A pre-lodged declaration is a customs entry submitted to CDS before the goods physically arrive in the UK. From a data standpoint, it is not a simplified version of a declaration. It carries the same required fields as any standard entry.
The data model
A pre-lodged entry needs the importer and exporter EORI numbers, the commodity code for each item, the customs value and valuation method, the customs procedure code and any additional procedure code, the country of origin and dispatch, transport and location details including the expected port, and any licence or supporting document references.
Where the process differs from an arrived entry
The difference is not in the data required, it is in the sequencing. A pre-lodged entry is submitted before the goods reach the border, with the MRN issued in advance. An arrived entry is filed after the goods reach the frontier, with the MRN generated at submission. This guide to how CDS pre-lodged declarations work sets out the full comparison.
Why the expected port field needs extra attention
Because the entry is filed before arrival, it is easy to overlook the expected arrival location as a detail that only matters later. In practice, an incorrect port reference is one of the most frequent reasons a pre-lodged entry fails to match once the vehicle arrives.
Practical note for anyone building or checking these entries
Treat the pre-lodged entry as a full declaration from the first field onward, not a placeholder to be completed later.
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