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Guidance

Customs Declaration Service: service availability and issues

Check the availability and any issues affecting the Customs Declaration Service.

Updates to this page

From:
HM Revenue & Customs
Published:
13 September 2019
Last updated:
29 September 2026
Show all updates

  1. The service issue about the deployment of CDS Release 5.3 has been resolved.

  2. A service issue about the deployment of CDS Release 5.3 has been added.

  3. Planned downtime from 7pm on Saturday 26 September 2026 to 8:30am on Sunday 27 September 2026 has been added.

  4. The Customs Data Report online service for import and export declarations will be unavailable from 5pm on Friday 10 July 2026 to 8am on Monday 13 July 2026. The Customs Declaration Service will be fully available during this time. You can still submit declarations into the Customs Declaration Service.

  5. Planned downtime from 5pm on Friday 10 July 2026 to 8am on Monday 13 July 2026 for the Customs Data Report online service for import and export declarations has been added.

  6. The service issue about accessing the Customs Declaration Service has now been resolved.

  7. A service issue about accessing the Customs Declaration Service has been added.

  8. Planned downtime from 20:00pm on Saturday 4 July 2026 to 2:30am on Sunday 5th July 2026 has been added.

  9. Planned downtime from 9:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 29 April 2026 has been added. Declarations should not be submitted during the maintenance period.

  10. A service issue has been added about messaging delays between Defra systems and the Customs Declaration Service from 8pm to 11pm on Monday 27 April 2026, due to scheduled maintenance.

  11. The unplanned service issue has been removed.

  12. Details of an unplanned service issue have been added.

  13. The service issue affecting Customs Declaration Service declarations has now been resolved.

  14. A service issue about Customs Declaration Service declarations has been added.

  15. The service issue information about Customs Declaration Service declarations has been updated to explain that declarations pre-lodged before the update on 28 March 2026 need to be updated before arrival or they will be rejected, and this may delay the release of the goods.

  16. A service issue about Customs Declaration Service declarations has been added.

  17. Planned downtime from 8pm on Saturday 28 March 2026 to 5:45am on Sunday 29 March 2026 has been added.

  18. Planned maintenance from 7pm to 8pm on Wednesday 18 February 2026 has been added. You will be able to access the service, but export declarations submitted during this time will be queued and processed when the maintenance is completed. Exports should have Permission to Progress (P2P) before travelling. Import and other declaration types will not be affected.

  19. Updated the information for the planned maintenance from 7pm to 9pm on Thursday 12 February 2026. You will be able to access the service during this time, but movements needing Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) approval will be delayed and messages will be queued and automatically sent through when normal service resumes.

  20. Planned maintenance from 7pm to 9pm on Thursday 12 February 2026 has been added. You will be able to access the service during this time, but messages will be queued and automatically sent through when normal service resumes.

  21. The technical issues with the Customs Declaration Service (CDS) have now been resolved.

  22. Information has been added about the contingency processes put in place to  ensure businesses can keep  goods and freight moving while we return to full  service.

  23. A service issue has been added. We are aware some customers are experiencing issues with the Customs Declaration Service (CDS). If you are using a location using the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) you will be only able to complete customs movements if you have a finalised Goods Movement Reference. 

  24. Updated information for the planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 13 December 2025 to 6am on Sunday 14 December 2025. Declarations should not be submitted during the maintenance period.

  25. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 13 December 2025 will now end at 6am on Sunday 14 December 2025.

  26. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 13 December 2025 has been added.

  27. A service issue about delayed response times from 7pm to 7:30pm on Wednesday 29 October 2025 and from 7pm to 7:30pm Wednesday 26 November 2025 has been added.

  28. The previous service availability notification for 17 to 18 October on reporting an issue with the Customs Declaration Service has been removed, whilst it is still in effect it was on the wrong page.

  29. From 7:30pm Friday 17 October 2025 to 7am Saturday 18 October 2025, the online form for reporting a problem using the Customs Declaration Service will be unavailable due to scheduled maintenance.

  30. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 27 September to 5am on Sunday 28 September has been added.

  31. The downtime on 27 August 2025 has been changed an upcoming service issue. You will still be able to access the service during the maintenance, but declarations submitted during this time will experience delayed responses.

  32. Planned downtime from 7pm to 7:45pm on Wednesday 27 August 2025 has been added.

  33. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 31 May 2025 to 6am Sunday 1 June 2025 has been cancelled.

  34. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 14 June 2025 to 6am Sunday 15 June 2025 has been added.

  35. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 31 May 2025 to 6am Sunday 1 June 2025 has been added.

  36. The service issue about pre-lodged import declarations submitted between 11:04am and 12:11pm on Wednesday 23 April has been resolved.

  37. A service issue message about pre-lodged import declarations made between 11:04 am and 12:11 pm on Wednesday 23 April has been added.

