Customs Duty & Allowances for Trucks Entering Europe (2025 Guide)

Moving goods across European borders by road can be complex. Unlike air passengers, trucking companies must deal with customs declarations, duty charges, and strict documentation requirements.

This guide explains how duty free allowances and customs rules apply to trucks entering the UK, France, Italy, and Belgium — and how ExpressDeclare simplifies the process for logistics operators.

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Customs Declarations for Trucks: The Basics

• Every truck crossing into the UK or EU must submit a customs declaration.
  
• Allowances are different from those for personal travel — they depend on commercial shipment type, value, and HS code classification.
  
• Missing or incomplete declarations can cause:
  
  • Delays at the border
    
  • Additional inspections
    
  • Fines or penalties for the operator
    

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UK Truck Customs Requirements (2025)

• Customs Declaration Service (CDS): All imports/exports must be logged.
  
• Transit Documents: T1/T2 for goods under customs control.
  
• Safety & Security (ENS/EXS) declarations: Required before arrival/departure.
  
• Allowance Concept: Trucks don’t get “duty free,” but goods under certain value thresholds or preferential trade agreements may enter duty-free.
  

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France Truck Customs Requirements (2025)

• Douane française (French Customs) requires electronic customs declarations.
  
• Goods Movement Reference (GMR): Must be created in systems like SI Brexit for UK–FR crossings.
  
• Allowance Concept: Based on trade agreements (EU origin goods may be duty-free).
  

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Italy & Belgium Truck Customs Requirements

• Similar EU customs rules apply:
  
  • Import declaration in the Automated Import System (AIS)
    
  • Transit documents for goods under customs supervision
    
  • Preferential duty rates for goods covered by trade deals
    

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Common Mistakes Trucking Companies Make

1. Incomplete or late customs declaration filing
   
2. Wrong commodity codes (HS codes) → wrong duty calculation
   
3. Forgetting safety & security declarations
   
4. Not checking if goods qualify for preferential duty under trade agreements
   
5. Mixing driver personal allowances with commercial shipments
   

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How ExpressDeclare Helps Truck Operators

• ✅ End-to-end customs declaration filing for trucks
  
• ✅ Support for UK, France, Italy, and Belgium entries
  
• ✅ Avoid penalties, fines, and border delays
  
• ✅ Fast, digital process tailored to logistics companies
  

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Conclusion

For trucks entering Europe, there’s no simple “duty free allowance” like air travelers enjoy. Instead, accurate customs declarations and correct duty calculations are the key to smooth border crossings.

👉 With ExpressDeclare, hauliers and logistics operators can file customs declarations online, ensure compliance, and keep goods moving.

Start your truck customs declaration today at ExpressDeclare.com

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FAQs (AEO Optimized)

Q1: Do trucks get duty free allowances like passengers?
No. Commercial trucks must declare all goods. Duty depends on HS codes and trade agreements.

Q2: What happens if a truck doesn’t file a customs declaration?
Goods may be delayed, seized, or fined at the border.

Q3: Can ExpressDeclare handle multiple trucks and shipments?
Yes. We support declarations for fleets, logistics firms, and freight forwarders.