Check if you can apply for a Northern Ireland tariff rate quota
Last updated: 2 April 2025
A Northern Ireland tariff rate quota allows you to move limited amounts of specific goods into Northern Ireland at a lower rate of duty than would normally apply.
Check if your goods are covered
Tariff rate quotas are only available for:
- steel — at zero duty
- sheepmeat, lamb, beef and poultry — at zero duty or a lower duty than the standard rate
There are tariff rate quotas to import meat from specific countries into Northern Ireland, which get a reduced or zero rate of duty. Find out more about .
You can use the to check if individual goods are covered by a specific tariff quota.
Select the relevant quota type
There are 2 types of quotas.
- First come first serve quotas are allocated in the order they are received. All steel quotas are first come first serve quotas.
- Licensed quotas need an . Find out which beef, lamb and poultry quotas need a licence when . These quotas are also filled on a first come first serve basis.
How to apply for a tariff rate quota
You can apply for a rate quota by adding the correct 6-digit quota number either to a:
- full customs declaration (in the same quota period)
- supplementary declaration (submitted by the 10th day of the month following the month in which the goods were first moved)
Find out more about applying for a tariff rate quota:
- to
- when
Reclaiming duty through other schemes
If your quota claim is unsuccessful, or if you do not want to make a quota claim, you can apply to reclaim duty through the: