Enviament de la Xina a Alemanya: número EORI, què és i com obtenir-ne un
When you are importing goods from China to Germany, one document will make or break your customs clearance before your container even reaches the port: the EORI number. Without it, your declaration cannot be processed by German customs, your goods will remain in a bonded warehouse, incurring demurrage, and ultimately your buyer or your own business will be paying charges that could have been avoided by a five minute registration. In this article, we’ll explain what an EORI number is, why it is important for China – Germany trade channels, how this number is made up, who legally needs to have one, and the exact processes to apply through German customs in 2026. We will also discuss where a freight forwarder like Topway Shipping fits into the process along the way, as the paperwork side of importing is rarely the hard part once you get your head around the system.
Què és un número EORI?
What is EORI? EORI is short for Economic Operators’ Registration and Identification number. It is a unique ID that is assigned to any company or individual that conducts customs operations in the European Union, including importing, exporting or transiting goods at an external border of the EU. The system was rolled out across the EU in 2009, replacing a hodgepodge of national customs numbers with a single identification that all member states recognise.
In fact, the EORI number functions the same as a VAT number for tax purposes, but is used exclusively for customs declarations, security files and tracking shipments as they transit in and out of EU territory. If a corporation applies for an EORI number in one EU country it is valid for the whole bloc, so an EORI number issued in Germany can also be used for clearing products in Rotterdam, Hamburg or any other EU port.
If you are established in Germany, the General Directorate of Customs, Germany’s customs authority, will register you for EORI. If you are established outside the EU, you must register with the Member State where you make your first customs declaration or apply for a customs decision.
Why an EORI Number Matters for China–Germany Shipments
Germany remains one of the main gateways for Chinese goods entering the European market, thanks to its port infrastructure in Hamburg and Bremerhaven and its central locati0n for distribution across the continent. Every commercial shipment crossing that border, whether by sea, air or rail via the China – Europe rail network, has to have a customs declaration attached to it and no declaration can be filed without a valid EORI number attached to it.
This is true regardless of shipment value. There is no minimum threshold for a commercial import, below which an EORI number is optional. A pallet of samples and a complete 40-foot container of finished goods are treated the same at the customs counter: no EORI, no clearance. It also means that for e-commerce sellers using the FBA service or shipping via their own overseas warehouse, the number needs to be in place before the first inbound shipment lands, not after cargo has already arrived at the port.
There is a narrow exception for private persons who are not engaged in business activity and who file fewer than 10 customs declarations each year. But nearly every seller obtaining merchandise from Chinese suppliers falls outside that exception the moment the activity turns commercial.
EORI Number Format and Structure
Germany EORI number has a standard pattern: the two-letter country code DE, followed by operator’s tax identification data, most commonly constructed from the German VAT number. Here is the structure of a correctly formatted number at a glance in the table below.
| Element | Descripció | exemple |
| Codi del país | Two letters identifying the issuing EU member state | DE |
| Operator identifier | Usually derived from the German VAT/tax number | 123456789 |
| Full EORI number | Country code plus identifier, no spaces or hyphens | DE123456789 |
| Validesa | Valid across all 27 EU member states once issued | En tota la UE |
For non-EU companies registering directly in Germany, since Germany is their first point of entry into the EU, they get a number in the same DE prefix format, regardless if the actual business is based in Shenzhen, Guangzhou or anyplace else in China.
Who Actually Needs to Register
Any business founded in Germany who imports or exports items outside the EU needs an EORI number. End of story. This comprises solo traders, GmbHs and registered branches of foreign firms.
Also, Chinese exporters and factories selling on a DDP (delivered duty paid) basis, where the seller in China is the importer of record into Germany, will need their own EORI number as customs will not transfer the consignment to an entity that is not registered. Many Chinese manufacturers overlook this requirement, thinking that they can use their freight forwarder’s EORI number instead, which is not the case – the number has to be assigned to whoever is the legally recognised importer or exporter on the customs declaration.
German importers who buy from Chinese suppliers on a FOB or CIF basis, with the German buyer as the importer of record, also need the number. If you’re running an Amazon FBA business in Germany, a Shopify store shipping from a European warehouse, or a traditional wholesale import operation, your EORI number will be at the top of your compliance checklist – right after your VAT registration.
How to Get an EORI Number in Germany, Step by Step
Registration is exclusively done by the General Directorate of Customs (Generaldirektion Zoll) and, importantly, is free of charge. You don’t need to pay a third party to submit the application form for you, though many logistics and legal firms do offer paid assistance for companies who don’t want to bother with German bureaucracy themselves.
The most common route for a German-registered business is the Customs Citizen and Business Customer Portal, which requires an ELSTER certificate, the same digital identity certificate German businesses already use for tax filings. Once you have logged in you will go to the page for administration of EORI numbers, enter your firm details and VAT number and submit the application online.
