Calais Customs Clearance
UK and French customs clearance on both sides of your Calais crossing
GEIM handles customs clearance on both sides of your Calais crossing. We support importers, exporters, freight forwarders, hauliers and private customers moving goods between Great Britain and France, with 24/7 help for planned and urgent shipments. French and UK import and export clearance, T1 and T2 transit with the guarantee supplied by GEIM, free ELO, GMR and EU/UK ENS handling, and declaration preparation within two hours when complete information is available.
- 30 min Typical quote response
- 24/7 Every day of the year
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Customs clearance at Calais
Calais is a French entry and exit point for goods travelling between Great Britain and the EU. A shipment arriving from Britain needs the appropriate French import or transit procedure, alongside its UK export formalities. A shipment leaving Calais for Britain needs the relevant EU export or transit procedure and UK entry formalities.
GEIM manages both ends of the customs process. We establish whether goods will be cleared for import on arrival or continue under transit, then handle the declarations and border references required for that movement.
Our Calais customs services
We handle accompanied vehicles, unaccompanied trailers and container-related road movements. Our work includes B2B sales, personal shipments and event goods moving under applicable carnet or temporary procedures. Acceptance and route suitability are assessed case by case.
- French/EU import clearance for goods arriving through Calais
- French/EU export clearance for goods leaving through Calais
- UK export clearance for shipments travelling to Calais
- UK import clearance for shipments arriving from Calais
- T1 and T2 transit, including guarantee provision and completion monitoring
- ELO, UK GMR and EU/UK ENS handling, free of charge
- Controlled-goods formalities and inspection coordination
- 24/7 emergency clearance support, advance preparation and support for drivers during the customs process
How clearance works between Great Britain and France
Great Britain to France through Calais
1. Send GEIM your invoice and packing list. We review the shipment and establish whether it needs French import clearance or onward transit.
2. We handle the applicable UK export formalities and prepare the French import or transit arrangements. The EU entry summary declaration is filed in ICS2 where required.
3. The French ELO brings together the relevant declaration references for smart-border check-in. The UK GMR covers the British side of the Dover movement.
4. On arrival at Calais, the vehicle follows the French routing instructions. Goods cleared for import can continue once released; goods under transit must continue to their declared destination and complete that procedure.
France to Great Britain through Calais
1. Send GEIM your invoice and packing list. We establish the EU export or transit procedure and the UK import or transit arrangements.
2. We handle the applicable EU export formalities, the French ELO and the UK GMR. The UK entry summary declaration is filed in S&S GB where required.
3. At Calais, the ferry operator checks the relevant movement information before boarding. French export-exit tracking and UK entry processing remain separate requirements.
4. After arrival in Britain, the driver follows the UK inspection instructions. GEIM monitors the applicable customs and transit progress, including export-exit completion.
Acceptance of a declaration, permission to board, inspection release and release of the physical freight are separate stages. Ferry transport and onward haulage follow the arrangements for the booked movement. To discuss either direction, contact GEIM before the crossing.
Documents required
Start by sending your invoice and packing list. GEIM checks the information against the goods, direction and customs procedure, then confirms what is needed to complete the job.
You can send the paperwork weeks before travel or contact us hours before the crossing. Controlled goods and movements requiring appointments need enough time for their additional formalities. For personal shipments or event goods, ask us to confirm the starting information for your movement.
Calais ferry-port information
The Port of Calais serves the Dover ferry crossing. Accompanied trucks travel with their drivers; unaccompanied trailers use separate drop-off, handling and collection arrangements. A container travelling on a road vehicle or trailer follows the requirements for that movement rather than automatically becoming a conventional container-terminal shipment.
Calais ferry port and the Channel Tunnel terminal at Coquelles are separate facilities. GEIM supports both, but the booking, arrival instructions and inspection location must match the crossing actually used. This page explains the ferry-port process.
French border systems and UK references
ELO and the French smart border
ELO is the French logistics envelope used for smart-border roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) crossings in both directions, including accompanied vehicles, unaccompanied trailers and empty transport units. It groups the relevant references under one barcode for check-in. For a loaded GB-to-France movement, this normally includes the import or transit references and EU ENS.
France's SI Brexit smart-border system links the transport movement with customs processing. French import and export declarations use DELTA IE, export-exit tracking uses SDS, and French transit declarations use DELTA T.
GMR and safety and security declarations
A GMR is the UK Goods Movement Reference used with GVMS for the Dover crossing. It is separate from ELO, the customs declarations and the ferry booking reference. EU ENS in ICS2 and UK ENS in S&S GB provide entry safety and security information; they do not replace import declarations.
Continuing beyond Calais under transit
A transit movement can pass through Calais and continue to an inland destination or another participating country. The border may act as an office of transit rather than the office where the movement ends. GEIM handles T1 and T2 arrangements, supplies the guarantee and monitors completion at the relevant destination.
