What does a customs broker cost?

There is no official government price list for broker fees — customs agents are commercial businesses and set their own rates. This page explains what you're actually paying for, so you can compare quotes sensibly instead of just picking the cheapest number.

Important distinction: a broker's service fee is separate from any duty, VAT or excise you owe on the goods themselves. Duty and VAT rates are set by HMRC and depend on the goods' commodity code — check the UK Trade Tariff tool for the rate that applies to your goods. No broker can make government duty and VAT "cheaper" — only the paperwork/service fee varies between providers.

What typically drives the price

Type of movement — a single import declaration is usually priced differently from a T1 transit document, an export declaration, or a full personal-effects removal.
Volume and regularity — businesses shipping weekly or monthly usually get lower per-declaration rates than one-off movers.
Complexity of the goods — restricted or regulated goods (food, chemicals, alcohol) usually need extra checks and cost more to process than general cargo.
Direct vs indirect representation — arrangements where the agent shares more liability with you can carry a different price than simple declaration filing. See gov.uk's guidance on representation types.
Urgency — same-day or urgent clearance is usually priced at a premium over standard turnaround.

How to compare quotes properly

When you request quotes, ask each provider the same three questions so you're comparing like for like:

Does this price include the customs declaration and any transit/safety documents I need, or are they billed separately?
Are you acting as my direct or indirect representative, and who is liable if the declaration is wrong?
Is there anything not included — storage, port/terminal fees, out-of-hours surcharges?

A lower headline price with several things billed separately can end up costing more than a single all-in quote. See our comparison of UK providers to get a sense of how offers are typically structured.

Get an actual quote

Rather than guess from averages, the most reliable way to know your real cost is to ask a broker directly with your specific goods and route. Easy Clearance publishes its UK–Poland pricing openly and can quote your specific shipment.

See Easy Clearance pricing