About this tool
HMRC sets one customs exchange rate per currency each month. If you declare goods priced in dollars, euros or any other currency, you convert them to pounds at the rate for the month in which the declaration is accepted. It is not a bank rate.
Enter an amount, a currency and a date. The tool finds the HMRC rate for the calendar month containing that date, shows the rate period and the working, and gives you a figure to copy. You can compare another month, view a 12-month history or convert several amounts at once, with subtotals for goods, freight and insurance. Anyone preparing a declaration or checking a duty calculation uses it.
It reads the monthly rates on the UK Trade Tariff service. It does not offer HMRC’s average or spot rates, which serve other purposes.
How this was worked out
What the tool does with your answers, in order.
Enter the amount and choose the currency by code, name or country.
Choose the date the declaration is accepted; it defaults to today.
The tool finds the HMRC monthly rate for the calendar month containing that date.
It divides the foreign amount by the rate to give pounds, or multiplies pounds by the rate for the other direction.
The answer shows the rate, the period and the working, ready to copy.
Optionally compare another month, view the 12-month history or paste several amounts to convert in bulk.
Worked example: USD 10,000 at a rate of 1.3554
- Invoice amountUSD 10,000.00
- HMRC customs rate£1 = 1.3554 USD
- Working10,000.00 ÷ 1.3554 = 7,377.90
- Converted customs amount£7,377.90
- Rate period1 to 30 September 2026
Illustrative figures that show the working, not statements about real tariff rates.
Your questions, answered.
Short answers about the HMRC Customs Exchange Rate Calculator.
Which exchange rate do I use for a customs declaration?
Use HMRC’s monthly customs exchange rate for the month in which the declaration is accepted. The rates are published in the second half of each month and apply for the whole of the following calendar month. Sterling invoices need no conversion. Check HMRC’s guidance if your situation is unusual.
When does HMRC publish the new rates?
In the second half of each month, on the penultimate Thursday, for use in the following month. The tool checks daily from the 15th and offers the new month as soon as it is available, for example “November 2026 rate now available”. Until then it uses the latest published month and labels it clearly.
How do I convert foreign currency to pounds?
HMRC quotes rates as units of foreign currency per £1. To convert to pounds, divide the foreign amount by the rate. To convert pounds to the foreign currency, multiply by the rate. For example, USD 10,000 at 1.3554 gives £7,377.90. The tool shows this working under every answer.
Is this the same as a bank or spot rate?
No. The customs rate is a fixed monthly rate set by HMRC for declarations. It may differ from the rate your bank gave you; the customs rate is the one that counts for the customs value. The tool offers monthly customs rates only, not average or spot rates.
What if HMRC changes a rate after publishing it?
If HMRC republishes a period, the tool keeps both versions with their effective dates and uses the latest. Past months are stored permanently, so you can reproduce an older calculation. Always keep the rate period and the date of acceptance with your entry records.
Where does the data come from?
From the monthly exchange rates on the UK Trade Tariff service, which is HMRC’s official source, through its data feed. Every answer shows the rate period and the date checked. If the service is unavailable, the last stored month is used and a notice says so. UK government data is reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
What does the calculator not cover?
It does not cover a currency that HMRC does not list, dates before the archive starts, or bank and market rates. It does not work out duty or VAT, and it does not say which month applies in unusual cases. Use the Duty & VAT Calculator for charges.
Data sources
- HMRC monthly customs exchange rates (UK Trade Tariff service) United Kingdom · monthly; cached permanently, checked daily from the 15th
United Kingdom · data checked 3 Oct 2026. UK government data is reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Guidance only — not adviceWhat this tool is, and is not
This tool gives general guidance and indicative figures based on the information you enter and on official data available at the date shown. It is not legal, tax, customs or financial advice, it is not a ruling or a decision by any customs authority, and it does not recommend any course of action, guarantee, amount, route, supplier or service.
Customs authorities decide the classification, value, origin, charges and guarantee amounts that apply. You remain solely responsible for your declarations, guarantees, shipments and transactions, and for checking every figure against HMRC’s published guidance and the official sources before you rely on it or act on it.
Rates, rules and data can change without notice, and the results may be incomplete or inaccurate. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Customs Declarations UK accepts no liability for any loss, cost, penalty, delay or damage arising from the use of, or reliance on, this tool or its results.
