Country Conditions for Mailing — Great Britain and
Northern Ireland
(Includes England, Scotland, Wales,
Northern Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey,
Alderney, Sark, and the Isle of Man)
Prohibitions (130)
Aerosols.
Ammunition, except lead pellets.
Animals, live (including reptiles).
Arms and parts of arms, or any component classified as munitions of war; imitations and antiques; paint-ball or toy guns; taser guns; air rifles, air pistols, components of firearms, and all other items similar to or resembling the foregoing.
Articles, goods infringing British trademarks or copyright laws.
Asbestos items of any kind.
Christmas crackers (holiday popper).
Clinical and medical waste (e.g., contaminated dressings, bandages, and needles).
Coins; platinum, gold, or silver (manufactured or not); precious stones; jewels; and other valuable articles.
Counterfeit currency, bank notes, and postage stamps.
Dies and equipment for making imitations, etc., of any current postage stamp for denoting any rate of postage.
Fish, live.
Frozen food.
Frozen water (including bags of ice).
Goods made in foreign prisons, except those imported for a noncommercial purpose or of a kind not manufactured in the United Kingdom.
Human and animal cremated remains (ashes).
Indecent and obscene prints, paintings, books, cards, lithographs, and other engravings, films, video tapes, or any other indecent or obscene articles.
Lead acid batteries (e.g., car batteries) and sealed lead acid batteries.
Lottery tickets and related advertisements for illegal lotteries.
Medicines classified as flammable or toxic.
Radioactive materials and samples that are classified as radioactive using Table 2-12 of the latest edition of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Technical Instructions — e.g., fissile material (uranium 235, etc.), radioactive waste material, thorium, or uranium ores and luminous dials from aircraft.
Soil.
Soiled clothes and rags.
Stun gun, electric.
Switchblade knives (also knows as flick knives) and gravity knives.
Waste, dirt, filth, or refuse, including household waste or rubbish.
Restrictions
A consignment of live bees must contain only queen bees and their attendant workers; colonies are not permitted. Each consignment must be accompanied by an import license issued by the Dept. of Agriculture (DEFRA) and a health certificate issued by the country of origin.
Caterpillars, cockroaches, crickets, destroyers of noxious pests, earthworms, fish fry and eggs, flies of the family Drosophilidae, leeches, lugworms, maggots, mealworms, pupae and chrysalides, rag worms, silkworms, spiders, and stick insects are admissible only for biomedical research (see license requirement for bees).
Medicines and drugs when sent for scientific purposes must be sent by a practitioner, registered dental practitioner, veterinary surgeon, registered nurse, or recognized laboratory or institution.
Plants and parts of plants require an import permit issued by the appropriate Agricultural Department in the United Kingdom.
Vaccines may be sent only by, or at the specific request of, a qualified medical practitioner, registered dental practitioner, veterinary surgeon, registered nurse, or recognized laboratory or institution.
Observations
- The following is a list of the names of the counties and city names in Northern Ireland. The County names are in capital letters. The geographic identifiers should be used in addressing mail to Northern Ireland:
- Many types of merchandise, unless sent as unsolicited gifts, require import licenses that the addressees must obtain from the British Board of Trade. Before mailing commercial shipments, senders should be assured that the addressees can obtain licenses if needed.
- All goods sent to the UK are liable to customs duty and Value Added Tax on importation whether or not the package is marked as a “gift.” Packages are admitted free of customs charges, however, if they meet the following conditions:
- Gift packages of small value provided they do not contain any tobacco goods, spirits or wine;
- Gift packages containing only well-worn clothing (excluding garments of high value), limited quantities of foodstuffs (other than caviar), soap or consumable medical supplies.
- Postal packages without a customs declaration that contain goods liable to customs duty or control may be seized by the customs authorities.
- Firearms that are intended for sporting purposes are mailable to Great Britain, provided the prospective addressee has obtained the required import license.
- Great Britain limits the weight of M-bags to 20 kg. (44 lbs.).
Global Express Guaranteed (210) Price Group 3
General Conditions for Mailing
See Publication 141, Global Express Guaranteed Service Guide, for information about areas served in the destination country, allowable contents, packaging and labeling requirements, tracking and tracing, service standards, and other conditions for mailing.
Size Limits (211.22)
The surface area of the address side of the item to be mailed must be large enough to completely contain the Global Express Guaranteed Air Waybill/Shipping Invoice (shipping label), postage, endorsement, and any applicable markings. The shipping label is approximately 5.5 inches high and 9.5 inches long.
Maximum length: 46 inches
Maximum width: 35 inches
Maximum height: 46 inches
Maximum length and girth combined: 108 inches
Value Limit (212.1)
The maximum value of a GXG shipment to this country is $2,499 or a lesser amount if limited by content or value.
