Guidance

Check how to move goods through ports that use the Goods Vehicle Movement Service

What you need to do to get goods through customs if you’re using a UK port which uses the Goods Vehicle Movement Service.

From:
HM Revenue & Customs
Published
8 December 2020
Last updated
27 May 2025 — See all updates

You will not be able to move goods through ports using the Goods Vehicle Movement Service without a goods movement reference and you may face delays at the port.

The Goods Vehicle Movement Service brings together multiple declaration reference numbers into a single goods movement reference. This speeds up the clearance of goods through customs.

When you’ll need a goods movement reference

You may need to create a goods movement reference for journeys of goods through locations using the Goods Vehicle Movement Service from:

  • the EU to Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) — a goods movement reference is needed for all movements
  • Great Britain to the EU — a goods movement reference is needed for all movements and it must be in place before attending the port of departure
  • Great Britain to Northern Ireland — a goods movement reference is needed for all movements
  • Northern Ireland to Great Britain — a goods movement reference is needed for movements in the following circumstances:
    • Common Transit Convention movements
    • Transports Internationaux Routiers (TIR) and Admission Temporaire or Temporary Admission (ATA) Carnet movements
    • EU (Ireland) export declarations for indirect exports from Ireland to Great Britain through a Northern Ireland port
    • movements from Northern Ireland to Great Britain under a customs special procedure or on a list of goods where specific international processes apply

If your movement type is not listed, you do not need to create a goods movement reference even if travelling through a port using the Goods Vehicle Movement Service.

How to move your goods

To move your goods, you’ll need to:

  1. Find out which ports use the Goods Vehicle Movement Service.

  2. Register for the Goods Vehicle Movement Service.

  3. Get a goods movement reference.

If you’re a trader sending goods

Before the goods arrive at the departure port, you must give the haulier your movement reference numbers from any:

  • import or export declarations for all goods
  • Transport Internationaux Routiers (TIR)
  • Admission Temporaire or Temporary Admission (ATA) Carnets
  • Common Transit Convention movements

You must add all transit movement reference numbers to the goods movement reference if you are moving goods into the UK under the Common Transit Convention at all Goods Vehicle Movement Service locations. Do not add any associated import declaration references.

You must give the haulier your EORI number if you’re approved to make an entry in your own records and declare goods in this way. You can include the safety and security import entry summary declaration movement reference number, but it is not mandatory.

If you’re a haulier

You must enter references for all the goods contained in the vehicle, trailer or container and follow instructions to find out if you need to get your goods checked by customs on arrival, or if you’re able to continue your journey.

You must also make sure the goods movement reference is created before attending an Inland Border Facility for endorsement of the documentation when either moving:

  • goods out of the UK under ATA or TIR carnets
  • an offline version of the Transit Accompanying Document (TAD) that travels with the goods, if NCTS is unavailable at office of departure (this would be entered under Manual Transit Procedure on your goods movement reference)

If your business has been hired by someone to move goods, you can register for an application platform interface (API).

If you’re a carrier

If you’re transporting a vehicle for a haulier, you must:

  1. Check if the port where the goods are arriving is using the Goods Vehicle Movement Service.

  2. Get access to the carrier application platform interface (API).

  3. Check if a goods movement reference is valid.

If you’re a postal operator

If you’re a postal operator (or an Extra-Territorial Office of Exchange) and goods you move include postal items moved under Universal Postal Union rules, you must tell the haulier to select the ’Postal Declaration’ option when creating their goods movement reference.

This applies to goods with:

  • CN37, CN38 and CN41 movement documents
  • CN22 and CN23 item declaration forms

Updates to this page

Published 8 December 2020
Last updated 27 May 2025 show all updates

  1. The Single Administrative Document (SAD) has been replaced by the Manual Transit Procedure. The SAD has now been removed from Goods Vehicle Movement Service.

  2. The guidance has been updated to reflect the change of the Single Administrative Document (SAD) to the Manual Transit Procedure as of 21 January 2025.

  3. Information about creating a goods movement reference for journeys of goods through locations using the Goods Vehicle Movement Service from Ireland to Great Britain has been removed.

  4. Information about moving goods under Carnets, paper Single Administrative Document (SADs) has been updated to support an update to the Goods Vehicle Movement Service, and guidance about the Common Transit Convention has been updated to make it clear you should not add associated import declarations to a goods movements reference.

  5. The requirements to get a goods movement reference from 1 January 2022 have been updated. This is because of changes to the goods vehicle movement service and the decision to temporarily extend staged customs controls for goods moving from Ireland and Northern Ireland (where applicable) to Great Britain.

  6. From 1 January 2022, haulier's will need to check if they need to report for an inspection if they are arriving a the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel or Holyhead. Guidance on how to do this has been added.

  7. More information about when you need a goods movement reference has been added.

  8. Information about when you need a goods reference number and what to do if you're a trader sending goods that are travelling under Common Transit Convention has been updated.

  9. Information about if you're a haulier using the Goods Vehicle Movement Service has been updated.

  10. First published.

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Contents

Part of Transport goods out of the UK by road: step by step

  1. Step 1 Apply for operator licences and permits

    1. Check if you need a vehicle operator licence
    2. Apply for a vehicle operator licence

    You'll need other licences and permits, depending on the countries you're driving to or through.

    1. Check which licences and permits you need

  2. Step 2 Register and get approval for your vehicle

    You may need to register your trailer to drive through or to the EU if it weighs over 750kg.

    1. Register your trailer to take it abroad

    You’ll need to get specialist vehicle approvals to transport any of the following:

  3. Step 3 Make sure your driver is eligible to drive abroad

    1. Check your driver has the documents they need to drive abroad

    The driver must carry these documents with them.

  4. Step 4 Check the rules for the goods you're carrying

    1. Find out what you need to do if you're exporting your own goods

    There are rules for transporting certain goods. Your driver may need to follow set routes or stop at specific check points. Check the rules for:

    1. Find out what you need to apply for if you’re moving goods temporarily out of the UK

    If you're transporting goods outside the EU they must have been cleared by customs (given ‘permission to progress’). The exporter can tell you if this has happened.

  5. Step 5 Make sure your driver has the right export documents

    Your driver will need copies of:

    • any export licences
    • the road consignment note (‘CMR note’)
    • the Movement Reference Number (MRN) from the export declaration - if you're moving goods out of the EU
    • the MRN and the Local Reference Number (LRN) - if you're moving goods under the Common Transit convention (CTC)
    • the ATA Carnet document - if you're moving goods out of the EU temporarily
    • the TiR Carnet document - if you’re moving goods in a sealed load compartment with a seal number

    The exporter should be able to give all of these to you.

    You'll also need to have a customs seal approval certificate for the vehicle if you’re moving goods in a sealed load compartment. You'll get this when your vehicle passes the TiR test.

    You may need to use the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) to move goods through some ports.

    1. You are currently viewing: Check how to move goods through ports that use the GVMS

  6. Step 6 Find out what vehicle documents your driver needs to carry

    1. Check what HGV and trailer documents your driver must carry
    2. Check what driving documents your driver must carry

  7. Step 7 Check you are ready for the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel or Holyhead

    You may need to attend an inland border facility if you're leaving from the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel or Holyhead.

    1. Check whether you need to attend an inland border facility

  8. Step 8 Check local road rules

    1. Check the road rules for European countries on the AA website
    2. Check travel advice for countries outside Europe

    When you have your documents, insurance and any extra equipment you need, you can transport goods abroad.