Guidance

Making an entry summary declaration

Make an entry summary declaration if you move goods into Great Britain, into Northern Ireland from Great Britain, or into Northern Ireland from outside the EU.

You need to make an entry summary declaration if you바카라 사이트™re transporting goods into:

  • Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales)
  • Northern Ireland, from Great Britain or outside the EU

Some goods have a waiver from the requirement to submit entry summary declarations. This includes qualifying Northern Ireland goods being imported into Great Britain. Read the customs technical handbook for more information about:

  • qualifying Northern Ireland goods
  • goods that do not need an entry summary declaration

You need to make your declaration before your goods arrive. You can submit declarations up to 200 days in advance.

Who can submit an entry summary declaration

As the carrier who is moving the goods, you are responsible for making sure the entry summary declaration is submitted.

You can either:Ìý

  • submit entry summary declarations yourself
  • use a third party to submit them on your behalf, like a customs agent

If you use a third party to file an entry summary declaration:

  • they should not file any declarations without your knowledge and contractual agreementÌý
  • you should not file declarations yourself for that same shipment

If you and a third party both file declarations for the same shipment, customs authorities can decide to either:

  • use both declarations for their safety and security risk analysis
  • accept the declaration you make, and not the third party declaration

You should have more than one person able to access all the HMRC services that you바카라 사이트™ve enrolled for. This will help prevent issues that could delay your declarations (for example, if a primary administrator is away, or leaves the company). Read more about managing team members and services.

Read the customs technical handbook to learn more about other parties who can submit entry summary declarations.

Compatible software

The S&S GB and ICS2 services do not have user interfaces. This means you바카라 사이트™ll need compatible software to submit your declaration as an XML (eXtensible Markup Language) message.

You can choose to:

You can also decide to develop compatible software in-house. for more information.

Information to provide in an entry summary declarationÌý

You need to provide documents and licences for your import. This can include:Ìý

  • the bill of ladingÌý
  • the airway bill
  • a commercial invoice

This applies to all the services listed in the following sections.

Moving goods into Great Britain

The Safety and Security GB (S&S GB) service

You need to use the S&S GB service to submit entry summary declarations for imports into Great Britain.

Before you can register for S&S GB, you바카라 사이트™ll need a 바카라 사이트 Gateway user ID and password. You can create one when you register.

If your business is not established in Great Britain, you바카라 사이트™ll need an EORI number starting GB. Find out how to get an EORI number.

Find out how to register for the S&S GB service, and what other documents and information you바카라 사이트™ll need when you do.

Other information you바카라 사이트™ll need

To submit an entry summary declaration for imports into Great Britain, you바카라 사이트™ll also need information about:Ìý

Moving goods into Northern Ireland from Great Britain or outside the EU

If you바카라 사이트™re moving goods into Northern Ireland from Great Britain or outside the EU, you need to submit a safety and security declaration.

When the new arrangements for parcels under the Windsor Framework come into effect from Great Britain into Northern Ireland, safety and security declarations will only be needed for applicable movements. If you have any questions about this, email us at:Ìýics.helpdesk@hmrc.gov.uk.

To make entry summary declarations for goods moving into Northern Ireland you need to use one of the following services:Ìý

  • Import Control System Northern Ireland (ICS NI)
  • Import Control System 2 (ICS2),바카라 사이트¯which is replacing바카라 사이트¯ICS NI

If you바카라 사이트™re using the Trader Support Service to submit safety and security declarations, you can keep doing this. You do not need to register to useÌýICS2.

You바카라 사이트™ll also need either:

  • an EORI바카라 사이트¯number starting XI
  • an EORI바카라 사이트¯number issued by an EU member state

Find out how to get an EORI number.

The Trader Support Service

You can바카라 사이트¯. They can complete entry summary declarations on your behalf.

When to use ICS2Ìý

You need to use ICS2 to make safety and security declarations for all air and maritime goods movements into Northern Ireland from:Ìý

  • Great Britain
  • outside the EUÌý

If you바카라 사이트™re using ICS NI

ICS2 is replacing바카라 사이트¯ICS NI. For air and maritime movements into Northern Ireland, you must use ICS2. For road and rail movements into Northern Ireland, you can transition from ICS NIÌýto ICS2 between 1 April 2025 and 1 September 2025.

You must tell HMRC the date you intend to start using ICS2 instead of ICS NI.

You바카라 사이트™ll need to tell us:

  • your company name
  • your company address
  • your EORI number
  • your role in the ICS2 process (for example, air carrier, postal operator, house level filer)Ìý
  • the deployment window dates
  • the date within this window that you expect to start using ICS2

Contact us about this by email at: ics.helpdesk@hmrc.gov.uk.

Register for ICS2

Find out how to register for the Import Control System 2, and what other documents and information you바카라 사이트™ll need when you do.

Read more about:Ìý

Goods Vehicle Movement ServiceÌý(GVMS) portsÌý

If you바카라 사이트™re moving goods into Great Britain, you do not have to include safety and security declaration reference numbers in the GVMS, but you can choose to.

If you바카라 사이트™re moving goods into Northern Ireland, you should include your safety and security declaration reference numbers in the GVMS.

If you바카라 사이트™re including these numbers in the GVMS, you need to submit your entry summary declaration by whichever of these is earliest:Ìý

  • the minimum timing requirementÌý
  • before check-in closesÌý

Read more about바카라 사이트¯moving goods through GVMS ports.

After you make your declaration

Once we accept your entry summary declaration, we바카라 사이트™ll give you a movement reference number, using the S&S GB service or ICS2 service.

