Apply for a licence for the operation of detention centres

If you want to operate a bonded warehouse, you need a permit from the customs authorities.

If you operate a company based in the European Union and wish to temporarily store non-Union goods in a warehouse, you must apply for an authorisation to operate a temporary storage facility.
The conditions you have to observe when operating your bonded warehouse are specified by the customs authority in the authorisation.

Parts I to III and V of the Customs Authorisation Questionnaire.
Authorised Economic Operators (AEO) do not need the questionnaire.

• Forms: yes
• Online procedure possible: no
• Written form required: yes
• Personal appearance required: no

• Your company is established in the customs territory of the Union.
• You provide a security in the form of a comprehensive guarantee.
• You shall ensure customs supervision.
• You keep appropriate records in a form approved by the customs authorities containing information and particulars, in particular on the goods held under identification, their customs status and their movements.
• you have not infringed customs and tax regulations and have not committed any serious criminal offences in the course of your economic activity.
• You do not use the bonded warehouse for retail sales (for example, as a sales area).

• Appeal
• Detailed information on how to file an appeal can be found in the appeal instructions attached to each decision.
• Administrative court action

To apply for authorisation to operate a bonded warehouse, you must submit a written application.

• Open the form "Application for authorisation to operate a temporary storage facility" (form 0392) on the Customs Administration website, download it and complete it. It is advisable to discuss the application with the relevant officer at the main customs office.
• Attach the completed "Customs Authorisation Questionnaires" Parts I to III and V to the form.
• If you are an authorised economic operator, you do not need the questionnaires.
• Send the documents to your competent main customs office. The main customs office responsible is the one in whose district the main accounts for customs purposes of your company are kept or accessible.
• The main customs office checks your documents.
• You will receive an approval or a rejection.

You must apply for the authorisation in good time before the temporary storage facility is put into operation.

Non-Union goods in temporary storage must be placed under another customs procedure or re-exported within 90 days.

If no other Member State is involved, a decision shall in principle be taken within 120 days of the date of acceptance of the application.

There are no costs for you, but you usually have to provide a security deposit.