Common Questions
Honest answers about transit, written for people who run trucks rather than read regulations.
What is a T1 transit document?
A T1 is the customs document that lets non-Union goods travel between countries under duty suspension. Duties and VAT are paid at the final destination — not at every border. The T1 is lodged electronically through HMRC's NCTS system and printed as a Transit Accompanying Document (TAD) that travels with the driver.
When do I need a T1 instead of a T2?
T1 covers non-Union goods (typically goods imported from outside the EU/UK that haven't been cleared yet). T2 covers Union-status goods routed through a non-EU country — for example, EU goods crossing the UK on their way back to the EU. T2L proves Union status for goods moving to fiscal territories like the Canary Islands; T2LF covers specific VAT-only territories.
How quickly can you file a declaration?
From the moment we have a complete set of documents — invoice, CMR or packing list, EORI — our typical filing time is around 60 minutes. HMRC's NCTS then issues the MRN in 45 to 90 minutes. Our transit desk operates 24/7 for time-critical movements.
Do I need to lodge my own guarantee?
No. We hold a Comprehensive Customs Guarantee (CCG) authorised by HMRC and use it to back our clients' movements. Cover is sized to each declaration and discharged automatically when the destination office closes the TAD.
Which UK ports can you act as authorised consignor for?
Dover, Folkestone, Sevington (Ashford), Harwich, Hull, Killingholme, Portsmouth and Immingham. Acting as authorised consignor means a movement can start from a designated site without the haulier visiting a physical HMRC office of departure.
What happens if a TAD doesn't discharge?
If the office of destination doesn't lodge an IE018 arrival notification within the expected timeframe, HMRC will trigger an enquiry procedure. We monitor the message flow on every movement, so we know the moment a discharge is missing and can chase it before the search procedure escalates.
Do you handle Turkish hauliers and CTC transit through Türkiye?
Yes. Türkiye is a Common Transit Convention contracting party and Turkish hauliers run major volumes between Türkiye, the EU and the UK. We provide full bilingual English-Turkish service across declaration, guarantee and discharge.
What does it cost?
Pricing depends on the movement type (T1 vs T2L), volume, guarantee usage and whether you need authorised consignor services. We quote per movement and per account — no opaque retainer, no surprise discharge fees. Send the details and we'll send a number back the same day.