Guidance

Customs Declaration Service: service availability and issues

Check the availability and any issues affecting the Customs Declaration Services.

From:
HM Revenue & Customs
Published
13 September 2019
Last updated
24 March 2024 — See all updates

Service availability

Find out how to sign in to:

Planned downtime

None.

Service issues

WeRead the below guidance to be followed regarding the current issues being experienced. 

When goods are continuingbeing released to experiencefree somecirculation technicaland difficultiesoutright withpayment theof Customs DeclarationDuty Service.is being made by Deferment.  

WeThe haveDeferment nowComprehensive putGuarantee inauthorisation placedetails contingencyare processesonly torequired ensure businesseswhen canCustoms keepDuty goodsis being deferred.  

The tables below give both Great Britain and freightNorthern movingIreland whilecompletion wedetails, returnonly tofollow fulleither service. the GB or XI examples, not both.

Where a Comprehensive Guarantee is held enter the following

Data Element DE 2/3

HauliersEnter usingDocument Code C506 followed by GBDPO or XIDPO followed by the GoodsDeferment Vehicleaccount Movementauthorisation Servicenumber shouldin createDocument aID.  GoodsNo MovementStatus ReferenceCode andor selectDocument ‘DeclarationReason is required.

Data Element DE 2/6

Enter DAN1 followed by Conduct’.the Deferment number that is linked to the authorisation number declared in DE 2/3 against document code C506.

Data Element DE 3/16, DE 3/18 or DE 3/20

AtThe maritimeGB Temporaryor StorageXI EORI number locations,declared carriersin either DE 3/16, DE 3/18 or DE 3/20 must match the EORI number declared in DE 3/39 (against codes CGU and shippingDPO).

Enter agentsboth areof authorisedthe codes CGU and DPO:  

  • CGUGB000000000000 or CGUXI000000000000  
  • DPOGB000000000000 or DPOXI000000000000  

The characters GB or XI 000000000000’ relate to usethe EORI number contingencyof manifestthe codesperson (forwho exampleowns ‘C’the deferment account/ guarantee.

Data Element DE 3/39

The characters GB or ‘T2’XI status),000000000000’ dependingrelate onto the EORI number of the inventory systemperson used. who owns the deferment account/ guarantee.

Data Element DE 4/3 (Tax Types)

AtAn airA freightseries Temporarytax Storagetype locations,is agentsdeclared.

Data andElement operatorsDE are4/8

Enter permittedthe tomethod releaseof non-controlledPayment goodscodes on‘E’ or ‘R’ are declared.

Data Element DE 8/2

In the location’s‘Other inventoryGuarantee systemReference’ ifComponent, possible.enter the Tradersreference should contactnumber theirof Communitythe CCG, Systemonly Providerwhere fora morecomprehensive information.  guarantee authorisation number is declared in DE 2/3.

Data Element DE 8/3

TradersLeave shouldGuarantee useReference Number component (GRN) blank.

Where a Comprehensive Guarantee waiver is being claimed

Data Element DE 2/3

Enter Document Code C506 followed by GBDPO or XIDPO followed by the optionsDeferment aboveaccount whereverauthorisation possible.number Ifin theyDocument areID.  unableNo toStatus useCode theseor options,Document theyReason areis advisedrequired.

Data Element DE 2/6

Enter DAN1 followed by the Deferment number that is linked to contactthe authorisation number declared in DE 2/3 against document code C506.

Data Element DE 3/16, DE 3/18 or DE 3/20

Enter the CustomsGB Declarationor ServiceXI EORI number helpdeskdeclared in either DE 3/16, DE 3/18 or DE 3/20 must match the EORI number declared in DE 3/39 (against codes CGU and provideDPO).

Data theirElement unique consignmentDE number3/39

Enter both of the codes CGU and MovementDPO:   

  • CGUGB000000000000 Referenceor NumberCGUXI000000000000   
  • DPOGB000000000000 ifor thisDPOXI000000000000   

The characters GB or XI 000000000000’ relate to the EORI number of the person who owns the deferment account/ claiming the guarantee exemption.

Data Element DE 4/3 (Tax Types)

An A series tax type is available.  declared

Data Element DE 4/8

WeEnter apologisethe formethod anyof inconveniencePayment thiscode causes.​‘E’ or ‘R’ are declared.

Data Element DE 8/2

Enter code ‘0’.

In the ‘Other Guarantee Reference’ Component, enter Guarantee not required.

