Four systems, one entry point
TSS doesn't replace any of the UK's core customs systems, it sits in front of them. Each downstream system does one job:
- CDS (Customs Declaration Service): HMRC's system for customs declarations.
- ICS2 (Import Control System 2): handles safety & security data, replacing the older ICS, used for movements into Northern Ireland from 31 December 2025.
- GVMS (Goods Vehicle Movement Service): bundles declaration references into a single Goods Movement Reference for roll-on roll-off traffic.
- NCTS (New Computerised Transit System): manages customs transit. ## Why this matters for integration planning
You give TSS the information once, and it feeds whichever of the four systems the movement requires. For a business building internal tooling around TSS, this means the integration point is TSS itself, not each downstream system individually.
The GMR dependency
For roll-on roll-off traffic specifically, the carrier needs a Goods Movement Reference before the vehicle can travel. GVMS builds that reference from declaration data already submitted through TSS, which is why declarations need to be complete before the vehicle reaches the port, not after.
Practical integration takeaway
If you're evaluating where to plug automation into a GB–NI customs process, TSS is the natural integration point: one submission surface, four downstream destinations, rather than four separate integrations to maintain.
Read the full breakdown on the guide to using TSS
Four systems, one entry point
TSS doesn't replace any of the UK's core customs systems, it sits in front of them. Each downstream system does one job:
- CDS (Customs Declaration Service): HMRC's system for customs declarations.
- ICS2 (Import Control System 2): handles safety & security data, replacing the older ICS, used for movements into Northern Ireland from 31 December 2025.
- GVMS (Goods Vehicle Movement Service): bundles declaration references into a single Goods Movement Reference for roll-on roll-off traffic.
- NCTS (New Computerised Transit System): manages customs transit. ## Why this matters for integration planning
You give TSS the information once, and it feeds whichever of the four systems the movement requires. For a business building internal tooling around TSS, this means the integration point is TSS itself, not each downstream system individually.
Read the full breakdown on the guide to using TSS
The GMR dependency
For roll-on roll-off traffic specifically, the carrier needs a Goods Movement Reference before the vehicle can travel. GVMS builds that reference from declaration data already submitted through TSS, which is why declarations need to be complete before the vehicle reaches the port, not after.
Practical integration takeaway
If you're evaluating where to plug automation into a GB–NI customs process, TSS is the natural integration point: one submission surface, four downstream destinations, rather than four separate integrations to maintain.
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