CDS Exporter Subscription

Customs Declaration Service

The Customs Declaration Service (CDS), which offers businesses a more streamlined, user-friendly system with more capability, is replacing the Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) service. Since its launch in 2018, CDS has been used to file import declarations for products coming into the UK. HMRC has announced that it is now implementing a "new phased approach," requiring "selected high-volume declarants" to switch to CDS for exports by November 30, 2023, and mandating CDS use by March 30, 2024, for all other enterprises.

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UK Government Announcement

The government has advised all exporters to use the new Customs Declaration Service (CDS), which will be necessary for export declarations beginning on March 31, 2024. In CDS, exporters may need to complete up to 65 data elements for their exports, depending on the type of declaration and situation.

HMRC will send an email to all export declarants who haven't enrolled yet with the information and instructions needed to sign up for the service.

On March 30, 2024, Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF), the legacy service that is currently in operation, will come to an end. For importers who migrated to the CDS last year, the system is already no longer in operation.

Procedure for CDS Exporter Subscriptions

Declarants must ensure they have the following details before they can subscribe:

• The company's Economic Operators Registration and Identification number using their current Government Gateway user ID and password (EORI number).
• Their national insurance number, their Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR), the date the business was established, and, in the case of a lone trader, the business address listed in HMRC records.
• If declarants lack any of the aforementioned data, they will need to obtain it on their own or, in the case of an EORI number, apply for it.

CDS Support

If you would like to receive more information on how we could help you, please let us know by sending an e-mail to info@icsglobalservices.co.uk, and we will contact you shortly.

ICS Global Services Limited