Data Element DE 8/3

Leave Guarantee Reference Number component (GRN) blank.

Other services

Check availability and issues for other services.

Published 13 September 2019
Last updated 24 March 2024 + show all updates

  1. The previous service issue message has been updated.

  2. A service issue message has been added about.

  3. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 23 March 2024 to 4am Sunday 24 March 2024 has been added.

  4. The service issue caused by an overnight update to exchange rates has now been resolved.

  5. Service availability message for the Customs Declaration Service has been added.

  6. Planned downtime from 10pm Saturday 9 December 2023 to 5am Sunday 10 December 2023 has been added.

  7. Planned downtime from 12:30am to 2:30am on Sunday 22 October has been added.

  8. Planned downtime from 8am to 9pm on Sunday 8 October 2023 has been added.

  9. Planned downtime from 8am to 7pm on Sunday 8 October 2023 has been added.

  10. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 23 September 2023 to 4:30am on Sunday 24 September 2023 has been added.

  11. Service availability message for the Customs Declaration Service has been added.

  12. Planned downtime from 10pm to 11:10pm on Thursday 10 August 2023 has been added.

  13. A service issues message about problems accessing archived statements for CDS duty deferment and C79’s and postponed VAT accounting (PVA) has been added.

  14. Planned downtime from 11:55pm on Monday 31 July 2023 to 1:05am on Tuesday 1 August 2023 has been added.

  15. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 24 June 2023 to 3am on Sunday 25 June 2023 has been added.

  16. Planned downtime message from 11:59pm on Wednesday 24 May 2023 to 12:45am on Thursday 25 May 2023 has been added.

  17. Information about scheduled maintenance from 6pm to 10pm on Thursday 4 May 2023 has been added to the 'Service availability' section.

  18. Scheduled maintenance on the Customs Declaration Service will now go ahead from Saturday 6 May 2023 9:30pm to 2am Sunday 7 May 2023.

  19. Scheduled maintenance on the Customs Declaration Service will now go ahead from 9:30pm to 11:59pm on Saturday 29 April 2023.

  20. Planned downtime from 9:30pm to 11:30pm on Saturday 15 April has been added.

  21. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 25 March 2023 to 4:30am on Sunday 26 March 2023 has been added. The service issue affecting some traders trying to submit import declarations through the Customs Declaration Service and move their goods has been resolved.

  22. A service issue about submitting import declarations through the Customs Declaration Service has been added.

  23. We are working to resolve an IT issue that is affecting a small number of traders who are trying to move their goods using certain commodity codes. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

  24. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 25 February 2023 to 4:30am on Sunday 26 February has been added.

  25. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 14 January 2023 to 4am on Sunday 15 January 2023 has been added.

  26. The service issue about duplicated VAT charges has now been resolved.

  27. A service issue about duplicated VAT charges has been added.

  28. Planned downtime from 9:30pm to 11:30pm on Saturday 17 December 2022 has been added.

  29. Intermittent issues with the Customs Declaration Service have been resolved.

  30. We are aware that some customers are experiencing intermittent issues with the Customs Declaration Service. Check the service availability page for updates.

  31. The service issue about delays with message response times has been resolved.

  32. A service issue about delays with message response times has been added.

  33. The service issue about delays with message response times in the Customs Declaration Service has been resolved.

  34. There are delays with message response times in the service that are being investigated.

  35. Issues with the Customs Declaration Service which may be impacting the Goods Vehicle Movement Service have been resolved.

  36. Information for hauliers, traders, declarants and anyone moving controlled goods has been updated for the issues with the Customs Declaration Service.

  37. Information for hauliers, traders, declarants and anyone moving controlled goods has been added for the issues with the Customs Declaration Service.

  38. There are problems with the Customs Declaration Service and you will be only able to complete customs movements if you have a goods movement reference.

  39. Planned downtime from 9:30pm to 10:30pm on Saturday 15 October 2022 has been added.

  40. Information about scheduled maintenance from 9.30pm on Saturday 24 September 2022 to 4am on Sunday 25 September 2022 has been added.

  41. The planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 27 August 2022 to 4am on Sunday 28 August 2022 has been changed to 10pm on Saturday 27 August 2022 to 12:30am on Sunday 28 August 2022.

  42. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 27 August 2022 to 4am on Sunday 28 August 2022 has been added.

  43. The planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 30 July 2022 to 5:30am on Sunday 31 July 2022 has been changed to 9:30pm to 11:30pm on Saturday 30 July 2022.

