not apply to cultural goods which were created or discovered in Northern Ireland or in an EU Member State.

From 28 June 2025 some cultural goods imports into Northern Ireland and the EU from non-EU countries, including some movements of cultural goods from Great Britain, will require an import licence or importer statement. For temporary admission you may be able to claim an exemption from these requirements.

You must have an import licence, importer statement or temporary admission exemption to import into Northern Ireland or the EU cultural goods which:
- were created or discovered outside the territory of Northern Ireland or the EU;
- are of importance for archaeology, history, prehistory, literature, art or science;
- are within the categories listed in Part B (import licences) or Part C (importer statements) of the Annex to Regulation (EU) 2019/880 (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2019.151.01.0001.01.ENG) on the introduction and the import of cultural goods and are above any age and value thresholds for the relevant category;
- are not returned Northern Ireland or EU goods within the meaning of Article 203 of the Union Customs Code (Regulation (EU) 952/2013)); and
- storage, comprising customs warehousing and free zones;
- specific use, comprising temporary admission and end-use;
- inward processing.
If your cultural goods are in transit through Northern Ireland, you will need to apply for an import licence (if applicable) and present your goods with the import licence, importer statement or exemption (as applicable) to the authorities of the EU Member State where they cease to be in transit and enter into free circulation or one of the other customs procedures set out above.

Applying for an import licence, importer statement and exemption

Import licence applications, importer statements and exemptions must be set up and submitted through the Import of Cultural Goods (ICG) IT system which you can access through the TRACES NT (https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/tracesnt/login) platform. You will need to be registered as an economic operator with either an EU or a Northern Ireland (XI) EORI number in order to use the system. If you do not have an EORI number, you can find information on how to get a Northern Ireland EORI number here (https://www.gov.uk/eori).

Import licences for cultural goods imports into Northern Ireland are issued by Arts Council England (ACE) in the ICG system.

For your import licence application or importer statement you will need evidence of the lawful provenance of the cultural goods you intend to import. This should include either an export licence from the relevant country or evidence that an export licence was not required at the time of the export. The relevant country will be either:
- the country in which the cultural goods were created or discovered, or
- the country in which the cultural goods were created or discovered cannot be reliably determined, or
- the cultural goods left that country before 24 April 1972.
You may also need to provide other documents to support your import licence application or your importer statement.

If you are importing cultural goods under temporary admission for the purpose of education, science, conservation, restoration, exhibition, digitisation, performing arts, research by academic institutions or cooperation between museums or similar institutions, you may be able to claim an exemption from the import licence or importer statement requirements. To qualify for an exemption, the importing institution must register in the ICG IT system.

If you are importing cultural goods which require an import licence for exhibition and possible sale at an art fair, you may use an importer statement for the import instead of an import licence. However, if the goods are then sold and will remain in Northern Ireland or be moved into the EU, you will need to submit an application for an import licence.

Information and guidance on import licences, importer statements and temporary admission exemptions is available on ACE’s website (https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/supporting-arts-museums-and-libraries/supporting-museums/importing-cultural-goods-northern-ireland-new-european-requirements?auHash=xoNHMfgCJiPjcf0h6cTnKw99kx0huiKAKYYEutlxXn8) and on the European Commission’s website (https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/customs-4/prohibitions-and-restrictions/cultural-goods_en).