The Port of Dover and the Eurotunnel at Folkestone operate 24/7 and 365 days a year and are the main exit point of vehicles on their way to the EU. Statistics show that approximately 80% of all exports from the UK go through the Port of Dover.
Opening transit declarations at Dover port and Folkestone
It is possible to open transit declarations at the Port of Dover with customs office code GB000060 as the customs office of departure. Drivers are unable to present themselves to customs and the presentation of a valid LRN and commercial documents should be done via Motis for an additional fee per declaration.
https://www.motis.com/dover-fsa
It is also possible to open transit declarations at from Folkestone and the Eurotunnel with customs office code GB000060 as the customs office of departure. Drivers are unable to present themselves to customs and the presentation of a valid LRN and commercial documents should be done via Stop 24 for an additional fee per declaration.
To avail of services via these companies, a company must be registered and hold an account. If a company is not registered for an account, they can use a customs agent located in the Dover area. Either way to present an LRN to Dover customs, there is an additional cost involved.
Alternative solution: SGS and The Custom House, Ashford
To make the opening of your transit declarations more efficient, SGS suggests to open transit declarations under the simplified procedure via our partner based in Ashford, The Custom House. This takes about 30 minutes and is cheaper and more efficient than Motis or Stop24.
Closing transit declarations at Dover
It is also possible to close transit declarations at Dover. Similar to opening a transit declaration, usually a driver may not present themselves to customs to close the transit and the closure of the transit should either be via Motis/Stop 24 or an agent. The import declaration may be provided by a different agent and the closure of the transit simply performed by Motis/Stop 24 or an approved agent in the Dover area. Motis/Stop 24 or the agent at Dover will charge a fee for closure of the transit declaration.
Additional possibilities
According to the link below, there is however some limited government-provided Office of Destination capacity at the offices of Dover Western Docks and Stop 24 for those who need to use an inland border facility (the driver can present to customs directly). This has however been quite unreliable in the past as the service can be withdrawn at very short notice;
Attending an inland border facility (IBF) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Transit movements entering the UK at the Port of Dover should complete Office of Destination at Dover Western Docks;
- Transit movements entering the UK using the Eurotunnel should complete Office of Destination at Stop 24;
- This is in addition to existing commercial operations already provided at these sites (e.g., Motis and Stop 24)
Inland Border Facilities
There are also a number of other inland border facilities where it is possible to end a transit movement. The customs office of destination code will be GB000060 and the locations where transits can be closed under this code are;
- Warrington
- Birmingham
- Waterbrook, Ashford
SGS and The Custom House, Ashford
We are also working with our partners at The Custom House to be able to offer approved clients an authorized location to close transit declarations in the UK. Keep an eye on our News page for more information on that.
More information on SGS TransitNets’ cooperation with The Custom House can be found at the link below;
SGS and The Custom House, Ashford | SGS
For more information on starting or finishing transit declarations in the UK, please contact your local SGS client centre or see the links below for more information;
Attending an inland border facility (IBF) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Check if there are any delays at an inland border facility – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