Controlled goods and inspections
Food, animal products, live animals, plants and other regulated goods need a route suitable for the exact consignment. GEIM handles the applicable customs and pre-notification work, including TRACES NT and relevant Common Health Entry Documents (CHEDs) for EU entry, or IPAFFS, the UK notification system, for applicable movements into Britain.
Calais Port has a veterinary and plant inspection facility operated by the French SIVEP service with specific approvals. It does not accept every controlled-goods category. Its published approval for animal products intended for human consumption excludes fishery products and bivalve molluscs. The port describes a T1 onward route to Boulogne-sur-Mer for seafood checks; confirm suitability before travel.
We assess controlled shipments case by case and coordinate the required formalities and presentation. Government authorities carry out inspections and decide release.
Common Calais delays
A missing or unscanned ELO can interrupt border processing or leave French export-exit formalities incomplete. An ENS with the wrong ferry transport details can also prevent the reference from being added correctly to the envelope.
Other documented problems include incomplete customs formalities, transit movements that have not been properly completed and controlled goods presented without the required certification or inspection arrangements. Ferry check-in cut-offs and transport disruption are separate from customs processing.
GEIM checks the applicable declarations and references before the crossing and supports the movement as it progresses. Preparation helps address paperwork problems early; it does not remove an authority's right to inspect.
Why use GEIM for Calais customs clearance
You can use one point of contact for the French and British customs requirements. Our service operates 24/7 for advance work and urgent requests. When complete information is available, we can prepare customs declarations within two hours. This is declaration preparation time; customs and inspection release depend on the relevant authorities.
Both directions
Clearance in both directions through one team.
T1 and T2 transit
Transit with guarantee provision.
Reference handling
ELO, GMR and required EU/UK ENS managed free of charge.
Available 24/7
For advance work and urgent requests.
Arrange your Calais customs clearance
Send GEIM your invoice and packing list and tell us whether the goods are travelling from Great Britain to France or from France to Great Britain. We will review the import, export or transit requirements and handle the customs work on both sides.
For an urgent crossing, call +44 (0) 203 725 0884. GEIM provides Calais customs support 24/7. You can also email enquiries@geim.co.uk.
Customs clearance ports
Explore our port customs clearance pages.
Dover customs clearance
The British end of the Calais route.
Felixstowe customs clearance
For another port.
Customs clearance services
The full range of GEIM services.
Calais customs clearance FAQs
The movement needs the applicable UK export formalities and French import or transit arrangements. For relevant loaded freight, the EU ENS is filed in ICS2 and included with the appropriate declaration references in ELO. The UK GMR covers the Dover side. GEIM handles both ends.
The departure side is the EU export or transit process. ELO covers the French smart-border references, while the UK GMR, UK import or transit procedure and applicable S&S GB ENS address British entry. French export-exit completion must also be monitored.
Yes, for the relevant commercial RoRo movement through Calais and Dover. ELO serves the French smart border; GMR serves the UK GVMS process. One does not replace the other, and neither is the ferry booking reference. Empty transport units also need the appropriate ELO and GMR.
No. French Customs does not accept a GMR as a reference inside ELO. The envelope needs the applicable customs and EU ENS references for the French side. GEIM handles the French envelope and the separate British GMR, with ELO, GMR and required ENS handling free of charge.
Check the routing shown on board before disembarking. If directed to the port's Customs/SIVEP area, park as instructed and register on e-Border using a phone or the provided terminal. Follow the intervention and release instructions before leaving.
No. A GB-started transit can use Calais as an office of transit and continue to the declared destination. Port departure does not discharge the transit or establish import clearance. GEIM supplies the guarantee for its T1/T2 service and monitors completion.
Yes. ELO applies to unaccompanied RoRo as well as accompanied vehicles. Trailer drop-off, check-in information and collection must follow the booked operator's arrangements. ENS responsibility differs from accompanied transport, so GEIM establishes the filing arrangement for the movement.
No. Calais Port's approvals are category-specific, and its ferry-port facility is separate from the Coquelles facility. For example, live-animal acceptance is restricted and the animal station has different published hours from the general veterinary service. GEIM checks the proposed goods and inspection route case by case.
Calais Port's published animal-product approval for human consumption excludes fishery products and bivalve molluscs. The port describes a T1 movement to SIVEP checks at Boulogne-sur-Mer for seafood. Goods using that arrangement must undergo the required checks before delivery.
Use the instructions for the crossing booked. Calais ferry port and the Coquelles Channel Tunnel terminal share some border-system requirements but have separate transport and inspection arrangements. Tell GEIM which crossing you are using so the movement is prepared accordingly.