Descartes Customs Compliance Solutions
Customs Declaration Service (CDS)
Simplify customs processes and stay compliant with HMRC. Descartes customs solutions help you manage UK customs declarations with greater speed, accuracy, and control.
Manage CDS Declarations Efficiently
Descartes customs solutions help standardise and streamline declaration processes, supporting efficient handling of CDS submissions while maintaining control and compliance.
Strengthen CDS Compliance
- Used by hundreds of UK forwarders and brokers
- Connected directly to HMRC and major UK ports
- Backed by industry-recognised compliance expertise
Simplify Customs Declarations in the UK
CDS Import Declarations
Works with all declaration types and all inventory/non inventory linked & non inventory linked ports and Community Systems Providers (CSPs). It also includes additional functionality to work with Community Network Service (CNS) couriers.
CDS Export Declarations
Descartes customs software offers all export message types along with dual running of Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) exports and CDS exports (subject to the HMRC timetable and demise of CHIEF).
Compliance & Audit Readiness
Navigate the complexity of CDS with confidence. Descartes customs software helps to reduce errors, avoid costly delays, and maintain a clean audit-trail with declarations that meet HMRC's evolving standards.
A smarter way to stay CDS compliant
Our secure, web-based platform simplifies every stage of customs management, from data submission to audit control, helping you work faster and safer.
- File import and export declarations in minutes
- Use templates and smart data re-use to save time
- Get real-time HMRC status updates
- Scale easily as your business grows
Customer Success: Scaling a customs bureau with Descartes customs software
“Managing customs declarations is increasingly complex and manually handling thousands of entries monthly is time-consuming and prone to error. Descartes customs software has allowed us to scale our operations and improve our customer experience.”
Karl Heron,
Head of Bureau Services at Cardinal Global Logistics.
What are the costs of customs software?
Discover the costs of integrating into a customs management software solution. We break down pricing and explain how our solution is structured, helping businesses make informed decisions.
Customs Declaration Service (CDS) FAQ
Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) and Customs Declaration Service (CDS) are HMRC systems used to process customs declarations, but CDS is the long-term replacement for CHIEF.
Key differences include:
- System status - CHIEF has been phased out and is no longer used for UK customs declarations. CDS is HMRC’s live and mandatory system for submitting import and export declarations.
- Data requirements - CDS requires more detailed and structured data than CHIEF. It aligns with the World Customs Organisation (WCO) data model, resulting in additional data elements, particularly for valuation, parties involved, and safety and security information.
- Declaration format - CHIEF used a smaller set of data fields, while CDS uses data elements and datasets, which provide HMRC with greater visibility and compliance controls.
- Financial processes - CDS introduces enhanced functionality for Customs Duty, Import VAT, and postponed VAT accounting, including improved financial statements and payment management through HMRC systems.
- User access and integration - CDS is designed to integrate with modern customs software and provides access via the Government Gateway, supporting digital authorisations and user roles.
In summary, CDS is a more robust, datarich system that supports HMRC’s modern customs processes, international reporting obligations, and postBrexit regulatory requirements, whereas CHIEF was a legacy platform no longer in use.
A customs declaration submitted via the CDS must include accurate and complete data to allow HMRC to assess customs, fiscal, and regulatory requirements. Key information includes:
- Details of the declarant and importer or exporter, including valid EORI numbers
- Commodity code (10-digit UK tariff code)
- Customs procedure code (CPC)
- A clear and accurate description of the goods
- Customs value, including applicable valuation elements
- Country of origin and country of dispatch or destination
- Transport details and associated transport document references
Incomplete or inaccurate data may result in delays, rejections, or post clearance queries from HMRC.
The legal responsibility for an import declaration rests with the importer of record. An importer may appoint a customs agent to act as either a direct or indirect representative when submitting the declaration.
Regardless of representation, the importer remains liable for ensuring the accuracy and completeness of the information declared to HMRC.
An import declaration must usually be lodged before the goods are presented to customs in Great Britain (pre-lodged declaration).
Where simplified procedures are used, HMRC may allow a supplementary declaration to be submitted after the goods are released to free circulation, subject to defined time limits. Failure to meet these deadlines may result in compliance action.
Yes. Most goods exported from Great Britain require an export declaration to be submitted to HMRC prior to departure. Export declarations support enforcement of trade controls, export licensing requirements, and international reporting obligations.
Insights & Resources for UK Customs
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