UK customs will risk-assess your declaration and use the results to identify:Ìý

  • imports they want to control when they arrive
  • shipments they want to prevent being loaded onto a vessel (for deep sea containerised maritime cargo only)Ìý

Your declaration must be complete and accurate, and you must submit it within the legal deadlines. This will minimise delays when your goods arrive in customs.

HMRC and Border Force will work with carriers to make sure you바카라 사이트™re aware of your obligations. We바카라 사이트™ll provide you with support to become compliant, if you need it. Read the customs technical handbook for more information on responsibilities for submitting entry summary declarations.

바카라 사이트˜Do not load바카라 사이트™ messages

For deep-sea containerised shipments, the system may issue a 바카라 사이트˜Do not load바카라 사이트™ message (sometimes known as an IE351 Advanced Intervention Notification) to whoever submits the declaration.

If a third party submitted the declaration for you, we바카라 사이트™ll notify you as well, as long as they entered the following details in the declaration:

  • your EORI number, as the ocean carrier
  • your transport document number, as the ocean carrier

You can identify the affected shipment using the container and transportation document numbers in the declaration. UK Border Force will contact you to tell you what to do next.

Amending a declaration in the S&S GB and ICS2 services

Your declaration must be accurate and complete, to the best of your knowledge, when you submit it. If any details change, or you have made any mistakes, you must amend your declaration before the goods arrive at their destination.

The amendment should contain all the data of the original declaration, but with any information that has changed overwritten with the amendments.

You can change some of the details of the declaration, but not all of them. You must not make any changes to the details of either the:Ìý

  • person lodging the declarationÌý
  • representative

You can amend the customs office of first entry, but only if the new office of first entry is also in the same destination. For example, if the original office was in Great Britain, the amended office must also be in Great Britain.

Cancelling a declaration in the S&S GB and ICS2 services

You can amend an entry summary declaration, but not cancel it. If you make a declaration, but choose not to ship the goods, you do not need to take any action to cancel the declaration.

Get help and support

Online services may be slow during busy times. Check if there are any:

Registration or account issues

If you cannot sign into either the S&S GB or ICS NIÌýservice because of issues with your 바카라 사이트 Gateway user ID or password, you can get help with HMRC online services, like:Ìý

  • password resetsÌý
  • credentials resetsÌý
  • user authentication codes

If you cannot submit declarationsÌý

Contact the ICS helpdesk for technical support with the S&S GB, ICS NI or ICS2 services.

If you바카라 사이트™ve submitted a declaration but not received a response, you바카라 사이트™ll need to provide your Local Reference Number (LRN). This will help identify your declaration.

If you바카라 사이트™ve received a rejection or error message and are not sure which data fields to correct, you should provide a copy of the XML declaration message and the error code.

Data elements for entry summary declarations

In these spreadsheets:

  • 바카라 사이트˜An바카라 사이트™ means alphanumeric
  • 바카라 사이트˜A바카라 사이트™ means alpha
  • 바카라 사이트˜N바카라 사이트™ means numeric
  • 바카라 사이트˜A2바카라 사이트™ means 2 alpha characters only (there are usually code lists to go with these)
  • 바카라 사이트˜An.#바카라 사이트™ means up to # characters (for example, An.7 means up to 7 alphanumeric characters)

For the S&S GB service

(ODS, 65.8 KB).

This spreadsheet explains which data elements are mandatory, conditional, or optional. It also explains:

  • the required levels of data
  • when to provide conditional data elements

For the ICS NI service

(ODS, 9.68 KB).

The data elements for ICS NI cover road and rail movements only.

Updates to this page

Published 10 January 2019
Last updated 17 February 2025 show all updates
  1. The file 'Entry summary declaration data elements for the S&S GB service' has been updated with new information about trailer registration.

  2. The temporary waiver on making safety and security (S&S) declarations for goods imported from the EU has ended. The file 'Entry summary declaration data elements for the S&S GB service' has been updated. Links to the Customs Technical Handbook have been added.

  3. Information about when to register and use Import Control System 2 to make an entry summary declaration for different modes of transport have been added.

  4. The waiver for import requirements for goods from the EU (and other territories that did not have requirements before 1 January 2021) has been extended until 31 January 2025.

  5. Information about when to submit your declaration has been updated to include the time limits for goods being shipped by roll on roll off (RoRo) shipping and through the Channel Tunnel.

  6. Sections about who should submit an entry summary declaration have been removed from this guidance.

  7. Fixed inaccurate link to Article 104 of the retained Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446.

  8. Added information to show arrangements for movements from Ireland and Northern Ireland and Great Britain are changing from 31 October 2024.

  9. To submit an entry summary declaration of imports into Great Britain, you will need to know the S&S GB location code for the port of entry.

  10. A link to a new draft border target operating model of controls has been added in the 바카라 사이트˜Before you submit a declaration바카라 사이트™ section of the guidance.

  11. The section 'Before you submit a declaration' has been updated with information on when the new import controls regime will be introduced. When using the Goods Vehicle Movement Service, the inclusion of any safety and security declaration reference numbers is an optional step.

  12. Guidance has been updated to explain that you do not need to make an entry summary declaration for goods imported from the EU and other territories from which a declaration was not required before 1 January 2021.

  13. The dates to make an entry summary declaration for goods imported into Great Britain from the EU have been updated.

  14. The date when you will need to start submitting safety and security declarations for imports into Great Britain from some countries has changed from 1 July 2021 to 1 January 2022.

  15. Updated to include information about short straits sea journeys into Northern Ireland.

  16. This page has been updated because the Brexit transition period has ended.

  17. First published.

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