Guidance

January 2024 — NCTS Phase 5: getting ready for implementation

Updated 5 December 2024

© Crown copyright 2024

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-common-transit-and-tir-newsletters/c898621e-bbd1-420e-b270-abd01b76442b

If you’re an New Computerised Transit System (NCTS) user who moves goods using transit, you should read this information carefully. If you represent an NCTS user, you should make them aware of this update.

This is our first in a series of New Computerised Transit System Phase 5 (NCTS5) updates coming in 2024. You can find all of our updates on GOV.UK.

New Computerised Transit System Phase 5 (NCTS5) implementation date

We announced in October 2023 that the new date for implementing NCTS5 in the UK will now be 1 July 2024. This is to provide industry with additional time to prepare, taking advantage of the EU’s extended NCTS5 delivery timetable. You can read this update in the October 2023 newsletter which is listed with all of our updates on GOV.UK.

Upgrading to NCTS5 is a legal requirement of all Common Transit Convention (CTC) member countries, and the new system will offer improved functionality. Some of the new features of NCTS5 will not be available until every CTC member country is using NCTS5.

The following improvements will not come into effect until 22 January 2025:

  • multiple house consignments — up to 99 house consignments, each with 999 line items, within 1 declaration
  • electronic presentation of Movement Reference Number (MRN) — instead of printing and carrying paper Transit Accompanying Documents (TADs), the MRN can be held on a phone, tablet or other electronic means
  • office of incident — the ability to report incidents en-route, to a customs office, for real-time reporting directly into NCTS5

The new requirement to enter commodity codes into transit declarations will also not come into effect until 22 January 2025.

We will provide more detail on these areas in our future monthly updates.

What this means for you

You’ll need to start submitting transit declarations on NCTS5 from 1 July 2024.

Whether you use commercial software or the free-to-use web portal through the Government Gateway to submit your transit movements, you’ll need to make sure you’re using an up-to-date subscription from 1 July 2024. You can find more information on how to subscribe to the New Computerised Transit System.

If you use commercial software to submit your transit movements, we are supporting your software developer to prepare for NCTS5. They will be able to advise you how and when you can obtain the new software. We recommend you have your new software by the beginning of May 2024 to familiarise yourself with the new features.

The HMRC trader test environment remains open and those who are building software should continue with development and testing, to align with the revised implementation date.

Look out for our next update in February which will include information about multiple house consignments.

Back to top