Import, export or manufacture equipment pre-charged with F gas
How to import, export, or manufacture pre-charged equipment containing hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in Great Britain.
If you want to import equipment, such as fridges, freezers, air-conditioning or heat pumps, that are pre-charged with HFCs - the most common type of fluorinated gas (F gas) - into Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), you may need to:
- register on the F gas service
- get a quota authorisation from a quota holder
- get quota delegations from an authorisation manager
Pre-charged equipment includes equipment within other products, such as vehicles with air-conditioning.
You only need to register on the F gas service and get quota authorisations if you’re importing HFCs equivalent to 100 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) or more in a calendar year. Find out if you need to register or get quota authorisations by calculating the carbon dioxide equivalent quantity of an F gas.
How to get quota authorisations or delegations
Once you have registered on the F gas service and have your organisation ID, you should contact a quota holder or an authorisation manager.
Once you’ve agreed to buy quota authorisations or delegations, a quota holder or authorisation manager will authorise you to use their quota through the Manage your fluorinated gas (F gas) quota service.
The Environment Agency will email you when the quota authorisations or delegations are ready for you to use.
Using your quota authorisations or delegations
You must complete your transactions before 31 December for them to count towards that same calendar year.
To cover the goods you have placed on the market between 1 January and 31 December, you must have enough quota authorisations or delegations in your F gas account before 31 December.
You can carry over any unused authorisations and delegations to the next calendar year.
When you do not need to get quota authorisations or delegations
You do not need quota authorisations or delegations:
- if you import F gas to Great Britain solely for re-export and not to place on the market in Great Britain - check the inward processing procedure instead
- for equipment that does not contain HFCs but uses other gases, such as hydrocarbons
- for equipment that is ‘empty’ of HFCs but contains a holding charge, such as nitrogen - you can charge the equipment with HFCs you have bought from a supplier that has imported bulk HFCs into Great Britain using their quota
- for HFCs that have already been placed on the market in Great Britain
- for equipment you are importing to destroy
If you do not get enough quota authorisations or delegations
You cannot import pre-charged equipment into Great Britain if you do not have enough quota authorisations or delegations. If you do, you could receive a civil penalty for breaking the law. Read the Environment Agency enforcement sanctions policy.
Getting a declaration of conformity
When importing refrigeration, air-conditioning or heat pump equipment charged with HFCs equivalent to more than 100 tonnes of carbon dioxide in a year, you must certify that the HFCs in the equipment are covered by a quota authorisation or delegation. You do this by completing a declaration of conformity.
Send your completed declaration of conformity and import customs declaration paperwork to:
- HMRC for each import
- your verifier as part of your annual reporting
You must keep a copy of the declaration of conformity for 5 years.
Reporting how much F gas you import
You must record and report F gas and equipment pre-charged with F gas.
Labelling
You must always label F gas equipment you import and ensure you label any ‘empty’ equipment correctly.
Product bans
Equipment you place on the market must comply with product bans.
Exporting equipment pre-charged with F gas
If you want to export equipment pre-charged with HFCs to the EU, including Northern Ireland, you must comply with EU F gas regulations.
Last updated 2 September 2022 + show all updates
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Page updated to clarify when a declaration of conformity is required.
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Corrected information under the heading ‘When you do not need to get quota authorisations or delegations’ for equipment that is ‘empty’ of HFCs but contains a holding charge.
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First published.