Get the paperwork ready before the vehicle reaches check-in. CDUK lets your own team prepare and file the formalities for a road movement in one platform, with a clear view of what each reference is for. Expect fewer phone calls and faster dispatch, at a price that rises only with the declarations you file.
A road movement can involve customs declarations, safety and security filings (the entry summary declaration, ENS, for GB, and the EU's ICS2) and separate references for the crossing: a Goods Movement Reference (GMR) for GVMS, a French Obligatory Logistics Envelope (ELO) and, for transit, a Transit Accompanying Document (TAD) from NCTS. They look similar to a driver and do quite different jobs.
Customs Declarations UK (CDUK) brings all of them into one account that your own team controls. You prepare, check and submit directly, and you see every status without chasing customers or forwarders for references at the last minute.
You pay only per filing, with no monthly fee, no minimum volume and no port badge for GVMS movements or export declarations. Our UK team provides onboarding, training and support.
Which formalities apply depends first on which way the vehicle is going. CDUK guides your team through what the load, the route and the procedure need, so each filing is prepared in the right order. Your dispatchers know what must be ready before check-in.
Plan for the GB safety and security declaration and the applicable import or transit process, and file them together in CDUK before the vehicle reaches the port. Dispatch sees each filing and response, so it knows when the load is ready to move.
Plan for the EU entry safety and security filing and the destination's import or transit process, prepared from the same account as your GB filings. One set of load data feeds both sides of the crossing.
Four movement scenarios, with what to plan for in each. Use it as a planning aid: CDUK guides you to the references your load, route and procedure require.
| Movement | What to plan | Where to read more |
|---|---|---|
| Entering Great Britain | GB ENS and the applicable import or transit process | GB ENS |
| Entering the EU | ICS2 ENS and the destination's import or transit process | ICS2 for road and rail |
| Using a GVMS location | A GMR containing the references required for that movement | GVMS and GMRs |
| Using France's smart border | The applicable French ELO and supporting formalities | French ELO |
Which references a GMR needs depends on direction and procedure. Follow HMRC's instructions for the specific movement and location.
Many customs problems at the crossing start earlier, with load information that was incomplete at dispatch. These three habits, supported by CDUK, help your team catch them before the vehicle moves.
Capture party details, meaningful goods descriptions, packages, weights and transport information early. A specific description gives your ENS the best start, and real-time validation flags gaps before you submit.
Use guided workflows and reusable data to prepare the relevant declaration. Document processing cuts the typing, and your operator checks that the extracted draft describes the actual load. Saved parties and cloned declarations speed up repeat runs.
Keep the GMR, ELO and transit documents distinct. Check vehicle or trailer details against the booking, and make sure the driver knows how to access each reference and follow inspection instructions.
There is no universal barcode. A GMR, an ELO and a TAD each exist for a different process, so each is shown here on its own. CDUK prepares all three from one account and keeps each tied to the declaration behind it.
The GMR supports the GVMS movement process at applicable locations. It contains the declaration references required for that movement, and it sits alongside safety and security without replacing it. Creating it with CDUK takes about a minute, and it is free when the underlying declaration is filed with us.
Example data only. Not a real reference.
The ELO is the logistics envelope used for France's smart-border process on RoRo routes. It depends on its own inputs and sits alongside the declarations beneath it. When the declaration behind the crossing is filed with CDUK, the ELO is free with fair usage.
Example data only. Not a real reference.
The TAD accompanies a transit movement and carries its Movement Reference Number (MRN). File the transit declaration with CDUK and the document is ready for the driver. Arrival filing is free when the departure was filed with us.
Example data only. Not a real MRN.
Your customer, a forwarder or your own desk may prepare a filing. CDUK keeps the whole movement in one account, so you can see what has been done before the vehicle reaches check-in.
Agree responsibilities up front so a required filing is neither missed nor duplicated. Every status is visible in CDUK, so you know what is filed and what is outstanding.
For transit, bring your guarantee arrangement or an applicable authorised waiver, and file departure and arrival with our NCTS software. Departure is up to £15, and arrival is free when the departure was filed with us.
File the Import, Export, Transit or ENS declaration with CDUK and the GVMS service creates your GMR free of charge. References from filings made elsewhere are accepted too, at £1 per GMR.
No. The GMR supports the GVMS movement process, and safety and security is a separate requirement where applicable. CDUK prepares the ENS and the GMR from the same account, so you can see both before dispatch.
Yes. CDUK's GVMS service accepts references from filings made elsewhere, using the reference types HMRC requires for the movement. Filing the underlying declaration with CDUK makes GMR creation free. You can start with the GMR, then bring the rest of your filings into the same account.
No. Drivers must follow customs and carrier instructions, and presenting the vehicle when asked is part of the process. A complete, correct filing prepared in CDUK means fewer delays at the crossing. Real-time validation catches gaps early, and you see responses as they arrive.
No. UK transit does not automatically include an EU entry safety and security declaration, so prepare ICS2 as its own filing for goods entering the EU. ICS2 release 3 matters for road and rail. CDUK handles it with the rest of your filings at up to £4 each.
Yes. Bring a suitable guarantee arrangement or an applicable authorised waiver, and CDUK provides the filing software for NCTS transit, with departure at up to £15 and arrival free when filed with us. Your team files and tracks each transit movement in the same account as the rest of your customs work.
The references a GMR needs depend on direction and procedure, and your team adds them in the GVMS service alongside the declarations filed with CDUK. Our team will walk you through the setup for your route and HMRC's guidance.
Yes. We provide platform onboarding and training, and our UK team is on hand as you start. Bring your usual routes, filing responsibilities and example shipment documents so we can show the relevant workflow. You can also read the onboarding guide. Your account is activated instantly once you register.
Bring your usual routes, your filing responsibilities and an example set of shipment documents. We will show how your team can file everything itself, with every reference ready before check-in, and what it saves in time and cost. Book a demo or register and start filing today, with no monthly fee.
