Jersey and Guernsey are Crown Dependencies, not part of the United Kingdom. They remain in a customs union with Britain but sit outside the UK VAT area, and from the Union's perspective they are third territory. In practice goods from Poland clear on entry into the UK and then travel on by ferry from southern English ports.
Why the status matters for haulage
Three layers need separating, because confusing them causes most of the misunderstandings. First, customs: the islands are in a customs union with Great Britain, so movement between GB and the islands is not an import in customs terms. Second, VAT: the islands lie outside the British tax area, so tax treatment differs from a delivery to England. Third, local law: each island sets its own import requirements, and only one of them charges an indirect tax. Jersey levies its own GST on imports of commercial goods. Guernsey charges no tax on goods at all; a proposal for a 3% GST from 2028 is still awaiting a decision in the States of Guernsey. So the tax side is always settled case by case, from the invoice, the destination island and the status of the receiver.
The route: how goods reach the islands
- Carriage from Poland to Great Britain with clearance on entry into the UK, exactly as for an ordinary British delivery.
- Consolidation or a buffer at our Milton Keynes warehouse when the goods are waiting for a specific sailing.
- Drayage to a southern English port and the ferry crossing to Jersey or Guernsey.
- Delivery to the island address, in a window agreed with the receiver.
Freight sailings to the islands run at limited frequency, so the date is planned from the sailing time, not from loading in Poland. Missing a sailing normally means waiting for the next one, not taking a detour.
Documents the islands require
Beyond the standard EU export file and the UK import declaration, island shipments need commercial documentation for the island receiver: an invoice with a full goods description, value and delivery terms, plus the data the island-side declaration rests on and, for Jersey, the local GST settlement. Because Jersey and Guernsey have separate rules, we confirm the final scope before despatch. The basic document sequence is in UK customs clearance, and the role of delivery terms in Incoterms 2020.
What travels to Jersey and Guernsey
The islands have no industry on a scale that could supply their own market, so almost everything arrives from outside: hotel and restaurant fit-out, building and finishing materials, furniture, equipment, trade goods and food. Seasonality is pronounced, because much of the economy runs on tourism and financial services; spring refits are the delivery peak. For temperature-sensitive cargo we use our temperature-controlled transport service.
The islands covered separately
Each island has its own article, because ports, sailings and delivery practice differ: transport to Jersey and transport to Guernsey. Islands with a different status, including the Isle of Man and the Scottish islands, are gathered in transport to UK islands, and the whole direction on the Islands page.
What to prepare before enquiring
- The island delivery address with postcode and receiver contact details.
- Pallet count, dimensions, weight and whether the load can be stacked.
- An invoice with goods description and value, needed for declarations and local settlement.
- The expected date and whether it is fixed, because sailing frequency is limited.
- Unloading requirements: dock, forklift, tail lift.
Sources
- Government of Jersey: indirect taxes and importing goods
- States of Guernsey: customs and importing goods
This is general information; the tax status of a specific consignment is confirmed before despatch. Have cargo for Jersey or Guernsey? Describe it through the quote form and we will match the route, the sailing and the date. The customs side is on the customs clearance page.
