Export licence UK: What is it and which businesses need one?

Does your product need an export licence? If you sell one of the many standard commercial products, you likely don't need one. But if you're dealing in anything controlled, you'll need to get the right paperwork in place before anything crosses the border.

This guide covers who needs a UK export licence, the different types available, how to apply and what it costs. In addition, we’ll discuss Wise Business, a powerful international payments platform that enables you to send and receive money in 40+ currencies with low and transparent fees.

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Do you need an export licence?

Not every business exporting from the UK needs a licence. Whether you need one depends on three things: what you're exporting, where it's going, and what it will be used for. You're likely to need an export licence if your goods appear on the UK Strategic Export Controls List.¹ This is the government's definitive list of controlled items. Compiled from seven lists of controlled goods in different international laws, it covers everything from military hardware to certain types of software and technology.

Since Brexit, if your product is classified as controlled, you may now need a licence to export it to the EU, even if that wasn't required before.² The government updates the list of controlled goods twice yearly.¹ So if you're unsure, use the Export Control Joint Unit’s (ECJU's) online goods checker tool, which can tell you whether your products are classified as controlled.⁴

What is an export licence?

An export licence is a government-issued permission that allows a business to send controlled goods, software or technology out of the UK. These licences are issued by the Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU), which sits within the Department for Business and Trade.⁴ Once you hold a licence, you must stick to its terms and conditions, including restrictions on quantities, destinations and end-users.⁵

It's worth knowing that cultural goods, such as works of art, antiques and archaeological finds, fall under a separate licensing system administered by Arts Council England.⁶ The rules and application process for those are different from strategic export controls.

Which goods require an export licence?

If your company is shipping goods in any of the categories below, you're likely to need an export licence⁵:

• Military goods, firearms, ammunition and related equipment
• Dual-use items. These are goods that can be used for both civil and military purposes, such as certain ball bearings or processing machinery²
• Animals and animal products
• Drugs, medicines and medical devices
• Radioactive substances
• Diamonds
• Plants, seeds and flowers
• Chemicals and pesticides
• Art, antiques and other goods of cultural significance⁶
• Any commercial items subject to trade sanctions on a particular country⁷

Dual use items are originally designed for commercial purposes but could potentially be repurposed for military applications. For example, technology used in navigation systems that could also guide missiles.²

Even if your goods don't obviously fall into these categories, destination and end-use matter. Exporting otherwise unrestricted items to a sanctioned country, or to an end-user involved in weapons development, could still require a licence.⁸

Why does the UK control exports?

The UK's export control system exists to protect national security and uphold international obligations. Goods are controlled for several reasons²:

• National security: protecting the UK and its allies from threats
• Weapons proliferation: preventing weapons of mass destruction from spreading
• Human rights: stopping goods that could be used for torture or internal repression from reaching certain regimes
• International commitments: honouring trade sanctions, arms embargoes and treaty obligations

These controls aren't unique to the UK. Most major trading nations operate similar systems, coordinated through international agreements like the Wassenaar Arrangement.

Types of UK export licence

The ECJU issues several types of export licence. Which one you need depends on what you're exporting, how often and where to.⁴

Open General Export Licences (OGELs)

OGELs are the most commonly used licence type. They cover pre-determined military and dual-use items being exported to a range of permitted destinations. You only need to register once to start using them.²

Each OGEL licence specifies the items you can export using it, the places you can send the controlled goods to, and the activity that the licence covers.⁹

Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs)

If your goods, destination or situation isn't covered by an OGEL, you'll need to apply for a SIEL. Each SIEL covers a specific quantity of goods going to a named consignee and end-user. You'll need to name any third party that'll process or couple the controlled goods.¹⁰

SIELs for permanent exports typically last two years. Within that time you should have exported the complete quantity you specified. Temporary SIELs last a year and the item must be returned to the UK before the licence expires.¹⁰

Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs)

OIELs are designed for long-term contracts, projects and repeat business to a named destination. They offer more flexibility than a SIEL but are tailored to your specific circumstances.⁴

OIELs are usually valid for three to five years. They are limited to three years for exports from Northern Ireland to the EU (this restriction doesn't apply in England, Scotland and Wales).

Some types of OIELS are:

• Cryptographic equipment
• Dealer-to-dealer firearms
• Dual-use items
• Media
• Military items
• Offshore installations
• Through-life support for military goods

How to check if you need an export licence

The ECJU provides two free online tools to help you work out whether your goods are controlled³:

1. Goods checker: Enter details about your product to find out if it's classified as controlled, and which control list entry applies
2. OGEL checker: Determines whether an Open General Export Licence covers the export you want to make

You can also consult the UK Strategic Export Controls List directly.¹ If your goods aren't on the list, you generally won't need a licence unless you have reason to believe they'll be used for a prohibited purpose, or they're heading to a sanctioned destination.⁷

If you're still unsure, the ECJU helpdesk can advise. Contact them at exportcontrol.help@businessandtrade.gov.uk.⁹

How to apply for a UK export licence

The application process depends on which type of licence you need.

