Checklist for completing the transit declaration

Use this checklist if you are moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland through Ireland under the transit procedure. Transit movements through Ireland require additional customs processes and declarations.

Contents

Before you start

The Trader Support Service does not support the direct import of goods into Ireland. If you move goods to Ireland, you must arrange your own customs processes and declarations.

What you need for a transit movement

If you are moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland through Ireland, you will need additional documents.

Actions supported by the Trader Support Service

The Trader Support Service will support you with submitting the following documents required for a transit movement:

an entry summary declaration (ENS), also known as a safety and security declaration
a transit declaration into the New Computerised Transit System (NCTS) using the TSS transit guarantee
a simplified frontier declaration for the Northern Ireland import
a supplementary declaration, which must be completed after the goods arrive in Northern Ireland

Actions not supported by the Trader Support Service

The following steps must be completed outside of the Trader Support Service:

create a Goods Movement Reference (GMR)
complete a Pre-Boarding Notification (PBN) using Ireland's roll-on roll-off (RoRo) service (opens in a new tab)
obtain any certificates or licences required for sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS), excise or other controlled goods
make sure any supporting documents required for the movement are available and accompany the goods where necessary

Before submitting: who does what

Table showing what traders, hauliers and agents need to do before submitting a transit declaration.
Actions	Trader (seller, exporter, buyer, importer)	Transporter (carrier or haulier)	Intermediary (agent, freight forwarder)
Sign up for the Trader Support Service (one-time step).	Yes	Yes	Yes (if completing declarations on behalf of the trader or haulier)
Plan the journey, including where the goods will leave Great Britain, enter Ireland and be presented in Northern Ireland.	No	Yes	Yes (if arranging transport on behalf of the trader)
Gather the details required to complete the transit declaration.You can find these details in the information required to complete a transit declaration section of the guide.	Yes	Yes	Yes (if completing declarations on behalf of the trader or haulier)
If you are moving controlled goods, make sure you meet the relevant conditions and have any required certificates, licences or supporting documents ready.	Yes	No	Yes (if completing declarations on behalf of the trader or haulier)
Register for the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (opens in a new tab) on GOV.UK (one-time step).	No	Yes	No

Information needed to submit a transit declaration

You will need to gather information before submitting a transit declaration. You can find this information from:

commercial invoices – includes the names of the seller and buyer, the value, and a description of the goods
packing lists – shows the number of packages, as well as their weight and size
transport documents – Bill of Lading (sea), Air Waybill (air), CMR note (road)
supporting documents – certificates, licences and document references required to meet import control requirements
communications – with others involved in the movement

To complete the transit declaration, gather information from the following categories.

Transport and journey information

Carrier name

Carrier email

Carrier contact number

Carrier EORI

Vehicle registration/trailer number

Nationality of vehicle/trailer

Transport charges/method of payment

Method of transport

Port of departure

Office of departure

Port of arrival

Office of transit

Ferry IMO number

Date of ferry sailing

Time of ferry sailing

Date of ferry arrival

Time of ferry arrival

Date of arrival in Northern Ireland

Time of arrival in Northern Ireland

Office of destination/authorised consignee location

Are goods containerised

Seal ID (if applicable)

Office of Incident

Note: the office of incident will only be required in exceptional circumstances where unexpected events, such as damaged seals, vehicle changes or accidents occur while goods are being transported.

Parties involved in the supply chain

EORI number of party sending goods (consignor)

Name of party sending goods (consignor)

Address of party sending goods (consignor)

EORI number of the party receiving goods (consignee)

Name of party receiving goods (consignee)

Address of party receiving goods (consignee)

Incoterms

Goods characteristics and packaging

Goods Description

Document Reference

Invoice value of goods

Invoice currency

Gross mass

Number of packages

Type of packages

Package marks

Commodity code (6 digits)

Transit office locations

When submitting a transit declaration, you must choose the office of departure. This should be the port where the goods leave Great Britain.

The following offices of departure can be used when submitting a transit declaration through the Trader Support Service.

