Pay into your Customs Declaration Service cash account
How to pay into or top up your cash account if you're making a frontier declaration.
What you need
You need your payment reference number. This reference will always be made up of CDSC followed by your 11 digit cash account number (for example, CDSC56895642158).
You can find this in your customs financial accounts.
If you use an incorrect reference number:
- there will be a delay of 2 working days in the payment being allocated correctly
- your goods clearance will be delayed
Pay online
There must be enough funds in the cash account before the goods arrive in the Customs Declaration Service. If there is not, this can cause delays to the declaration service.
Approve a payment through your online bank account
You can pay by approving a payment through your online bank account by selecting the ‘pay by bank account’ option.
You will be directed to sign in to your online or mobile banking account to approve your payment. You must check your account balances have been updated before making declarations.
The payment is usually instant but can sometimes take up to 2 hours to show in your account.
Pay by bank transfer
If you pay by CHAPS (Clearing House Automated Payment System) or Faster Payments, you can submit your payment on the same or next day.
If you pay by Bacs (Bankers Automated Clearing System), allow 3 working days for the payment to reach HMRC.
We recommend you check your bank’s processing times and maximum transaction limits before you pay.
Account details to use if your account is in the UK
- Use the following details to make a payment if your account is in the UK: sort code — 20 05 17
- account number — 23372545
- account name — HMRC Customs Duty Schemes
Account details to use if your account is overseas
Use the following details to make a payment if your account is overseas:
- account number (IBAN) — GB16 BARC 2005 1723 3725 45
- bank identifier code (BIC) — BARCGB22
- account name — HMRC Customs Duty Schemes
You should make overseas payments in sterling (GBP). Your bank may charge you if use any other currency.
How long it takes
You’ll be able to use your funds as soon as they show in your cash account balance. They will be allocated to your balance:
- by the next working day if you used Faster Payments (online or telephone banking) or CHAPS
- within 3 working days if you used Bacs
Your funds may take up to one working day to appear in the account transactions log.
Get help and support
If you need help paying into your Customs Declaration Service cash account, contact HMRC on 0300 322 7064 and select option 1.
Opening times:
Monday to Friday: 9am to 5pm
Closed on weekends and bank holidays.
You can also send an email, with ‘Paying into my Customs Declaration Service cash account’ in the subject line, to customsaccountingrepayments@hmrc.gov.uk.
Last updated 9 March 2023 + show all updates
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Information on how to get help to pay into your Customs Declaration Service cash account has been added.
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The account details for paying into your Customs Declaration Service cash account have been updated.
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A link to pay online and information about how to approve a payment through your online bank account have been added.
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First published.