Overview

If your goods travel from Great Britain to Northern Ireland on a roll-on roll-off (RoRo) route, the vehicle needs a GMR to board. This guide explains what a GMR is, when you need one, how to create one in iTSS or GVMS, and what to check before the vehicle sets off.

What Is a GMR?

A GMR is the single reference a vehicle needs to board at a RoRo port. It holds no goods data itself; it links together the declaration references that already exist for everything on the vehicle. The driver presents one reference at check-in instead of a folder of paperwork. Each GMR is valid for a single crossing and can only be used once.

When Do I Need a GMR?

You need a GMR for movements through RoRo ports that use the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS). If your route doesn't use GVMS, it doesn't apply to you. You also need one for an empty trailer or for goods that can be declared orally or by conduct, using the 'empty' or 'oral or by conduct' option. You don't need one for personal goods, or for commercial goods carried in your own baggage.

Timing matters: a GMR can't be built before the declarations it links exist, so late customs data delays the GMR, and the GMR delays the vehicle.

Who Creates the GMR?

The haulier usually builds or holds the GMR and presents it at the port. The trader or their agent provides the customs information that produces the references, and the carrier checks the GMR at check-in. In iTSS, whoever manages the ENS can create the GMR from it. That could be the haulier, the carrier, or an agent using Act as Agent for their customer.

Can I Create a GMR Through iTSS?

Yes. To create one:

1. On the All ENS tab, open the ENS row menu and choose Create GMR.
2. Pick the route.
3. Say whether the movement is accompanied or unaccompanied:
   • Accompanied: enter the vehicle registration.
   • Unaccompanied: enter one or two trailer registrations.
4. Add contact emails if you want others to hear about the GMR, then Submit.

TSS then links the ENS's consignments that are Authorised or Arrived under one GMR. Because the GMR is built from declaration data TSS already holds, nobody has to re-key references into a separate service.

You can follow it on the GMRs tab, where the statuses are:

Before your first GMR, your TSS Primary Account holder must authorise TSS to create GMRs on your behalf in the TSS Company Profile. Without that, the request is rejected.

Each ENS can have only one active GMR.

For the same movement, create the GMR either through iTSS or through GVMS, not both.

Can I Create a GMR Through GVMS?

Yes, you can build it yourself:

1. Register for GVMS on GOV.UK. This is a one-off, you need a GB EORI number, and a customs agent can register for you.
2. Sign in with the details you used to register.
3. Start a new GMR and add the references for every consignment on the vehicle. You can copy them from iTSS: the consignment MRNs are on the Consignments tab, SFD MRNs on the SFDs tab, and EIDR references on the EIDRs tab.
4. Choose the declaration type that matches each reference. A CDS or YYGB format MRN is a customs declaration; an XI-prefixed MRN is an Entry in Declarant's Records (EIDR), and you also enter the trader's EORI.
5. On mixed loads, add the MRN and safety and security information for any non-TSS consignments too, then save or print the GMR barcode.
   
   

What Information Do I Need to Create a GMR?

In iTSS:

• The ENS reference (you start from the ENS)
• The route
• Accompanied or unaccompanied
• The vehicle registration, or the trailer registration(s)
• Contact emails (optional)
  
  

In GVMS, for goods from GB to NI:

• The vehicle registration number if the movement is accompanied, or the trailer or container number if it's unaccompanied
• ATA or TIR carnet references, if relevant
• The import MRN, if the goods were declared into the Customs Declaration Service
• The EORI of the authorised trader, where goods are declared in their own records
• The entry summary declaration MRNs
  
  

You can include more than one ENS on a GMR for GB to NI movements. If you include the ENS and MRN, the arrival and presentation of goods notifications are submitted for you automatically.

What If I Enter the Wrong Reference Number in GVMS?

Fix it before the vehicle checks in. A GMR in a 'not finalisable' state can't be finalised and will be rejected if presented to a carrier at check-in. A common cause is the wrong declaration type, for example an XI-prefixed MRN entered as a customs declaration instead of an EIDR.

While a GMR is open, it can still be updated and finalised by the haulier. In GVMS, sign in and correct the reference. In iTSS, open the GMR from the GMRs tab while it's still Open, correct it and submit again. Once the carrier has checked the GMR in, the haulier can't make any more updates. If you spot a mistake after check-in, email support@icustoms.ai straight away.

Does the Driver Need the GMR Barcode?

The driver needs the GMR to board. It must be presented at the port you're leaving from, and the carrier tells you how to present it. GVMS gives you a barcode you can print or save, and that is what's commonly presented at the departure port. Check with your carrier which format they accept.

At check-in, the carrier compares the GMR with the vehicle, trailers and containers. A vehicle is turned away if it can't present a valid GMR, or if its registration, trailer or container numbers don't match the GMR. The driver also uses the GMR in the "check if you need to report for an inspection" service.

What Should I Check Before Travelling to Northern Ireland?

• The ENS was submitted on time, and its consignments show Authorised in iTSS.
• Each consignment's simplified frontier declaration is complete before the goods leave GB. Controlled goods should have an SFD MRN; other goods an EIDR reference.
• The GMR shows Open or Finalised, not Error or Trader Input Required.
• No consignment shows Do Not Load.
• Every consignment on the vehicle is on the GMR. On groupage loads, check the manifest against the GMR before departure.
• The vehicle, trailer and container numbers on the GMR match the actual vehicle.
• The driver has the GMR in the format the carrier accepts.
• After embarkation, the driver uses the GMR to check whether they need to report for an inspection.
  
  

Important

• A GMR is tied to a specific vehicle. If the trailer changes, update the GMR.
• You must include declaration references for all the goods you're carrying. You may get a penalty if goods move without enough evidence that a declaration was made.
• Follow HMRC's instructions on whether the goods need checking on arrival. Ignoring them can mean a penalty of up to £2,500.
  
  

Need Help?

If you need help with your customs declarations or GMR-related queries Contact Support Team.