  38. Planned downtime from 8:30pm to 10:30pm on Saturday 29 March 2025 has been added.

  39. The planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 14 December to 11:30pm on Sunday 15 December 2024 has changed. It will now take place from 9:30pm to 11:30pm on Saturday 14 December 2024.

  40. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 14 December 2024 to 11:30pm Sunday 15 December 2024 has been added.

  41. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 28 September 2024 to 3:30am Sunday 29 September 2024 has been added.

  42. The service issue relating to the new currency code for Zimbabwe has been resolved.

  43. The service issue about the planned downtime from Saturday 6 July 2024 to Sunday 7 July 2024 has now been resolved.

  44. A service issue message about the planned downtime from Saturday 6 July 2024 to Sunday 7 July has been added.

  45. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 6 July 2024 to 5:30am Sunday 7 July 2024 has been added.

  46. Planned downtime from 6am to 7:45am on Thursday 13 June 2024 has been added.

  47. The general service issues have been resolved, the full service is now available.

  48. We are aware of some general service issues that are happening, we are trying to resolve the issues as soon as possible. We will update this page when normal service resumes.

  49. A service issue relating to the new currency code for Zimbabwe has been added.

  50. Planned downtime from 7pm to 8:30pm on Thursday 23 May 2024 has been added.

  51. A service availability message has been added.

  52. A service issues message has been added.

  53. The previous service issue message has been updated.

  54. A service issue message has been added.

  55. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 23 March 2024 to 4am Sunday 24 March 2024 has been added.

  56. The service issue caused by an overnight update to exchange rates has now been resolved.

  57. Service availability message for the Customs Declaration Service has been added.

  58. Planned downtime from 10pm Saturday 9 December 2023 to 5am Sunday 10 December 2023 has been added.

  59. Planned downtime from 12:30am to 2:30am on Sunday 22 October has been added.

  60. Planned downtime from 8am to 9pm on Sunday 8 October 2023 has been added.

  61. Planned downtime from 8am to 7pm on Sunday 8 October 2023 has been added.

  62. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 23 September 2023 to 4:30am on Sunday 24 September 2023 has been added.

  63. Service availability message for the Customs Declaration Service has been added.

  64. Planned downtime from 10pm to 11:10pm on Thursday 10 August 2023 has been added.

  65. A service issues message about problems accessing archived statements for CDS duty deferment and C79’s and postponed VAT accounting (PVA) has been added.

  66. Planned downtime from 11:55pm on Monday 31 July 2023 to 1:05am on Tuesday 1 August 2023 has been added.

  67. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 24 June 2023 to 3am on Sunday 25 June 2023 has been added.

  68. Planned downtime message from 11:59pm on Wednesday 24 May 2023 to 12:45am on Thursday 25 May 2023 has been added.

  69. Information about scheduled maintenance from 6pm to 10pm on Thursday 4 May 2023 has been added to the 'Service availability' section.

  70. Scheduled maintenance on the Customs Declaration Service will now go ahead from Saturday 6 May 2023 9:30pm to 2am Sunday 7 May 2023.

  71. Scheduled maintenance on the Customs Declaration Service will now go ahead from 9:30pm to 11:59pm on Saturday 29 April 2023.

  72. Planned downtime from 9:30pm to 11:30pm on Saturday 15 April has been added.

  73. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 25 March 2023 to 4:30am on Sunday 26 March 2023 has been added. The service issue affecting some traders trying to submit import declarations through the Customs Declaration Service and move their goods has been resolved.

  74. A service issue about submitting import declarations through the Customs Declaration Service has been added.

  75. We are working to resolve an IT issue that is affecting a small number of traders who are trying to move their goods using certain commodity codes. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

  76. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 25 February 2023 to 4:30am on Sunday 26 February has been added.

  77. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 14 January 2023 to 4am on Sunday 15 January 2023 has been added.

  78. The service issue about duplicated VAT charges has now been resolved.

  79. A service issue about duplicated VAT charges has been added.

  80. Planned downtime from 9:30pm to 11:30pm on Saturday 17 December 2022 has been added.

  81. Intermittent issues with the Customs Declaration Service have been resolved.

  82. We are aware that some customers are experiencing intermittent issues with the Customs Declaration Service. Check the service availability page for updates.

  83. The service issue about delays with message response times has been resolved.

  84. A service issue about delays with message response times has been added.

  85. The service issue about delays with message response times in the Customs Declaration Service has been resolved.

  86. There are delays with message response times in the service that are being investigated.

  87. Issues with the Customs Declaration Service which may be impacting the Goods Vehicle Movement Service have been resolved.

  88. Information for hauliers, traders, declarants and anyone moving controlled goods has been updated for the issues with the Customs Declaration Service.

  89. Information for hauliers, traders, declarants and anyone moving controlled goods has been added for the issues with the Customs Declaration Service.

