What the REX number is for
The registered exporter system (REX) lets exporters certify the preferential origin of their goods themselves, on the invoice or another commercial document: the statement on origin. The importer presents it to claim a tariff preference, that is a reduced or zero customs duty.
REX is used for imports from countries of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP), the overseas countries and territories and some economic partnership agreements, and for EU exports to several partners (Canada, Japan, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Singapore, New Zealand, Chile…).
When the originating products of a consignment are worth no more than €6,000 (€10,000 for the overseas countries and territories), any exporter may make out the statement, without a REX number.
How a REX number reads
A REX number starts with the code of the country that registered the exporter, followed by the letters REX and a national identifier of up to 30 characters:
- in the European Union, the registration is linked to the exporter's EORI number, which the database shows next to the REX number;
- in a GSP beneficiary country, the identifier takes up a national number: in India, for example, the company's importer-exporter code (IEC) (INREX…);
- in Switzerland and Norway, which also use REX for cumulation with the GSP, a serial number (CHREX000001…).
An EORI number on its own is not a REX number: the tool says so when it recognises one.
What the Commission's database tells you
For each number, the European Commission's REX database publishes the status of the registration, the date from which it is valid, the revocation date where there is one, and the exporter's EORI or tax number. The name and address are published only if the exporter agreed.
A statement on origin made out under a revoked number, or one the database does not know, does not prove origin: customs can refuse the preference and claim the full duty, even after clearance. The file checker runs the same check as soon as a line claims a tariff preference.
Frequently asked questions
Is the check free?
Yes, without signing up. The structure is checked in your browser. The number is sent to the European Commission's REX database only if you start the check, and it is not stored in our databases.
Where do I find my supplier's REX number?
In the statement on origin, on the invoice or commercial document: it starts with “The exporter of the products covered by this document (Number of Registered Exporter …) declares that…”. If it is missing, ask your supplier for it before shipment.
What should I do if the number is revoked or unknown?
Do not claim the preference on that statement alone. Ask the exporter to check their registration with their authorities (typing errors are common) or to make out a new statement under a valid number. A preference granted on invalid proof can be challenged in a post-clearance audit.
Is a REX number required for every consignment?
No. Under the GSP, any exporter may make out the statement on origin when the originating products of the consignment are worth no more than €6,000; above that, the exporter must be registered. The threshold is €10,000 for the overseas countries and territories. Free trade agreements have their own rules: a UK exporter, for instance, gives their EORI number, not a REX number.
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