Alternatively, applicants who do not wish to use the online portal or who do not yet have an ELSTER certificate can download the relevant application form from the customs website, complete it by hand and send it by post, email or fax to the Customs Information and Knowledge Management office. The route is much longer than the digital route.
| Mètode d’aplicació | Temps de processament típic | notes |
| Online via Customs Portal (ELSTER login) | Usually within one week | Fastest route; requires an ELSTER certificate |
| Postal or email application (form-based) | Roughly two to three weeks | No digital certificate needed |
| Applying through a customs agent or forwarder | Varia segons el proveïdor | Useful when documentation or translation support is needed |
The Directorate will check your submission and you will receive your EORI number by post. The data will be automatically sent to the central EORI database of the European Commission where you can check the number online at any time.
Documents que normalment necessitareu
The exact documentation required will depend on whether you are registering as a private individual, a sole trader or a limited company, but most applications ask for the same basic information.
| Document / Detall | Propòsit |
| German VAT number (Umsatzsteuer-ID) | Used to generate the operator identifier portion of the EORI number |
| Business registration extract (Handelsregisterauszug) | Confirms the legal existence of the company |
| Company address and contacte detalls | Registered as the operator’s master data |
| Legal representative’s identification | Confirms who is authorized to act on the company’s behalf |
| Description of planned import/export activity | Helps customs classify the type of economic operator |
Common Mistakes That Delay a China–Germany Shipment
The most common mistake is to wait until the items are already on the water before commencing the EORI application process. Importers often don’t think about customs paperwork until their cargo is sitting at the port with nowhere to go, and then they realise the gap. Ocean freight from China to Hamburg usually takes several weeks, which is more than enough time to complete registration.
Another common issue is uncertainty about which EORI number to use on the declaration. For a DDP shipment it is the number of the Chinese exporter. For a FOB or EXW shipment it is the number of the German buyer that belongs on the paperwork. Get it wrong and declarations are rejected and can attract unwanted attention from customs officers.
A less obvious mistake is thinking that an EORI number from another EU country will automatically cover a new business entity. The EORI number of a parent company cannot be reused for a newly incorporated German subsidiary. Each legal entity, even within the same corporate group, must be registered separately.
Where a Freight Forwarder Fits Into the Process
You do not need a freight forwarder to get the EORI number, this is a direct registration with the German customs. The forwarder earns its keep in all the stuff that happens around that number: making sure the correct HS codes are declared, that duty and VAT are calculated correctly, that the bill of lading and commercial invoice match what customs expects, and that the shipment does not stall at the port because of a mismatched detail somewhere in the paperwork.
That is where Topway Shipping comes in. “Founded in 2010, Shenzhen-based Topway Shipping is a cross-border e-commerce logistics provider with rich experience in shipping cargo from Chinese factories to destination markets including Germany and the broader EU. The founding team has more than 15 years of combined experience in international logistics and customs clearance. While the company earned its initial reputation in China-U.S. lanes, its service model – first-leg trucking, ocean freight, overseas emmagatzematge, customs clearance and last-mile delivery – is equally applicable to cargo headed for Europe.
Topway Shipping provides full-container-load and less-than-container-load ocean freight services for companies shipping from China to Germany, allowing smaller importers to consolidate their goods with other shippers instead of paying for whole containers they do not require. They help make sure documentation meets what German customs wants before the container leaves a Chinese port, often the difference between a shipment that clears in a day and one that sits waiting for a revised form.
With a properly issued EORI number and a forwarder who understands the German import process, most of the guesswork is taken out of a first-time shipment and for repeat shippers, customs clearance becomes a routine step rather than a continuing source of delay.
Conclusió
The EORI number is a small piece of paperwork that can make a huge difference to how smoothly you get your goods from a factory in China to a warehouse (or shopfront) in Germany. It is free of charge, the online application is normally processed within one week via the German Customs Portal and the issued permit is valid in the whole EU. The real risk is not registration itself, but timing. Leaving it until the cargo is already en route or attaching the number of the wrong party to a declaration are the two most common mistakes that turn a routine shipment into an expensive delay. Combine a correctly registered EORI number with a logistics partner who already understands German customs rules, such as Topway Shipping, and the journey from a Chinese supplier to a German consumer becomes significantly more predictable.
Preguntes freqüents
Q: Do I need an EORI number if I only ship a few small parcels a year from China to Germany?
A: Yes, if the shipments are of commercial nature, there is no value threshold. The only true exception is for private individuals making less than ten customs declarations a year for non-commercial activities.
Q: How long does it take to get an EORI number in Germany?
A: Online applications submitted through the Customs Citizen and Business Customer Portal are generally handled in approximately a week, but paper applications submitted by postal or email can take two to three weeks.
Q: Is there a fee to apply for a German EORI number?
A: No, registering with the German customs is free of charge. Some third-party companies will fee to help you with the paperwork. The government does not charge you to issue the number.
Q: Can I use my EORI number in other EU countries besides Germany?
A: Can I use an EORI number issued in Germany to clear goods through ports in the Netherlands or Belgium? A: Yes, an EORI number issued anywhere in the EU is valid in all member states, thus a German-issued number can be used when clearing goods through ports in the Netherlands, Belgium or anyplace else in the bloc.
Q: Whose EORI number goes on the customs declaration for a China-to-Germany shipment?
A: That depends on the shipping terms. On a DDP shipment the Chinese exporter is normally the importer of record and needs the number. On FOB or EXW terms it is normally the German buyer’s number that is on the declaration.