Insurance (212.5)
Priority Mail Express
International (220) Price Group 11
Priority Mail Express International — Flat Rate Envelopes and Flat Rate Boxes
Size Limits (221.52)
Maximum length: 36 inches
Maximum length and girth combined: 79 inches
Insurance (222.8)
Available for Priority Mail Express International merchandise shipments only
See Exhibit 322.2 for individual country merchandise insurance limits. See Notice 123, Price List, for the fee schedule for Priority Mail Express International merchandise insurance coverage.
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Customs Forms Required (123)
Articles Admitted
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Required Customs
Form/Endorsement
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Business correspondence, commercial papers, and documents.
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No form required. Endorse item clearly next to mailing label as BUSINESS PAPERS.
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Merchandise samples without commercial value.
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PS Form 2976.
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Merchandise and all articles subject to customs duty.
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PS Form 2976-A inside PS Form 2976-E (envelope).
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Note: For mailers completing PS Form 2976-B or an online combined shipping label and customs form that electronically transmits customs-related data, no additional customs form is required (see 222.5).
Notes:
- Coins; banknotes; currency notes, including paper money; securities of any kind payable to bearer; traveler’s checks; platinum, gold, and silver; precious stones; jewelry; watches; and other valuable articles are prohibited in Priority Mail Express International shipments to Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
- Priority Mail Express International With Money-Back Guarantee service — which offers a date-certain, postage-refund guarantee — is available to Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Reciprocal Service Name: Datapost
Country Code: GB
Areas Served:
All points in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark, and the Isle of Man.
Priority Mail International (230) Price Group 11
Note: Ordinary Priority Mail International includes indemnity at no cost based on weight. (See 230.)
Priority Mail International — Flat Rate
Flat Rate Envelopes or Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes: The maximum weight is 4 pounds. Refer to Notice 123, Price List, for the applicable retail, Commercial Base, or Commercial Plus price.
Flat Rate Boxes — Medium and Large: The maximum weight is 20 pounds, or the limit set by the individual country, whichever is less. Refer to Notice 123, Price List, for the retail, Commercial Base, or Commercial Plus price.
Size Limits (231.22)
Maximum length: 60 inches
Maximum length and girth combined: 108 inches
Insurance (232.92)
NOT Available
Customs Forms Required (123)
Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes:
PS Form 2976 as required (see 123.61)
Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes:
PS Form 2976
Priority Mail International parcels:
PS Form 2976-A inside PS Form 2976-E (envelope)
First-Class Mail International (240) Price Group 5
Size Limits
Letters: See 241.212
Postcards: See 241.221
Large Envelopes (Flats): See 241.232
Customs Form Required (123)
PS Form 2976 as required (see 123.61)
First-Class Package International Service (250) Price Group 5
Size Limits
Packages (Small Packets): See 251.22 and 251.23.
Customs Form Required (123)
PS Form 2976
Airmail M-bags (260) —
Direct Sack to One Addressee Price Group 5
Customs Form Required (123)
PS Form 2976
Free Matter for the Blind (270)
Free when sent as First-Class Mail International, First-Class Package International Service, Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes, or Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes. Weight limit: 4 pounds.
Free when sent as Priority Mail International. Weight limit: 15 pounds.
Customs Form Required (123)
First-Class Mail International items, First-Class Package International Service items, Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes, and Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes:
PS Form 2976 as required (see 123.61)
Priority Mail International parcels:
PS Form 2976-A inside PS Form 2976-E (envelope)
Certificate of Mailing (313)
Individual Pieces — Refer to Notice 123, Price List, for the applicable price:
Individual article (PS Form 3817).
Firm mailing books (PS Form 3877), per article listed (minimum 3).
Duplicate copy of PS Form 3817 or PS Form 3877 (per page).
Bulk Quantities — Refer to Notice 123, Price List, for the applicable price:
First 1,000 pieces (or fraction thereof).
Each additional 1,000 pieces (or fraction thereof).
Duplicate copy of PS Form 3606.
Registered Mail (330)
Fee: Refer to Notice 123, Price List, for the applicable price.
Maximum Indemnity: $46.09
Available only for First-Class Mail International, including postcards, First-Class Package International Service, Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes, Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes, and Free Matter for the Blind.
Return Receipt (340)
Fee: Refer to Notice 123, Price List, for the applicable price.
Available for Registered Mail only.
Restricted Delivery (350)
NOT Available for International Mail as of January 27, 2013
International Postal Money Order (371)
NOT Available
International Reply Coupons (371)
NOT Available for International Mail as of January 27, 2013
International Business Reply Service (382)
Fee: Refer to Notice 123, Price List, for the applicable price:
Envelopes up to 2 ounces.
Cards.