For most SIELs and F680 approvals

Since July 2025, the primary route is the new "Apply to export controlled goods" service on GOV.UK.¹² You'll need to set up a GOV.UK One Login account and create an organisation profile before submitting your application.

For OGELs, OIELs and specific cases

You'll still need to use Shared Primary Information Resource Environment (SPIRE), the ECJU's longer-standing online licensing system.⁴ SPIRE is also required for¹²:

• Transhipment SIELs
• Exports to certain sanctioned destinations (including Russia, Iran, North Korea and others)
• Specific control list entries for nuclear, radioactive and torture-related goods

What you'll need to apply

Whichever system you use, have the following ready:

• A description of the goods and their control list entry
• Details of the end-user and consignee
• The destination country
• An end-use statement explaining what the goods will be used for
• Any supporting documentation (contracts, technical specifications)

Processing times

The government's target is to process SIEL applications within 20 working days. In practice, recent statistics show that around 50–60% of SIELs are completed within that timeframe, with the majority resolved within 60 working days.¹⁰

How much does a UK export licence cost?

ECJU doesn’t mention an application fee for strategic export licences, SIELs, OGELs and OIELs,.

Arts Council England confirms that there is no cost to apply for an export licence for cultural goods.⁶

That said, you should budget for the indirect costs of exporting controlled goods. These might include:

• Legal advice on export control compliance
• Staff training on licensing requirements
• Record-keeping and internal audit systems

Staying compliant: penalties for unlicensed exports

Exporting controlled goods without the correct licence is a criminal offence. Penalties can range from de-registration of your licence to fines, or even imprisonment.²

To stay on the right side of the rules, your business should put clear compliance procedures in place. It should cover record-keeping, staff training and lines of responsibility. The ECJU has the power to audit exporters, so maintaining thorough documentation is essential.

Managing international payments with Wise Business

If you're exporting goods from the UK, you'll likely need a straightforward way to receive payments from overseas buyers, often in different currencies. Wise Business could be a useful option for exporters who need to manage incoming payments from multiple markets without juggling several accounts.

With Wise Business, you can:

• 🌍 Send money to 140+ countries at the mid-market exchange rate with no hidden fees or sneaky exchange rate markups (product availability varies by region)
• 📥 Receive payments in 24 currencies and counting
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• 💰 Hold money in 40+ currencies
• 🔁 Convert currencies anytime at the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees
• ⚡ Use the batch payments tool to create and send up to 1,000 payments in a single transfer
• 👥 Run payroll and make international payments for up to 1,000 employees all over the world - including paying suppliers using local payment methods like ACH, SEPA, and Faster Payments
• 💳 Get business debit cards with 0.5% cashback for you and your team to keep track of team expenses and spend all over the world, with real-time visibility and categorisation
• 🏢 Manage cash in 55+ currencies across international offices from a single business account and move money between business accounts in seconds (exact speeds can vary depending on individual circumstances and may not be the same for all transactions)
• 🧾 Connect and sync every business transaction to your favourite accounting software, including Xero, Quickbooks, and more
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• ⚙️ Automate payouts with the Wise API (comes with 24/7 customer support, a sandbox account to test integrations, API tokens, and clear documents on how to implement and make the most of our API)

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*Disclaimer: The UK Wise Business pricing structure is changing with effect from 26/11/2025 date. Receiving money, direct debits and getting paid features are not available with the Essential Plan which you can open for free. Pay a one-time set up fee of £50 to unlock Advanced features including account details to receive payments in 22+ currencies or 8+ currencies for non-swift payments. You’ll also get access to our invoice generating tool, payment links, QuickPay QR codes and the ability to set up direct debits all within one account. Please check our website for the latest pricing information.

Sources used:

1. GOV.UK – UK Strategic Export Control Lists
2. Business.gov.uk – Understanding export licensing
3. ECJU – OGEL and Goods Checker Tools
4. GOV.UK – Applying for export licences using SPIRE
5. GOV.UK – Export goods from the UK: step by step
6. Arts Council England– Export licensing
7. GOV.UK – UK sanctions regimes
8. GOV.UK – Export controls: dual-use items, software and technology, goods for torture and radioactive sources
9. GOV.UK - Using SPIRE to get an export licence
10. GOV.UK – Standard individual export licences
11. GOV.UK – Open individual export licence (OIEL)
12. GOV.UK – Apply to export controlled goods
13. GOV.UK – Strategic export controls licensing statistics, Q3 2025

Sources checked 18th March 2026