From 1 January 2021 you may want to use transit to transport goods to and from Northern Ireland. To enable transit users to start movements in Northern Ireland complying with the Northern Ireland Protocol agreement and allowing transit users in Northern Ireland to benefit from the Union Customs Code, a separate version of the New Computerised Transit System (NCTS) has been created. This version will only be used in Northern Ireland.

As an NCTS user, at present you will be using either the free to use web portal or a software package to interact with NCTS.

From 1 January 2021, the submission channel for Northern Ireland departure and arrival notifications will initially be by software only. You will need to make sure that your software is able to interact with NCTS using email.

This is an interim solution while work continues to enable a new digital channel and enhanced web portal.

Further guidance about wider transit will be published at a later date.

Start or end transit movements in Northern Ireland

You should make sure your software is updated before 1 January 2021. You should check with your software supplier to ensure you will be ready and able to submit declarations affected by this change from 1 January 2021. We are unable to recommend software packages or suppliers to you.

We are already working with NCTS software suppliers to allow them to make the required changes and provide updates to their users in time for 1 January 2021.

Software suppliers will begin testing these changes from mid October.

If you’re a software supplier and have not been contacted

If you’re a supplier and have not received any contact from HMRC get in touch with your usual contact or email the Software Developer Support team at SDSTeam@hmrc.gov.uk.

If you use in-house software

Contact the Software Developer Support Team at SDSTeam@hmrc.gov.uk.

If you can’t make these changes in time

If you’re not able to make these updates for 1 January 2021 you will not be able to use NCTS to start or end transit movements in Northern Ireland.

You will still be able to start and end movements in Great Britain using either the free to use web portal or a software package to interact with NCTS. This will include goods that originate in Northern Ireland and are moved to Great Britain under unfettered access.

Or you can find someone to deal with customs for you.