Declaration Unique Consignment References (DUCR) Format

Declaration Unique Consignment References

Information about Declaration Unique Consignment References (DUCR)

Declaration Unique Consignment References

It is a mandatory requirement that both the SFD and the SD be allocated the same DUCR. The structure of the DUCR must conform with the format recommended by the World Customs Organisation (WCO). The DUCR can comprise of up to 35 characters.

The format for a UK trader is < year > < GB > < EORI > < - > < reference >

• < year > is= the year in which the DUCR was allocated, for example, ‘3’ if allocated in 2023
• GB =is the country where the DUCR was allocated, for example, ‘GB’ for UK declarations
• < EORI > is = the identity of the SCDP authorised trader as known to Customs
• < - > is= a dash
• < reference > =is a unique series of up to 18 characters that the trader whose EORI is included in the DUCR devises, which provides an audit trail within the commercial records - . This component of the DUCR is restricted to numbers, upper case letters and certain special characters viz. ‘0’ to ‘9’, ‘A’ to ‘Z’. ‘-‘, ‘(‘, ‘)’ - forward slashes (/) and colons (:) must not be used It is recommended that, where possible, the DUCRs are sequential as this allows the local officer to easily identify any missing consignments or declarations. Sequential numbering may not suit all systems and in these cases the DUCR format should be agreed on an individual basis with the trader. The DUCR may be a system generated number or provided from a manual log. In all cases the trader must be able to guarantee its uniqueness.

The DUCR must appear in DE2/1.

The DUCR quoted on any transit documents, SFDs, and C21i EIDR NOPs, etc must be identical to that quoted on the SDs which relate to that consignment. The trader must not use a different DUCR on the SD, to that quoted on the initial declaration (additional suffixes are allowed if required for commercial reasons). For CW, the DUCR may not always flow from the SFD through to the SD (IMZ). Where a DMS is involved often the DUCR for the removal is generated for the EIDR record and the SD (IMZ) by the DMS system. In this case the DUCR on SD (IMZ) should link back to the EIDR and to warehouse stock records.

DUCRs and Electronic Licences

Where an electronic licence is associated with a DUCR (for example, DEFRA licences such as Common Health Entry Documents (CHEDs)), the DUCR must be declared in DE 2/1 at header level. To ensure successful matching, the DUCR entered to CDS should be the same as the one entered on the electronic licence.

Read Appendix 5C: DE 2/3: Document and Other Reference Codes: Licence Types for details of which licence types require a DUCR to be provided.

DUCRs and Customs Warehousing

Upon removal of the goods from warehousing, the stock account reference must be entered in the EIDR records along with the DUCR. The DUCR entered in the EIDR records to remove the goods must be the same DUCR as on the subsequent SD (IMZ). For example:

DUCR used for the full process:

• DUCR1234 (shown on the SFD) is entered into the warehouse’s stock records against stock account reference 5678
• stock reference 5678 is to be released from the warehouse
• stock reference 5678 is entered into the EIDR records quoting DUCR1234
• SDW/Z quotes DUCR 1234 in DE 2/1 of the declaration

Original DUCR is discharged in the warehousing stock records:

• SFD quotes DUCR1234
• DUCR1234 is entered into the warehouse’s stock records against stock record reference 5678
• stock reference 5678 is to be released from the warehouse
• stock reference 5678 is entered into the EIDR records DMS creates DUCR1289
• SD or IMZ quotes DUCR1289 in DE2/1 of the declaration

DUCR part suffix

Goods released on a single frontier declaration do not always get declared on a single SD. They may sometimes be split between a number of SDs. In these instances, the DUCR must include a part suffix or the SCDP authorisation holder may add a suffix to the original DUCR.

DUCRs and Aggregation

Where supplementary declarations are aggregated:

• use the DUCR, part of the first initial declaration as the DUCR or part of the supplementary declaration at header level

• the SDE, DCR and DCS or CLE, DCR and DCS previous document sets should be repeated at item level, in order, for each aggregated element (for example, EIDR release record)
  The SCDP Authorisation holder’s records must be able to show a full breakdown of the aggregation (AGG) DUCR providing an audit trail to each of the SFDs and EIDR record removals included in the aggregated supplementary declaration. For example:

• AGG DUCR includes 12 packages from DUCR1234/stock reference 9876

• AGG DUCR includes 12 packages from DUCR4567/stock reference 9876
  From the system reconciliation, we must be able to establish that all goods have been fully accounted for on the one aggregated SD. If an SCDP authorisation holder is not able to provide a satisfactory reconciliation, then they will not be permitted to use aggregation.

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