Table showing offices of departure in Great Britain, with contact details and opening times.
Office of departure	Address	Contact details, opening hours
Holyhead	Inland Border Facility Parc Cybi, Holyhead LL65 2YQ	Email: Telephone: +44(0) 3004295480Monday to Sunday, 24 hours a day
Fishguard / Pembroke	Fishguard Harbour Pembrokeshire SA64 0BU	Email: leit.pembroke@homeoffice.gov.ukTelephone: +44 (0) 3001065322Monday to Sunday: 9am to 2.30am
Heysham	Remote clearance from Liverpool Border Control Post South Quay Liverpool LA3 2XF	Email: BFHEYTrade@homeoffice.gov.ukTelephone: +44 (0) 7918495309Monday to Sunday: 7.30am to 8pm
Liverpool	BCP2 Seaforth Docks Crosby Road Liverpool	Email: Telephone: +44 (0) 3000 711 769Monday to Sunday: 7.30am to 8pm

You must choose the office of transit. This should be the port where the goods arrive in Ireland.

The following offices of transit can be used when submitting a transit declaration through the Trader Support Service.

Table showing offices of transit in Ireland, with contact details and opening hours.
Office of transit	Address	Contact details, opening hours
Dublin port	New Custom House Promenade Road, Dublin Ireland (IE)	Email: Revenue’s Customs 24-hour helpline: +353 1 738 3685
Rosslare port	C & E Rosslare Harbour Co. Wexford Ireland (IE)	Email: Revenue’s Customs 24-hour helpline: +353 1 738 3685

You must choose the office of destination. This should be the port where the goods will be presented in Northern Ireland to have the transit closed.

The following offices of destination can be used when submitting a transit declaration through the Trader Support Service:

Office of destination	Address	Contact details, opening hours
Belfast	SPS Facility 21 Dargan Drive BT3 9JG	Email: Telephone: +44 (0)3000 738256Monday to Sunday, 24 hours a day
Larne	SPS Facility 19 Redlands Road BT40 1AX	Email: Telephone: +44 (0)3000 738256Monday to Sunday, 24 hours a day
Warrenpoint	SPS Facility 58A Newry Road BT34 3LE	Email: Telephone: +44 (0) 3000 738256Monday to Sunday, 24 hours a day

You can also choose to close a transit movement at an authorised consignee location.

The authorised consignee locations available through the Trader Support Service are:

Portadown
Enniskillen
Newry
Ballymena
Armagh
Newtownbutler
Lisburn
Middletown

Further details of these locations will be provided when you complete your declaration in the Trader Support Service.

After submitting: who does what

Table showing what traders, hauliers and agents need to do after submitting a transit declaration.
Actions	Trader (seller, exporter, buyer, importer)	Transporter (carrie, haulier)	Intermediary (agent, freight forwarder)
Present the goods and the Transit Local Reference Number (LRN) at the GB office of departure after the transit declaration has been successfully submitted.	No	Yes	No
Create a Goods Movement Reference (GMR) (opens in a new tab) for your movement on the Goods Vehicle Movement Service.You will need the Transit MRN issued after the goods have been presented at the GB office of departure.Find further guidance on creating a goods movement reference.	No	Yes	No
Submit a Pre-Boarding Notification (PBN) using Ireland's roll-on roll-off (RoRo) service (opens in a new tab).You will need the entry summary declaration (ENS) MRN provided by TSS and the Transit MRN issued after the goods have been presented at the GB office of departure.	No	Yes	No
Ensure you comply with any additional entry requirements at port of arrival in Ireland. Find further guidance on Irish customs clearance and import or export controls (opens in a new tab).	Yes	No	Yes (if completing declarations on behalf of the trader or haulier)
Present the goods and any accompanying documents at the Irish office of transit.	No	Yes	No
Notify the office of incident if there is an accident, delay, diversion or other change affecting the movement.	No	Yes	Yes (if completing declarations on behalf of the trader or haulier)
Present the goods at the authorised consignee location or office of destination entered on the transit declaration in Northern Ireland to close the transit movement.	No	Yes	No
Complete the supplementary declaration generated by the Trader Support Service by the tenth calendar day of the month following the goods movement	Yes	No	Yes (if completing declarations on behalf of the importer)

Trader Support Service