Making export declarations using the Trader Support Service

Find out when you need to submit an export declaration for goods moving from Northern Ireland to Great Britain using the Trader Support Service.

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Types of movements from Northern Ireland to Great Britain

Before moving goods from Northern Ireland to Great Britain, check if you need to submit an export declaration.

This depends on:

how the goods are moved
the types of goods you are moving

Goods can move from Northern Ireland to Great Britain:

directly
indirectly through Ireland

When you need an export declaration

Direct movements

Most direct movements do not require an export declaration. However, you must submit an export declaration if the goods are:

under a customs special procedure in NI, including transit
held in an authorised temporary storage facility
goods for which special processes apply

Find guidance on completing export declarations for goods moving directly from Northern Ireland to Great Britain.

Indirect movements

All movements from Northern Ireland to Great Britain through Ireland need an export declaration.

Find guidance on completing export declarations for goods moving from Northern Ireland to Great Britain through Ireland.

What you need before you submit an export declaration

Before you submit an export declaration you will need:

an EORI number
details of the goods, such as commodity code, description, and value
any licences, certificates, or documents needed for your goods
details of the movement, for example transport type, exit port and entry port

Which EORI number to use

Use an:

XI EORI number, if you are a Northern Ireland trader submitting the declaration, or an intermediary submitting a declaration on behalf of a trader
a GB EORI number, if that GB EORI number was used to declare the goods to a customs special procedure when they entered Northern Ireland

Check if you need to provide additional information

Before submitting your declaration, check if:

your goods are subject to international controls, such as export restrictions, prohibitions, or licensing requirements in the UK Integrated Online Tariff
your goods are subject to sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) controls, as you may need specific certificates or licences
your goods will be discharged from a customs special procedure, such as inward processing, as you will need your HMRC authorisation details
your declaration requires previous document codes, as you will need to provide these

Find out more about moving goods into, out of, or through Northern Ireland.

Prepare to submit your export declaration

Before you submit your declaration, you must:

register for the Trader Support Service, you only have to do this once
if you use an intermediary, you must authorise them to submit the declaration on your behalf

Submit your export declaration

Sign in to the Trader Support Service and complete your export declaration. The information is sent to HMRC's Customs Declaration Service (CDS) for processing.

After you submit your declaration:

CDS validates the information you have provided
if there are any errors, you will receive a notification from the Trader Support Service
you must correct any errors and resubmit the declaration before it can be processed
once CDS has accepted your declaration, the person who submitted the declaration will receive a notification when the goods are cleared to move.

Once CDS has accepted your declaration:

you will get a Declaration Unique Consignment Reference (DUCR), which you must share with the haulier
the haulier creates a goods movement reference (GMR) in the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) using this DUCR
the haulier presents the GMR to the ferry operator when they check in at the port in Northern Ireland