Do you clear loads moved by other hauliers?

Yes. Our customs desk clears our own trailers and containers, and it clears loads moved by other hauliers on exactly the same footing. You do not have to move the freight with us to use our clearance.

Do I need an EORI number?

Yes, a GB EORI to import or export from the UK, plus an EU or XI EORI for the other party where the movement needs one. We can guide you through registering if you do not have one yet.

CDS is HMRC's Customs Declaration Service, the platform that replaced CHIEF for UK import and export declarations. We file directly on CDS for both imports and exports.

Can you handle duty deferment and postponed VAT accounting?

Yes. We can use your duty deferment account or ours where arranged, and most B2B imports move under postponed VAT accounting. We confirm the right treatment for your goods before we file.

How quickly are entries cleared?

Most declarations are lodged and cleared the same day, often within hours of receiving complete paperwork. Pre-arrival declarations such as ENS and GMR references are prioritised to meet their deadlines.

HMRC · CDS · NCTS

UK Customs Clearance

Customs clearance for UK imports and exports, handled in-house by a real desk rather than a bolt-on. We file your import and export entries, NCTS transit and Safety & Security (ENS) declarations, explain the tricky bits in plain English and keep your loads moving.

In-house CDS team

Experienced, HMRC-authorised customs agent.

Same-day entries

Most loads cleared within hours.

All declaration types

Imports, exports, NCTS, ENS, ICS2, GMR.

Fees agreed in writing

Per-entry pricing, agreed before we file.

Our services

Everything you need at the border

However your goods move, one desk handles the paperwork, so nothing falls between your import, export, transit and safety filings.

Import Clearance

We manage import customs procedures for goods entering the UK by air, sea or road. We check your commodity codes, origin and valuation before we file, and query anything that looks wrong with you first, so the entry goes in right the first time.

Export Clearance

Leave the export paperwork to us. We pre-lodge your export declaration on CDS before the goods leave, so the load is not held at the port waiting for an entry.

NCTS (UK ↔ EU Transit)

Moving goods under transit procedures? Our team lodges NCTS declarations and monitors the full journey so your shipments stay on track and compliant from office of departure to office of destination.

Safety & Security (ENS, ICS2)

We submit Entry Summary Declarations (ENS) and Import Control System 2 (ICS2) for goods entering the UK and EU, meeting all pre-arrival safety and security requirements within the required deadlines.

Declaration types

What we lodge for you

Declaration	Use	Typical turnaround
Import entry (CDS)	Standard release into free circulation	Same day
Export declaration	Pre-lodged CDS export	Same day
NCTS / T1 transit	Movement under union/common transit	Same day
ENS (Safety & Security)	Pre-arrival declaration	Priority
GMR (Goods Movement)	GVMS reference for RoRo crossings	Priority
Inward / Outward Processing	Customs special procedures	Planned per job

Import entry (CDS)
Same day
Standard release into free circulation
Export declaration
Same day
Pre-lodged CDS export
NCTS / T1 transit
Same day
Movement under union/common transit
ENS (Safety & Security)
Priority
Pre-arrival declaration
GMR (Goods Movement)
Priority
GVMS reference for RoRo crossings
Inward / Outward Processing
Planned per job
Customs special procedures

How it works

From paperwork to cleared, in four steps

Whether the load is on our trailer or someone else's, the same desk takes it from documents to release.

1
Send us the details
Commercial invoice, packing list and movement details, however you have them.
2
We classify & prepare
Commodity codes checked and the right procedure and duty treatment confirmed.
3
Lodged with HMRC
Import, export, NCTS or ENS declaration filed directly on CDS, most within hours.
4
Cleared & released
Clearance, ENS, ICS2 and GMR references back to you so the load keeps moving.

Why CMI

Why businesses bring their customs work to CMI

We don't treat customs as a bolt-on. Our in-house desk clears our own trailers and containers, and clears your loads moved by other hauliers on exactly the same footing.

Independent UK forwarder
Est. 2009
UK-wide collections
AEO customs team

Ireland trailer service CPC code reference

One team who knows you
Experienced freight people handle every stage of your shipment, working together as one team. Whoever you speak to can see where your freight is and what happens next, so if someone is on holiday, you are never left waiting.
Customs on the same desk
Import and export entries, NCTS transit and ENS declarations are filed in-house by our AEO customs team, not handed to a third-party broker.
Lane specialists since 2009
Independent and UK-based, running daily Ireland departures and scheduled EU lanes from our own hub, with a team that has spent decades on these exact routes.
Written quotes up front
Every rate is confirmed in writing before anything is booked, so you know the delivered cost before you commit, with no minimums buried in the small print.

FAQ