  90. There are problems with the Customs Declaration Service and you will be only able to complete customs movements if you have a goods movement reference.

  91. Planned downtime from 9:30pm to 10:30pm on Saturday 15 October 2022 has been added.

  92. Information about scheduled maintenance from 9.30pm on Saturday 24 September 2022 to 4am on Sunday 25 September 2022 has been added.

  93. The planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 27 August 2022 to 4am on Sunday 28 August 2022 has been changed to 10pm on Saturday 27 August 2022 to 12:30am on Sunday 28 August 2022.

  94. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 27 August 2022 to 4am on Sunday 28 August 2022 has been added.

  95. The planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 30 July 2022 to 5:30am on Sunday 31 July 2022 has been changed to 9:30pm to 11:30pm on Saturday 30 July 2022.

  96. Updated information about the technical problems with postponed import VAT statements for June 2022.

  97. The planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 30 July 2022 to 5:30am Sunday 31 July 2022 has been extended to 7:30am Sunday 31 July 2022.

  98. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 30 July 2022 to 5:30am on Sunday 31 July 2022 has been added.

  99. Information has been added about some technical problems with postponed import VAT statements for June 2022.

  100. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 25 June 2022 to 4am on Sunday 26 June 2022 has been added.

  101. The problem with April 2022 postponed VAT statements has now been fixed. Users can now access replacement statements on their dashboard.

  102. The planned downtime from Tuesday 17 May 2022 11:59pm to 1am Wednesday 18 May 2022 has been changed to Saturday 21 May 2022 10:30pm to 1am Sunday 22 May 2022.

  103. The planned service downtime will now take place from Tuesday 17 May 2022 11:59pm to 1am Wednesday 18 May 2022.

  104. This service will be unavailable from Monday 16 May 2022 11:59pm to 1am Tuesday 17 May 2022. Information has also been added about problems with postponed import VAT statements for April 2022.

  105. The issue with March 2022 postponed import VAT statements not displaying for some users has now been resolved.

  106. Information has been added for importers who have been having issues accessing their March 2022 statements.

  107. Due to scheduled maintenance you will be unable to submit declarations or populate goods movement references with Customs Declaration Services declaration references from 11pm on 30 April 2022 to 1am on Sunday 1 May 2022.

  108. Planned downtime from 9:30pm Saturday 9 April to 7:30am Sunday 10 April 2022 has been added.

  109. Planned downtime from 9:45pm to 11:15pm on Thursday 31 March 2022 has been added.

  110. Planned downtime from 10:30pm to 11:15pm on Thursday 31 March 2022 has been added.

  111. Planned downtime for the Customs Declarations Service from 11pm on Saturday 26 February 2022 to 12:30am on Sunday 27 February 2022 has been added.

  112. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 29 January 2022 to 5am on Sunday 30 January 2022 has been added.

  113. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 29 January 2022 to 3:30am on Sunday 30 January 2022 has been added.

  114. We are making some changes to our online service from 10:30pm to 11:30pm on Friday 7 January 2022. There will be a 60 minute delay to declarations submitted during this time.

  115. Planned downtime from 9:30pm to 10:30pm on Wednesday 22 December 2021 has been added.

  116. For operational reasons, the essential maintenance on the Customs Declaration Service will now take place from Saturday 18 December 2021 9:30pm to 3am Sunday 19 December 2021. You will not be able to submit declarations during this time.

  117. Planned downtime from 10:30pm to 11:30pm on Friday 17 December 2021 has been added.

  118. Due to scheduled maintenance there will be a delay for declarations submitted from Monday 7 December 2021 10:30pm to 11:10pm. Declarations will be held in a queue until the service is resumed.

  119. Information added about monthly postponed import VAT statements.

  120. Planned downtime for the service has been updated to take place from 9:30pm on Saturday 27 November 2021 to 4:30am on Sunday 28 November 2021.

  121. Information about problems with monthly postponed import VAT statements has been updated.

  122. Information about a 120 minute delay to declarations submitted between 11pm on Thursday 18 November 2021 and 1am on Friday 19 November 2021 has been added.

  123. Planned downtime messages from 10:30pm to 11:59pm on Thursday 11 November 2021 and from 9:30pm on Saturday 27 November 2021 to 3:30am on Sunday 28 November 2021 have been updated.

  124. Planned downtime from 10:30pm to 11:59pm on Thursday 11 November 2021 and from 9:30pm on Saturday 27 November 2021 to 3:30am on Sunday 28 November 2021 has been added.

  125. A service issue about a delay to declarations when using the Customs Declarations Service on 29 October 2021 has been added.

