The Customs Declaration Service (CDS) is a new system introduced by the UK Government to support customs declarations for imports and exports.
This piece of content will answer the common questions asked by people regarding CDS:
The customs declaration system (CDS) is the UK Government’s electronic system for handling the customs declaration procedures for all imports and exports. HMRC has introduced this system to replace the outdated CHIEF in various stages.
Visit these pages to learn more about the CDS system:
You should do a customs declaration in the following cases:
CHIEF was changed to CDS by HMRC on 30 September 2022, shifting all the customs declarations to this electronic platform.
HMRC is replacing CHIEF with CDS because of its complexity and inefficiency in complying with updated European Union customs regulations and requirements, particularly the Union Customs Code. CDS is more flexible and is capable of scaling with the growth of global trade, making it preferable to CHIEF.
Yes, you can do customs declarations online with the help of iCustoms’ specialised AI-driven Customs Declaration Software.
Exporters have until June 4, 2024, to migrate from CHIEF to CDS. Once this date passes, HMRC will no longer accept export declarations using CHIEF.
Yes, all the importers need to register for CDS, even if you aren’t doing customs declarations yourself.
You must declare the following goods at UK customs:
The following documents are required when importing goods to the UK:
You may also need the following ones:
As per the Government of the UK, you can bring goods worth up to £390 without paying duty or tax. Nonetheless, a passenger’s allowance for goods is limited to £270 when they travel for pleasure by private aircraft or boat.
You’ll not need Customs Declaration Software (CDS) when using a third party, such as a customs broker or agent, to submit a declaration.
iCustoms provides CDS for customs brokers to automate the procedure.
The Customs Declaration Software (CDS) is based on the Union Customs Code (UCC) rules, which are interpreted and implemented by the United Kingdom’s laws. The customs clearance request and CDS declaration instructions explain how to fill out a customs declaration following the UCC rules.
Customs Procedure Codes (CPCs) in CHIEF have a 7-digit code for a product, while CDS Procedure Codes consist of two parts; the first part has a 4-digit code, and the second has up to 99 3-digit code for a single item.
Customs compliance software performs basic data validation; it checks inconsistencies, missing fields, and invalid formats.
HMRC provides regular updates to its online resources and guidance. You can subscribe to email alerts for updates on the CDS:
