ENS declarations

Without it, it is not possible to legally import goods into the UK. And what exactly is an ENS declaration, how to submit it and where? You will find answers to these questions in our article.

ENS declaration – what exactly is it?

The ENS declaration (Entry Summary Declaration) is a document required by British customs, which contains detailed information about the imported goods.

IMPORTANT! From 31^st  January, this document is required for every import into the UK.

Thus, the ENS declaration applies to:

• importers
• carriers: people or companies responsible for the transport of goods (e.g. ship owners, courier companies or road hauliers).
• customs representatives: companies representing carriers or importers in the customs process.

If you are importing to the UK, you have to submit the ENS declaration before the goods arrive in the UK. Importantly, the deadlines vary depending on the type of transport.

Thus, if you are importing goods to the UK by sea, you have to submit the declaration at least 2 hours before arrival (short sea transport) or at least 24 hours before loading at the initial port (long sea transport).

If you decide to transport by air, it will be at least 4 hours before arrival. However, in the case of road and rail transport, you have to submit the ENS declaration at least 1 hour before entering the UK.

ENS declarations have to be made in the S&S GB (Safety and Security GB) system, managed by HMRC.

IMPORTANT! You have to do this via software approved by the customs office. You can also use the help of a customs agency like ours. Then your role will be limited to submitting documents, and our experts will take care of all formalities on your behalf.

Let us remind you that both for import and export to and from the UK we can offer you comprehensive services. More precisely: from receiving your goods, through transport, customs clearance, storage, to accounting, both in Poland and in the UK.

Before you submit the declaration, gather the required information. What exactly will you need? The following data is required to submit the ENS declaration:

• details of the consignor and the consignee
• description of the goods, their weight and quantity
• HS code of the goods. If you want to learn more about this topic, we recommend our article with a similar title “What are HS codes and how to find them”.
• details of the means of transport (e.g. vehicle registration number or flight number).
• countries of transit of the goods
• port of departure and entry into the UK.

Remember that before submitting the declaration, you have to register with the UK Customs Declaration Service (CDS). This is the system through which you will submit each ENS declaration.

After submitting the ENS declaration, it will be processed by HMRC. If the data is correct and there are no discrepancies, you will receive a confirmation and a MRN reference number, which you will need for further customs clearance.

If the declaration does not contain any errors and does not arouse interest from British customs officers, you will receive permission to import the goods into the UK.

Failure to file an ENS declaration may result in delays in the delivery of goods: Failure to file an ENS declaration prevents the goods from entering the UK. Additionally, it increases the costs of storing the goods at the border or returning them.

That’s not everything! In addition, there are financial penalties from HMRC, and even the detention of the goods until the matter is resolved.

Therefore, if you are not sure whether you have completed the declaration correctly or you prefer that the entire process be handled by experts from the customs agency – get in touch with us.