  126. Planned downtime from 11:59pm on Wednesday 27 October 2021 to 2am Thursday 28 October 2021 has been added.

  127. Planned downtime has changed from 10pm to 10:40pm to 10:30pm to 11:10pm on Tuesday 26 October 2021.

  128. Planned downtime from 10pm to 10:40pm Tuesday 26 October 2021 has been added.

  129. The temporary restriction on the Customs Declaration Service to limit declaration to 40 data items has been lifted.

  130. An service issue affecting the Customs Declaration Service has been added.

  131. A service downtime message from 10pm to 10:35pm on Monday 18 October 2021 has been added.

  132. Planned downtime from 21:30pm on Saturday 16 October 2021 to 3:30am Sunday 17 October 2021 has been added.

  133. Planned downtime from 10pm on Thursday 9 September 2021 to 10:45pm on Thursday 9 September 2021 has been added.

  134. The planned downtime on Saturday 28 August 2021 has been postponed until 9:30pm on Saturday 4 September to 3:30am Sunday 5 September 2021.

  135. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 28 August 2021 to 3:30am Sunday 29 August 2021 has been added.

  136. The planned downtime for 31 July 2021 has been cancelled.

  137. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 7 August 2021 to 3:30am Sunday 8 August 2021 has been added.

  138. Planned downtime from 6pm to 6:30pm on Thursday 22 July 2021 has been added.

  139. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 31 July to 3:30am Sunday 1 August 2021 has been added.

  140. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 26 June 2021 to 10:30pm Saturday 26 June 2021 has been added.

  141. Planned downtime from 7pm to 8:30pm on Wednesday 2 June 2021 has been added.

  142. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 12 June to 2:30am on Sunday 13 June 2021 has been added.

  143. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 8 May to 2am on Sunday 9 May 2021 has been added.

  144. Planned downtime from 6pm to 6:45pm on Friday 23 April 2021 has been added.

  145. Planned downtime from 6:30pm on Tuesday 13 April 2021 to 6:50pm on Tuesday 13 April 2021 has been added.

  146. Information about the service issue for postponed import VAT statements has been updated.

  147. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Thursday 1 April 2021 to 2:30am on Friday 2 April 2021 has been added.

  148. Planned downtime from 10pm to 11pm on Saturday 13 March 2021 has been added.

  149. A service issue about postponed import VAT statements has been added.

  150. Planned downtime from 8pm on Wednesday 3 March 2021 to 8:45pm on Wednesday 3 March 2021 has been added.

  151. Added more information about the areas affected by the downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 27 February 2021 to 2am on Sunday 28 February 2021.

  152. Planned downtime from Saturday 27 February 2021 9:30pm to 2am Sunday 28 February 2021 has been added.

  153. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Saturday 27 February 2021 to 2am on Sunday 28 February 2021 has been added.

  154. Planned downtime from 5pm to 9pm on Saturday 30 January 2021 has been added.

  155. Planned downtime from 10pm to 11pm on Thursday 31 December 2020 has been added.

  156. Planned downtime from 7pm to 9pm on Tuesday 22 December 2020 has been added.

  157. Planned downtime from 2pm on Tuesday 22 December 2020 to 2am Wednesday 23 December 2020 has been added.

  158. Planned downtime on Saturday 28 November 2020 from 5:10pm to 5:40pm for registrations and submissions, and from 5pm to 8:30pm for declarations.

  159. Planned downtime for Wednesday 11 November 2020 from 6pm to 8pm has been added.

  160. Planned downtime for Saturday 24 October 2020 between 9am and 1pm has been added.

  161. Planned downtime has been added for Saturday 26 September 2020 between 9am and 3pm

  162. There is no planned downtime. The service is live.

  163. Planned downtime for Friday 11 September 2020 6pm to 7am Monday 14 September 2020 has been added.

  164. Planned downtime from 9am to 3pm on Saturday 22 August 2020 has been added.

  165. Planned downtime from 9am to 3pm on Saturday 25 July 2020 has been added.

  166. Planned downtime from 12:30pm to 9:30pm on Saturday 20 June 2020 has been added.

  167. Planned downtime from midday on Thursday 30 April 2020 to 9am Friday 1 May 2020 has been added.

  168. The planned downtime from 5pm Thursday 26 March 2020 to 2am on Friday 27 March 2020 has been updated. The system will be unavailable from midday on Thursday 26 March 2020 to 9am on Friday 27 March 2020. A service issues message has also been added.

  169. Planned downtime from 5pm Thursday 26 March 2020 to 2am on Friday 27 March 2020 has been added.

  170. Planned downtime added for Thursday 13 February 2020 5pm to 00:35am on Friday 14 February 2020.

  171. Planned downtime for 5pm on Thursday 23 January until 1am on Friday 24 January has been added.

  172. Notice of planned down time added for 5.30pm to 11pm on Tuesday 10 December.

  173. Planned downtime for Thursday 21 November 2018 5pm to 11pm has been added.

  174. First published.

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