Transit
Transit is a customs procedure that facilitates the transport of goods across borders and through territories without paying customs duty and VAT.
You may transit any goods that may be brought into or out of Sweden.
When releasing goods for the transit procedure, you are responsible for the veracity of the information provided, and for carrying out the transit operation.
The goods shall be presented intact to customs at the place of destination within deadline established by Swedish Customs. The person presenting the goods is also responsible for that the seals are not tampered with and, where applicable, compliance with an prescribed itinerary.
Transit procedures are based on various regulations:
- Common transit
- Union transit
- TIR Transit
Common transit is governed by the Common Transit Convention – CTC. This transit procedure may be used within the customs territory of the Union and in any party to the Convention (Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Türkiye, North Macedonia, Serbia, the United Kingdom and Ukraine).
The Union transit procedure is used for transporting goods in the EU.
The TIR procedure is mostly used in and to Eastern European countries that are not part of the EU (for example, Türkiye and Ukraine), parts of the Middle East and also in North Africa. You will then need to use a TIR Carnet.
Transit procedure
About the transit procedure.
Procedures for pre-lodging a transit declaration – Simplified procedure
Transit declaration procedure – Simplified procedure
Procedures for pre-lodging a transit declaration – Normal procedure
Procedure for transit declarations – Normal procedure
Procedure for reporting incidents during transit
Registering information in the NCTS
When transiting goods, the information should be registered in the New Computerised Transit System (NCTS). To submit transit declarations electronically via the NCTS, it is necessary to register for communication via EDI.
Declaration guide
This is a declaration guide that can be used when declaring in the transit system, NCTS, Phase 5. There are also guides for presenting goods in the context of transit movements and unloading remarks.
Declaration guide for transit, NCTS
Guide for Arrival Notification (IE007) (in Swedish)
Guide for Unloading Remarks (IE044) (in Swedish)
Frequently asked questions about the updated NCTS
We answer frequently asked questions about the updated transit system, NCTS, Release 5.
Frequently asked questions about NCTS, Release 5 (in Swedish)
Transit Accompanying Document (TAD)
The Transit Accompanying Document (TAD) and Transit Security Accompanying Document (TSAD) have been merged into a single printable version. If security data is required, it will be integrated in the TAD.
However, it is not a requirement that the transit accompanying document accompanies the goods, unless a fallback procedure applies, but the carrier must at least be able to present the MRN for the transit declaration. However, it is recommended that the TAD accompanies the shipment as the authorised consignee has no other way of obtaining information about the goods before requesting unloading permission.
In case of printing, you need to print both the TAD and the List of Items (LoI). This is because there is no information about the goods in the TAD.
Note that the ‘Sequence number’ only needs to be printed when a field contains more than 1 occurrence.
Download a document with more information about TADs
Pdf, 661.2 kB.
Spreadsheet (excel file) for TAD
Excel, 49.6 kB.
Spreadsheet (excel file) about the layout of TADs and LoIs Excel, 80.8 kB.
Handling incidents during transit
If an incident occurs when you transit goods, you must report it to Swedish Customs. This can be done using our online service. Examples of incidents may include, among others, an unplanned transhipment, an accident, a broken seal, a change of route or anything else that affects the transport.
About incident management during transit.
Transhipment during transit
When in transit, avoid reloading your goods to a different means of transport. However, if circumstances make reloading necessary, for example, due to theft or accidents, there are some considerations that must be made.
Your obligation to place a guarantee
When goods are in transit, you are required to place a guarantee that corresponds to the costs of applicable customs duties, taxes and other charges. The guarantee is an assurance for Swedish Customs that these costs will be paid, even in the event of unforeseen circumstances.
Placing a guarantee for goods in transit
Choosing between T1 and T2 transit
There are two available transit procedures: T1 transit (external Union transit) or T2 transit (internal Union transit).
The quality of the commodity description is important
The quality of the commodity description is important when goods are in transit. A poorly written commodity description may lead to an inspection of the consignment, especially in the case of unsealed goods, which is costly both in terms of resources and time.
Commodity description in transit
Submit your transit declaration via the EDI
Transit declarations are submitted electronically via the EDI. When the information has been submitted, the case will be assigned a Master Reference Number (MRN), which serves as the ID number of the transit procedure. Swedish Customs recommend a print-out, known as an accompanying document, should accompany the means of transport to the customs office of destination.
Troubleshooting
If you submitted a declaration in the NCTS and received an error code, you can find out what the codes mean in the lists below.
‘Error reasons’ for error messages
Error reasons for error messages
Error reasons for error messages | Category | External description |
|---|---|---|
BR1513A | Authorisation | Verification of authorisations for IE015 and IE013. Conditions:
|
BR1513B | Authorisation | Verification of authorisations for IE015 and IE013.
Conditions:
|
BR007A | Authorisation | Verification of authorisation for IE077.
Conditions:
|
BR007B | Location of goods code | Verification of location of goods code.
Conditions:
|
SE7142 | Enquiry procedure | Verification of whether an enquiry procedure has been initiated prior to registering the arrival of the goods. If IE007 is sent after the initiation of an enquiry procedure, IE007 will be rejected with IE057.
