Updated guidance published: Register with the UK ID issuer if your business is involved in the supply of tobacco products

Published 1 May 2019

Last updated 10 July 2023 — See all updates

1. Who should register
2. When to register
3. What you’ll need
4. How to register
5. After you’ve registered

All unit packets of cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco manufactured or imported in the UK must:

• have unique identifiers (UIDs) on the packaging
• have 5 specific security features on the packaging if they are manufactured or imported for the UK market
• be scanned at certain points in the supply chain

Who should register

You need to register with the UK ID issuer if your business is involved in the supply of tobacco products in the UK by:

• manufacturing or importing them
• storing them in a warehouse
• selling them to the trade or public
• transloading them (moving them from one vehicle to another)

When you’ve registered with the UK ID issuer, you can get:

• aggregate and unit UIDs for your tobacco products if you’re a manufacturer or importer
• an economic operator ID
• facility IDs for all premises where you manufacture, store or sell your products
• machine IDs for all machines used in the manufacturing process

When to register

You need to register before you buy, store or transload cigarettes or hand rolling tobacco. You must:

• be registered with the UK ID issuer
• have an economic operator ID and facility IDs

It takes up to 2 working days to get your IDs.

What you’ll need

To register, you’ll need your:

• business name and address
• Global Location Number (if you have one)
• VAT registration number or Corporation Tax Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) number
• System for the Exchange of Excise Data (SEED) ID number (if you have one)
• billing address if you plan to request UIDs
• economic operator ID if you’re registering on behalf of a first retailer - you’ll need to have registered your own business first

How to register

The ID issuer for the UK is Dentsu Tracking. You’ll need to create an account on their website to register.

Register now on the UK ID issuer website.

Dentsu Tracking agency code is QCUKT.

There is a service portal once you’re registered that allows you to request system access credentials and open support tickets if you’re:

• a manufacturer
• an importer
• a large distributor
• a retailer — this does not include store owners

After you’ve registered

You’ll get your economic operator ID by email within 2 working days.

If you need to make changes to your registration details you can sign into your account. You’ll use the email address you registered with on the UK ID issuer website and:

• register your facility to get facility IDs
• get machine IDs if you’re a manufacturer or importer
• buy UIDs for your products if you’re a manufacturer or importer

You’ll need your economic operator and facility ID every time you buy, sell or move tobacco products.

When your economic operator ID may be deactivated

HMRC may deactivate your economic operator ID if you:

• do not follow the rules in the tobacco product guidance or the UK tobacco track and trace guidance
• have not used it for 12 months
• have an unspent conviction for an offence under customs and excise Acts
• have been given penalties that exceed £10,000 under customs and excise Acts in the last 12 months