  44. Updated information about the technical problems with postponed import VAT statements for June 2022.

  45. The planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 30 July 2022 to 5:30am Sunday 31 July 2022 has been extended to 7:30am Sunday 31 July 2022.

  46. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 30 July 2022 to 5:30am on Sunday 31 July 2022 has been added.

  47. Information has been added about some technical problems with postponed import VAT statements for June 2022.

  48. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 25 June 2022 to 4am on Sunday 26 June 2022 has been added.

  49. The problem with April 2022 postponed VAT statements has now been fixed. Users can now access replacement statements on their dashboard.

  50. The planned downtime from Tuesday 17 May 2022 11:59pm to 1am Wednesday 18 May 2022 has been changed to Saturday 21 May 2022 10:30pm to 1am Sunday 22 May 2022.

  51. The planned service downtime will now take place from Tuesday 17 May 2022 11:59pm to 1am Wednesday 18 May 2022.

  52. This service will be unavailable from Monday 16 May 2022 11:59pm to 1am Tuesday 17 May 2022. Information has also been added about problems with postponed import VAT statements for April 2022.

  53. The issue with March 2022 postponed import VAT statements not displaying for some users has now been resolved.

  54. Information has been added for importers who have been having issues accessing their March 2022 statements.

  55. Due to scheduled maintenance you will be unable to submit declarations or populate goods movement references with Customs Declaration Services declaration references from 11pm on 30 April 2022 to 1am on Sunday 1 May 2022.

  56. Planned downtime from 9:30pm Saturday 9 April to 7:30am Sunday 10 April 2022 has been added.

  57. Planned downtime from 9:45pm to 11:15pm on Thursday 31 March 2022 has been added.

  58. Planned downtime from 10:30pm to 11:15pm on Thursday 31 March 2022 has been added.

  59. Planned downtime for the Customs Declarations Service from 11pm on Saturday 26 February 2022 to 12:30am on Sunday 27 February 2022 has been added.

  60. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 29 January 2022 to 5am on Sunday 30 January 2022 has been added.

  61. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 29 January 2022 to 3:30am on Sunday 30 January 2022 has been added.

  62. We are making some changes to our online service from 10:30pm to 11:30pm on Friday 7 January 2022. There will be a 60 minute delay to declarations submitted during this time.

  63. Planned downtime from 9:30pm to 10:30pm on Wednesday 22 December 2021 has been added.

  64. For operational reasons, the essential maintenance on the Customs Declaration Service will now take place from Saturday 18 December 2021 9:30pm to 3am Sunday 19 December 2021. You will not be able to submit declarations during this time.

  65. Planned downtime from 10:30pm to 11:30pm on Friday 17 December 2021 has been added.

  66. Due to scheduled maintenance there will be a delay for declarations submitted from Monday 7 December 2021 10:30pm to 11:10pm. Declarations will be held in a queue until the service is resumed.

  67. Information added about monthly postponed import VAT statements.

  68. Planned downtime for the service has been updated to take place from 9:30pm on Saturday 27 November 2021 to 4:30am on Sunday 28 November 2021.

  69. Information about problems with monthly postponed import VAT statements has been updated.

  70. Information about a 120 minute delay to declarations submitted between 11pm on Thursday 18 November 2021 and 1am on Friday 19 November 2021 has been added.

  71. Planned downtime messages from 10:30pm to 11:59pm on Thursday 11 November 2021 and from 9:30pm on Saturday 27 November 2021 to 3:30am on Sunday 28 November 2021 have been updated.

  72. Planned downtime from 10:30pm to 11:59pm on Thursday 11 November 2021 and from 9:30pm on Saturday 27 November 2021 to 3:30am on Sunday 28 November 2021 has been added.

  73. A service issue about a delay to declarations when using the Customs Declarations Service on 29 October 2021 has been added.

  74. Planned downtime from 11:59pm on Wednesday 27 October 2021 to 2am Thursday 28 October 2021 has been added.

  75. Planned downtime has changed from 10pm to 10:40pm to 10:30pm to 11:10pm on Tuesday 26 October 2021.

  76. Planned downtime from 10pm to 10:40pm Tuesday 26 October 2021 has been added.

  77. The temporary restriction on the Customs Declaration Service to limit declaration to 40 data items has been lifted.

  78. An service issue affecting the Customs Declaration Service has been added.

  79. A service downtime message from 10pm to 10:35pm on Monday 18 October 2021 has been added.

  80. Planned downtime from 21:30pm on Saturday 16 October 2021 to 3:30am Sunday 17 October 2021 has been added.

  81. Planned downtime from 10pm on Thursday 9 September 2021 to 10:45pm on Thursday 9 September 2021 has been added.

  82. The planned downtime on Saturday 28 August 2021 has been postponed until 9:30pm on Saturday 4 September to 3:30am Sunday 5 September 2021.