Error pointer till IE007 och error code 92: ‘Message out of |
Functional error codes
Error code | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
12 | Codelist violation | Value of an element in a message is outside the predefined set of values or not part of the applicable business/technical code list. This type of error is applicable to all elements with code values, so it is also applicable to those elements that identify a message type. |
13 | Condition violation (Missing) | A mandatory/required element is missing in the received data following the validation of Rule or Condition , e.g. a required element is not present. |
14 | Rule violation | |
15 | Condition violation (Not allowed) | An element is not allowed to have a value due to the following two reasons: The element is not allowed to be present according to some additional condition, e.g. if type of packages has the value 'UNPACKED' then number of package can not have a value (condition C0060 ). |
26 | Duplicate Message ID | The same interchange is received again. Duplication is detected by reception of a message identifier that has already been received. |
50 | Transitional constraint violation | An element is not valid (value, format or repetitions) according to a Transitional Constraint [Downgrade & Upgrade Conversion]. |
51 | EDI violation post downgrade | An error reported by Convertor in the Technical Message Structure (EDIFACT level) validation on the downgraded message (ECS-P2/NCTS-P4 message) [Downgrade Conversion from NCTS-P5/AES to NCTS-P4/ECS-P2]. |
52 | Functional violation post downgrade | An error reported by Convertor in the Functional Message Structure (ECS-P2/NCTS-P4 XML or Rules/Conditions) validation on the downgraded message (ECS-P2/NCTS-P4 message) [Downgrade Conversion from NCTS-P5/AES to NCTS-P4/ECS-P2]. |
90 | Unknown MRN | |
92 | Message out of sequence | |
93 | Invalid MRN | The structure of the MRN is not conform specifications. |
Error codes for guarantees in Release 5 of the NCTS
Error code | Name |
|---|---|
G01 | Guarantee does not exist |
G02 | Guarantee exists, but not valid |
G03 | Access code not valid |
G04 | Holder of Guarantee is not equal to Holder of Transit procedure in declaration |
G05 | Individual guarantee voucher already used |
G06 | Use restriction: No suspended goods |
G08 | Not valid for Country of Transit or Country of Destination |
G09 | Reference/Guarantee amounts NOT sufficient |
G10 | Individual guarantee by Guarantor already used |
G11 | Customs Office of Departure and Customs Office of Destination do not correspond (Guarantee type ‘2’) |
G12 | 'Declared commodity code' and 'Commodity code' in guarantee do not match |
G13 | The 'GRN' and the 'Guarantee type' do not match |
Authorised consignors and consignees
Authorised consignors and authorised consignees can initiate and end a transit procedure without presenting the goods at a customs office. For this, you need an authorisation. Several authorisations may be used, depending on your needs.
Authorised consignor for Union transit
An authorised consignor for Union transit can initiate transit procedures presenting the goods at a customs office. Authorised consignors must hold an authorisation. This authorisation may also be used for the common transit procedure.
About approved consignor status for Union transit.
Authorised consignee for Union transit
Authorised consignees for Union transit can receive and end a transit procedure at an authorised place without presenting the goods at a customs office. Authorised consignees must hold an authorisation. This authorisation may also be used for the common transit procedure.
About approved consignees for Union transit and how to apply.
Authorised consignee for TIR transit
Authorised consignees for TIR transit can receive an TIR transit at an authorised place without presenting the goods at a customs office. To end the TIR transit procedure, the TIR Carnet must be handed over to a customs office together with the MRN-number of the TIR transit. Authorised consignees for TIR transit must hold an authorisation.
About approved consignees for TIR transit and how to apply
Seal the consignment
As a main rule, goods in transit should be sealed. Exceptions include easily identified goods. Easily identified goods include goods with serial numbers, easily counted goods and goods that can be identified with accompanying documents.
Approved consignors for Union transit may combine this with an authorisation to seal the consignment with a special type of seal.
The European Commission’s transit guidelines.
Use of an electronic transport document as a customs declaration
Under certain circumstances, airline companies and shipping companies may use an electronic transport document (ETD) as a transit declaration. To use this simplification, you need an authorisation.
About the electronic transport document as a customs declaration, airline companies.
About the electronic transport document as a customs declaration, shipping companies.
Transporting victuals and parts of machines for ships
When a shipment of undeclared goods under the transit procedure arrives at the vessel, you must send a presentation notification with a simultaneous request for unloading:
- If you have access to Swedish Customs’ Online Services, you can use the online service “Lossning av gods/proviant till fartyg" (unloading goods/provisions) to apply (in Swedish).
- Apply here, if you do not have access to Swedish Customs’ Online Services (in Swedish)
- You may also use the contact form Unloading goods/provisions
Once Swedish Customs has verified the information, an unloading authorisation will be sent to the email address from which you sent your application.
Once you have received an unloading permission, the goods may be unloaded on board the vessel.
Once an inventory has been made, any discrepancies are noted in the transit declaration, which is signed by the captain or an authorised person on board the vessel. The unloading report is uploaded to the MSW no later than three working days after the receipt of the unloading permission. The unloading result may be submitted to Swedish Customs by email: fartygsklarering@tullverket.se. Again, the deadline of three working days applies.
Note that this procedure can only be applied to goods where the vessel is the final recipient.
Learn more
The European Commission's website features a transit manual with additional information, guidelines and several practical examples of Union transit and common transit procedures. The transit manual is available in 23 languages.
The European Commissions’ Union transit and common transit manual.