Customs and Excise Management Act 1979

112 Power of entry upon premises, etc. of revenue traders. U.K.

(1) An officer may, subject to subsection (2) below, at any time enter upon any premises of which entry is made, or is required by or under the revenue trade provisions of the customs and excise Acts to be made, or any other premises owned or used by a revenue trader for the purposes of his trade and may inspect the premises and search for, examine and take account of any machinery [F1 vehicles], vessels, utensils, goods or materials belonging to or in any way connected with that trade.

(2) Except in the case of such traders as are mentioned in subsection (3) below, no officer shall exercise the powers conferred on him by subsection (1) above by night unless he is accompanied by a constable.

(3) Where any such premises as are mentioned in subsection (1) above are those of a [F2 a person who produces alcoholic products [F3 or vaping products,] or an occupier] [F4 of an excise warehouse], and an officer, after having demanded admission into the premises and declared his name and business at the entrance thereof, is not immediately admitted, that officer and any person acting in his aid may, subject to subsection (4) below, break open any door or window of the premises or break through any wall thereof for the purpose of obtaining admission.

(4) No officer or person acting in his aid shall exercise the powers conferred on him by subsection (3) above by night unless he is accompanied by a constable.

(5) Subsection (1) above applies to vehicles, F5 ... hovercraft or structures in or from which tobacco products [F6 or vaping products] are sold or dealt in or [F7 alcoholic products] are sold by retail as it applies to premises.

(6) This section applies to the occupier of a refinery as it applies to [F8 a person who produces alcoholic products], whether or not the occupier is a revenue trader.

[F9 (7) For the purposes of subsection (1)—

(a) it does not matter if the premises in question are owned or used partly for the purposes of the trade and partly for other purposes (including as a dwelling), but

(b) the officer may not enter or inspect any part of the premises that is used solely as a dwelling.

(8) Premises used to hold or store anything for the purposes of a revenue trader's trade are taken to be used by the revenue trader for the purposes of that trade, regardless of who owns or occupies the premises.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Word inserted by Finance Act 1981 (c. 35, SIF 40:1), s. 11, Sch. 8 Pt. I para. 6

F2 Words in s. 112(3) substituted (1.2.2025) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2023 (c. 30), s. 120(2), Sch. 13 para. 23(2); S.I. 2025/96, reg. 2(e) (with reg. 3)

F3 Words in s. 112(3) inserted (18.3.2026) by Finance Act 2026 (c. 11), Sch. 15 para. 3(c)(i)

F4 Words substituted by Finance Act 1981 (c. 35, SIF 40:1), s. 11, Sch. 8 Pt. I para. 6

F5 Words in s. 112(5) omitted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 89 (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)

F6 Words in s. 112(5) inserted (18.3.2026) by Finance Act 2026 (c. 11), Sch. 15 para. 3(c)(ii)

F7 Words in s. 112(5) substituted (1.8.2023) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2023 (c. 30), s. 120(2), Sch. 13 para. 3; S.I. 2023/884, reg. 2(1)(j) (with reg. 10)

F8 Words in s. 112(6) substituted (1.2.2025) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2023 (c. 30), s. 120(2), Sch. 13 para. 23(3); S.I. 2025/96, reg. 2(e) (with reg. 3)

F9 S. 112(7)(8) inserted (1.4.2011) by Finance (No. 3) Act 2010 (c. 33), s. 29(2), Sch. 13 para. 10; S.I. 2011/777, art. 2

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 112 applied (1.4.2017) by The Raw Tobacco (Approval Scheme) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1172), regs. 1(3), 22, Sch. 2 para. 1

C2 S. 112 applied (with modifications) (6.4.2018) by The Soft Drinks Industry Levy (Enforcement) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/264), regs. 1(1), 2, Sch. (with regs. 3-5)

C3 S. 112 modified (1.8.2018) by The Tobacco Products Manufacturing Machinery (Licensing Scheme) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/75), regs. 1(3), 16(a)