  83. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 28 August 2021 to 3:30am Sunday 29 August 2021 has been added.

  84. The planned downtime for 31 July 2021 has been cancelled.

  85. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 7 August 2021 to 3:30am Sunday 8 August 2021 has been added.

  86. Planned downtime from 6pm to 6:30pm on Thursday 22 July 2021 has been added.

  87. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 31 July to 3:30am Sunday 1 August 2021 has been added.

  88. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 26 June 2021 to 10:30pm Saturday 26 June 2021 has been added.

  89. Planned downtime from 7pm to 8:30pm on Wednesday 2 June 2021 has been added.

  90. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 12 June to 2:30am on Sunday 13 June 2021 has been added.

  91. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 8 May to 2am on Sunday 9 May 2021 has been added.

  92. Planned downtime from 6pm to 6:45pm on Friday 23 April 2021 has been added.

  93. Planned downtime from 6:30pm on Tuesday 13 April 2021 to 6:50pm on Tuesday 13 April 2021 has been added.

  94. Information about the service issue for postponed import VAT statements has been updated.

  95. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Thursday 1 April 2021 to 2:30am on Friday 2 April 2021 has been added.

  96. Planned downtime from 10pm to 11pm on Saturday 13 March 2021 has been added.

  97. A service issue about postponed import VAT statements has been added.

  98. Planned downtime from 8pm on Wednesday 3 March 2021 to 8:45pm on Wednesday 3 March 2021 has been added.

  99. Added more information about the areas affected by the downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 27 February 2021 to 2am on Sunday 28 February 2021.

  100. Planned downtime from Saturday 27 February 2021 9:30pm to 2am Sunday 28 February 2021 has been added.

  101. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 27 February 2021 to 2am on Sunday 28 February 2021 has been added.

  102. Planned downtime from 5pm to 9pm on Saturday 30 January 2021 has been added.

  103. Planned downtime from 10pm to 11pm on Thursday 31 December 2020 has been added.

  104. Planned downtime from 7pm to 9pm on Tuesday 22 December 2020 has been added.

  105. Planned downtime from 2pm on Tuesday 22 December 2020 to 2am Wednesday 23 December 2020 has been added.

  106. Planned downtime on Saturday 28 November 2020 from 5:10pm to 5:40pm for registrations and submissions, and from 5pm to 8:30pm for declarations.

  107. Planned downtime for Wednesday 11 November 2020 from 6pm to 8pm has been added.

  108. Planned downtime for Saturday 24 October 2020 between 9am and 1pm has been added.

  109. Planned downtime has been added for Saturday 26 September 2020 between 9am and 3pm

  110. There is no planned downtime. The service is live.

  111. Planned downtime for Friday 11 September 2020 6pm to 7am Monday 14 September 2020 has been added.

  112. Planned downtime from 9am to 3pm on Saturday 22 August 2020 has been added.

  113. Planned downtime from 9am to 3pm on Saturday 25 July 2020 has been added.

  114. Planned downtime from 12:30pm to 9:30pm on Saturday 20 June 2020 has been added.

  115. Planned downtime from midday on Thursday 30 April 2020 to 9am Friday 1 May 2020 has been added.

  116. The planned downtime from 5pm Thursday 26 March 2020 to 2am on Friday 27 March 2020 has been updated. The system will be unavailable from midday on Thursday 26 March 2020 to 9am on Friday 27 March 2020. A service issues message has also been added.

  117. Planned downtime from 5pm Thursday 26 March 2020 to 2am on Friday 27 March 2020 has been added.

  118. Planned downtime added for Thursday 13 February 2020 5pm to 00:35am on Friday 14 February 2020.

  119. Planned downtime for 5pm on Thursday 23 January until 1am on Friday 24 January has been added.

  120. Notice of planned down time added for 5.30pm to 11pm on Tuesday 10 December.

  121. Planned downtime for Thursday 21 November 2018 5pm to 11pm has been added.

  122. First published.

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