This is later than the original published closure date, 30^th March 2024. The date has been moved back to allow SMEs further time to prepare to make their declarations by other means.

All businesses can now use the Customs Declaration Service rather than CHIEF, the obsolete retiring Customs system. All goods (including excise) are now included in the CDS for export through all routes, including inventory-linked maritime locations.

Businesses that wish to continue making their own declarations will need to make use of one of the following options:

• apply to use the new HMRC 'Make and Manage an Export Declaration Online' service. This replaces the NESweb service currently used by small and medium-sized businesses to submit export declarations through CHIEF
  
  

OR:

• purchase third-party Customs declaration software to submit your declarations through the CDS. A list of third-party software providers providing CDS software on GOV.UK.
  
  

OR:

• Hire a person or business to complete Customs declarations on behalf of your business.



A business that has already joined the private beta for the Make and Manage an Export Declaration Online service should now start using the service to submit declarations or follow the options above.

What’s new?

HMRC introduced the ‘Make and Manage an Export Declaration Online Service

The new Make and Manage an Export Declaration Online service is designed to support small to medium-sized businesses making export declarations through the CDS. 

Link below:

Make and manage an export declaration online - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Make and Manage service can be used to make a:

• standard export declaration
• special procedures declaration
• dispatch of goods to a special fiscal territory, such as the Canary Islands
• simplified declaration (regular use)
• simplified declaration (on an occasional basis)
• C21 Customs clearance request
• an entry in declarant’s records (EIDR)
• supplementary declaration

This service can also link consignments into a bigger consignment under one Master Unique Consignment Reference (MUCR).

A business must be subscribed to the Customs Declaration Service to enable the use of the Make and Manage process. A link below to the CDS subscription pages:

Subscribe to the Customs Declaration Service - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Giving it a Go: Use the Trader Dress Rehearsal (TDR) service

Users can make practice declarations using the free, simulated CDS environment or Trader Dress Rehearsal service. TDS users have reported a more successful experience of the live CDS after using the practice environment.

The link to the TDR CDS user test environment is below:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/using-the-trader-dress-rehearsal-service

Further information and guidance can be found on the published guidance pages, link below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/customs-declaration-service

Customs Declaration Service Communications Pack

HMRC have also published a CDS Communications Pack, which includes:

• A declarant checklist for CDS exports – providing a step-by-step guide to the key actions a trader will need to take when making a Customs declaration.
• Example declarations for exports from Great Britain to the rest of the world - to help with the completion of CDS export declarations.
• CDS Customs clearance instructions for exports. YouTube videos that take the user through the critical steps required to complete an export declaration.
• CDS known error workarounds. 

The new CDS remains a work in progress, and it will be essential to check this document for details of ongoing CDS systems error workarounds to help in the successful submission of Customs clearance requests or Customs declarations through the CDS.

Links to the available help sites are below:

A link to the CDS Communications Pack is below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/customs-declaration-service-communication-pack

Checklist for CDS Exports:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/customs-declaration-service-communication-pack/declarant-checklist-for-exports-moving-to-the-customs-declaration-service

Example Declaration:

Get help using example declarations for exports from Great Britain to the rest of the world - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Link to YouTube published help videos:

Customs Declaration Service - Customs Clearance Instructions for Exports - YouTube

CDS Error Workarounds:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/known-error-workarounds-for-the-customs-declaration-service-cds

Any questions should be directed through the channels to be found at the following link:

Imports and exports: general enquiries - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Users are encouraged to report a problem when using the CDS on GOV.UK.

Report a problem using the Customs Declaration Service - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

If you are interested in exploring this topic further, you might find it worthwhile to consider the training courses and live clinics offered by Strong & Herd LLP: