How to submit an S&S GB ENS declaration on ENS Ready?

If you are moving goods into Great Britain by ferry or short sea route, you need to submit a Safety and Security GB Entry Summary Declaration (S&S GB ENS) before the goods arrive. This guide walks through the process step by step using ENS Ready, a self-serve platform for submitting GB ENS and EU ICS2 declarations.

What is a GB ENS declaration?

A GB ENS (Entry Summary Declaration) is a pre-arrival safety and security declaration required for goods entering Great Britain. It gives UK customs authorities advance information about a shipment before it crosses the border. Most declarations are accepted within around five minutes of submission. Once accepted, you receive a Movement Reference Number (MRN). At ports that use the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS), you can add this MRN to the Goods Movement Reference (GMR) for the crossing; for goods entering Great Britain, this step is optional.

Who needs to submit one

Anyone moving goods into GB on a RoRo (roll-on roll-off) ferry route generally needs an ENS submitted before the goods arrive: for RoRo, at least 2 hours before arrival in GB. This applies to freight forwarders, hauliers, and customs brokers managing UK-EU movements, whether the load is accompanied or unaccompanied.

Step 1: Choose accompanied or unaccompanied

At the top of the ENS Ready form, select whether the movement is:

• Accompanied, meaning the driver travels with the trailer or vehicle
• Unaccompanied, meaning the trailer travels without a driver, typically as freight-only

This choice determines which fields appear further down the form, since accompanied and unaccompanied movements carry slightly different transport data requirements.

Step 2: Fill in transport details

The Transport Details section captures how and when the goods are moving. You will need:

• Custom Reference, your own reference number for the movement
• Ferry Operator, selected from a list of operators
• Country of Routing, the countries the goods are routed through
• Departure Port and Arrival Port, selected from a port list
• Unit ID, the identifier for the trailer or unit
• Expected Date of Arrival and Expected Time of Arrival, used by customs to match the declaration to the actual crossing

Step 3: Add consignor/sender details

This section covers who is sending the goods. Fields include:

• EORI Number of the consignor. This is an optional field.
• Company name
• Street, Postcode, and City
• Country

The EORI number identifies the trading business to customs across the UK and EU, so double check it is correct and active before submitting.

Step 4: Add consignee/receiver details

The Consignee/Receiver section mirrors the consignor fields but for the party receiving the goods:

• EORI Number of the consignee. This is an optional field.
• Company name
• Street, Postcode, and City
• Country

Step 5: Enter carrier details

The Carrier Details panel lets you toggle between a GB EORI Number or an EU carrier identifier, depending on which country the carrier is registered in. Enter the carrier's EORI number here so customs can identify the party responsible for transporting the goods. If the carrier is an EU company, the address details will also have to be added.

Step 6: Complete consignment details

Consignment Details cover the shipment as a whole:

• Total gross weight, the combined weight of the consignment
• ENS Requestor EORI, the EORI of the party requesting the declaration
• Place of Loading (optional)
• Place of Unloading (optional)

The two "optional" fields are worth filling in, since more complete data reduces the chance of queries from customs.

Step 7: Add goods details

The Goods section is where you list what is actually being moved. For each line you need:

• Description, a clear description of the goods
• Hazardous UN code, if applicable
• Type of Package, selected from a package type list
• Number of Packages
• Shipping Marks

If you are submitting a shipment with many goods lines, ENS Ready supports an Import CSV table option so you can bulk-upload goods data instead of entering each line manually. Otherwise, use Add Good to add lines one at a time.

Step 8: Submit and get your MRN

Once every section is complete, submit the declaration. Most GB ENS declarations are accepted within around five minutes. On acceptance, ENS Ready returns a Movement Reference Number (MRN). At ports that use GVMS, you can add this MRN to the Goods Movement Reference (GMR) for the crossing; for goods entering Great Britain, HMRC says this step is optional.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between accompanied and unaccompanied GB ENS declarations? Accompanied means the driver travels with the trailer. Unaccompanied means the trailer moves without a driver. The form field requirements differ slightly between the two.

How long does it take for a GB ENS declaration to be accepted? Declarations are usually accepted in around five minutes.

What do I do with the MRN after my GB ENS declaration is accepted? At ports that use the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS), you can add the MRN to the Goods Movement Reference (GMR) for the crossing. For goods entering Great Britain, HMRC says this step is optional.

Can I submit goods data in bulk on ENS Ready? Yes. ENS Ready supports importing a CSV table of goods, which is useful for consignments with multiple goods lines.

Submit your GB ENS declaration

ENS Ready is built for freight forwarders, hauliers, and customs brokers who need a straightforward way to submit GB ENS and EU ICS2 declarations. Try it at ensready.com to submit your next declaration.