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)
Any postal item containing enclosures addressed to different persons at different addresses.
Arms and parts of arms, except as noted under Observation #5 below.
Articles, goods infringing British trademarks or copyright laws.
Bullion, coins, banknotes, securities, or negotiable financial instruments of any kind.
Cards decorated with mica or ground glass or similar materials unless they are placed in envelopes.
Citizens Band Radios, walkie-talkies, microbugs, and radio microphones that are capable of transmitting on any frequency between 26.1 and 29.7 megacycles per second and 88 to 108 Mhz per second.
Goods made in foreign prisons, except those imported for a non-commercial purpose or of a kind not manufactured in the UK.
Horror comics and matrices.
Jewelry, precious metals, precious or semi-precious stones.
Obscene articles, prints, paintings, cards, films, videotapes, etc.
Perishable infectious biological substances.
Seal skins except those from an accepted source.
Switchblade knives.
Restrictions
Foods or beverages to which any preservative or other substance has been added must comply with the British regulations for importation.
Live bees.
Live queen bees must be accompanied by an import license issued by a UK Government Agricultural Department and a health certificate issued by the appropriate Government Department of the country of origin stating that the bees are free of disease.
Meat, meat products, and animal products including dry sausage and dried milk require import license issued by appropriate UK Agricultural Department.
Plants and parts of plants require import permit issued by the appropriate Agricultural Department in UK.
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.).
Customs Forms Required (123)
First-Class Mail International items and Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes and Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes:
PS Form 2976 (see 123.61)
Priority Mail International parcels:
PS Form 2976-A inside 2976-E (envelope)
Global Express Guaranteed (210) Price Group 3
Insurance (212.5)
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.
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
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.
Express Mail International (220) Price Group 11
Express Mail International — Flat Rate Envelope and Flat Rate Boxes
Insurance (222.8)
Available for Express Mail International merchandise shipments only
Articles Admitted
|
Required Customs
Form/Endorsement
|
Business correspondence, commercial papers, and documents.
|
No form required. Endorse item clearly next to mailing label as BUSINESS PAPERS.
|
Merchandise samples without commercial value.
|
PS Form 2976, Customs — CN 22 and Sender’s Declaration.
|
Merchandise and all articles subject to customs duty.
|
PS Form 2976-A, Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note CP 72, inside a PS Form 2976-E, Customs Declaration Envelope CP 91.
|
Size Limits (221.52)
Maximum length: 36 inches
Maximum length and girth combined: 79 inches
- 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 Express Mail International shipments to Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
- Express Mail International With 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.
Insurance (232.92)
NOT Available
Size Limits (231.22)
Maximum length: 60 inches
Maximum length and girth combined: 108 inches
First-Class Mail International (240) Price Group 5
For the prices and maximum weights for letters, large envelopes (flats), packages (small packets), and postcards, see Notice 123, Price List.
Size Limits
Letters: See 241.212
Postcards: See 241.221
Large Envelopes (Flats): See 241.232
Packages (Small Packets): See 241.242 and 241.243
Airmail M-bags (260) —
Direct Sack to One Addressee Price Group 5
Matter for the Blind (270)
Free when sent as First-Class Mail International, including Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes and Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes. Weight limit: 4 pounds.
Free when sent as Priority Mail International. Weight limit: 15 pounds.
Certificate of Mailing (313)
COD and Certified
NOT for International Mail
International Business Reply Service (382)
Fee: Envelopes up to 2 ounces $1.50; Cards $1.00
International Postal Money Order (371)
NOT Available
International Reply Coupons (381)
Fee: $2.20
Registered Mail (330)
Fee: $11.75
Maximum Indemnity: $47.33
Available for First-Class Mail International,
including postcards and Flat Rate Envelopes
and Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes, and matter
for the blind or other physically handicapped
persons. Not applicable to M-bags.
Restricted Delivery (350)
NOT Available
Return Receipt (340)
Fee: $2.35
Available for registered mail and insured
Priority Mail International parcels only.
