Goods Movement Reference (GMR) | CUSTOMS ACRONYMS & GLOSSARY

Goods Movement Reference (GMR)

To move goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, you will need a Goods Movement Reference (GMR) from HM Government’s Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS). GVMS allows carriers or hauliers to pre-lodge the declarations
completed for goods moving from Great Britain.

The haulier/carrier is required to provide a single GMR linking the required declarations for each goods movement, for each vehicle, before they can board the ferry to Northern Ireland.

What do I need to have to create a GMR?

A TSS ENS email showing all of the consignments that a completed ENS Safety & Security declaration has authorised the goods to move.

A TSS SFD email for a customs declaration, which can be both/either of:

An email with an EORI number representing some (usually non-controlled) consignments and/or An email with an MRN representing some (usually controlled) consignments

Declaring goods orally or by conduct

You can declare certain goods orally or by conduct at the border. ‘By conduct’ means that when you arrive at a point of exit or entry for Great Britain, you can make a ‘declaration by conduct’ by:

walking through a customs control point (this can be a green channel signed ‘nothing to declare’) with the goods, if you’re an individual on foot
driving (or being driven) past a customs control point with the goods inside your vehicle, if you’re importing or exporting goods in a vehicle
continuing your onward journey, if there are no customs control points

If you’re moving an empty trailer or any other commercial goods that can be declared orally or by conduct from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, you’ll need to get a goods movement reference. You can do this by selecting the ‘oral or by conduct declarations’ option within the Goods Vehicle Movement Service.

In some cases, you may need to complete a safety and security declaration, where you must indicate if your goods are moving under contract of carriage.

What happens next

You need to present the goods movement reference at the port you’re leaving from. Contact the carrier at the port to find out how to do this.

The carrier will allow you to embark if the goods movement reference is valid.

You must follow instructions on whether you need to get your goods checked by customs on arrival or if you’re able to continue your journey.