Guides / Dover–Calais customs for hauliers · Updated 30 September 2026

Dover–Calais and Eurotunnel customs: a haulier's checklist

The short straits crossings are fast, but only when the paperwork is finished before the lorry reaches the port. This guide sets out what the UK side needs on the way out, what the EU expects before goods arrive, and who in the chain usually owns each step.

This guide is also available in Polish.

Two borders, two sets of systems

A lorry leaving Great Britain for France through the Port of Dover or through Eurotunnel at Folkestone crosses two customs territories in a single trip. The UK side is concerned with the goods leaving: an export declaration and a reference that links that declaration to the vehicle. The EU side is concerned with the goods arriving: advance safety and security data and, at some point, an import or transit declaration.

These are separate obligations handled in separate systems, and they are often handled by different people. A UK exporter or its agent normally deals with the UK export side. The EU entry side is usually dealt with by the carrier, a representative in the EU, or the importer's own agent. Mixing up who does what is one of the most common reasons trucks are held.

Before the trip: the basics

GOV.UK states that you need an EORI number that starts with GB to export goods from England, Wales or Scotland (see the EORI glossary entry). The same guidance says the completed invoice and any licences or certificates must travel with the goods, and that you can either handle customs yourself or hire someone to do it for you.

You also need the correct commodity code for each line on the invoice. Getting the classification wrong can affect licensing checks and the declaration itself, so it is worth settling before the collection date rather than on the morning of loading.

UK exit: export declaration and GMR

The export declaration

The export declaration is lodged on CDS, the system that replaced the older CHIEF system. Once accepted, it produces a Movement Reference Number (MRN). That MRN is not the end of the process for a lorry at Dover or Eurotunnel: it has to be tied to the vehicle through the Goods Vehicle Movement Service.

Registering for GVMS

According to GOV.UK, you need to register for the Goods Vehicle Movement Service if you import or export goods through a port which uses it, and registration needs an EORI number starting GB. A customs agent is allowed to register on your behalf. Hauliers and traders with regular short straits traffic generally hold their own registration so they can create references without waiting on a third party.

Creating the goods movement reference

A goods movement reference (GMR) is required for each movement of goods through a location that uses GVMS; the GOV.UK guidance names the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel as examples. The GMR brings together the references for everything on the vehicle. Depending on the movement, GOV.UK lists items such as:

• the vehicle registration, or trailer or container number for unaccompanied freight;
• the MRNs from the customs declarations for the goods carried;
• ATA or TIR carnet references, where a carnet is used;
• an EORI number, where the trader is authorised to use one in place of a declaration reference.

The guidance says the GMR must be presented at the port you are leaving from, and the carrier validates it before the goods are embarked. For groupage loads, every consignment on the trailer has to be covered, so one missing MRN can stop the whole vehicle.

Checking whether goods are selected for inspection

GOV.UK advises drivers to use the GMR in the check-in service to find out whether goods need to be inspected. Border Force may also carry out further checks on the vehicle at the port. Build a buffer into the schedule for that possibility, especially on booked crossings.

EU entry: safety and security data (ICS2)

On the EU side, advance cargo information is handled by the Import Control System 2 (ICS2). The European Commission states that if you are transporting goods into or via the EU by road, you will have to submit safety and security data before the goods arrive. This is filed as an entry summary declaration (ENS).

The Commission also states that all consignments entering EU territory by any means of transport as of 1 June 2026 should have a valid ENS, submitted either directly to ICS2 or included in a combined transit declaration through NCTS Phase 6. On responsibility, the Commission notes that, depending on contractual arrangements among supply chain actors, either a single ENS filing or multiple filings may be used. In practice, confirm in writing with your carrier and EU-side representative who is submitting it for each load.

Transit or import at the French border

Once the goods are in the EU, they need a customs status. Broadly, there are two routes. The goods can be cleared for import at or near the point of entry, or they can travel under the transit procedure to an inland customs office or onward to another EU country, where the transit movement is closed and import formalities take place. Which option fits depends on the final destination and where the importer wants clearance done.

If you use transit, the declaration is made in NCTS and a guarantee is normally needed. Our T1 transit guide covers the procedure and how it links into GVMS. As the Commission notes above, a transit declaration under NCTS Phase 6 can also carry the ENS data.

For French-specific border arrangements, such as how French customs matches lorries to declarations at Calais or Coquelles, follow the instructions from your French-side representative and the official French customs service. This guide does not summarise them, because we have not verified them against an official source for this page.

Who owns which step

A practical pre-departure checklist

• Commercial invoice, packing list and any licences or certificates are with the driver.
• Every consignment on the vehicle has an accepted export MRN.
• A GMR exists, includes all MRNs, and uses the right vehicle or trailer number.
• The driver knows how to check the GMR for inspection status before arriving.
• Someone has confirmed in writing that the ENS has been filed for the EU side.
• The EU-side arrangement (import at entry or transit to destination) is agreed and documented.

If you want a route-specific walkthrough with timings and office codes, see Easy Clearance's Dover–Calais clearance guide. If you are still deciding whether to hand the declarations to an agent, read do you need a broker?.

Related guides

• How remote customs clearance works for UK–EU shipments

• Groupage and consolidated loads: UK–EU customs explained

• Movement Reference Number (MRN): what it is and how hauliers use it

Sources

• Export goods from the UK: step by step (GOV.UK)
• Register for the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GOV.UK)
• Get a goods movement reference (GOV.UK)
• Import Control System 2 (European Commission)

General information, not legal, tax or customs advice. Rules change; confirm current requirements on gov.uk or with a registered agent before you ship.