The NCTS (New Computerised Transit System) IT system is mainly used for handling the common transit procedure (CTP) and the national transit procedure (NTP).
The NCTS IT system is based on the exchange of electronic notifications between economic operators, national and international customs offices and the EU. In order for information to be exchanged nationally and internationally, both procedural and technical guidelines must be observed.
An electronic advance declaration is required for the movement of goods between countries other than the EU member states and Norway. The advance declaration is based on the security data that must be entered in the "Security Amendment" fields in the NCTS IT system. For more information, see More security for the supply chain.
Access
The NCTS program is not freely accessible.
If you would like to send goods using the transit procedure, you must contact a haulage firm or a customs agency. However, a small number of NCTS software suppliers allow third parties to open NCTS procedures via their platforms.
The list of software vendors can be found under Instructions > General information.
Terms of use
The following technical requirements must be met in order to use the electronic transit procedure with NCTS:
- You must have acompatible NCTS IT system (The list of software vendors can be found under Instructions > General information).
- You must apply for security (surety bond) for the CTP or NTP, depending on the situation (see information on the relevant procedure).
- One-off registration in the customs client administration is required. For more information, see Customs client administration – UID.
If you already use the common transit procedure (CTP) and your application for the national transit procedure came from another software supplier, you must ensure that you have an additional UID for the new application with which the corresponding IT security certificates are registered with the FOCBS.
After installing the program, you must exchange test notifications with the customs system. Contact the ICT Service Centre. If you want to send goods abroad directly from your place of domicile or receive them directly at this address without having to present the goods to the customs office of departure or destination, you need to be an authorised consignor or authorised consignee.
Security must be provided for the anticipated tax debt (customs duties and other taxes).
In the common transit procedure (CTP), the security can be provided in various ways:
- by means of an individual guarantee in the form of a guarantor's covenant (also for multiple use);
- individual guarantee with guarantee vouchersworth EUR 10,000;
- a global guarantee for multiple transit procedures; or
- a cash deposit.
Reliable and financially sound beneficiaries of the procedure can be exempted from the requirement to provide security if certain criteria are met.
The global guarantee application form can be found on the page Publications on tranist procedures.
When opening a national transit procedure, there are three types of guarantee for securing taxes and duties:
- T-CH general guarantee (in conjunction with a CSP account);
- T-CH cash deposit with general guarantee (in conjunction with a CSP account);
- T-CH cash deposit.
The general guarantee and the cash deposit with general guarantee are possible only in conjunction with a CSP account. For more information, see Centralised settlement procedure (CSP) of the Federal Customs Administration. On request, the accountholder receives a guarantee reference number (GRN) and an access code (PIN code) for his or her CSP account. The T-CH general guarantee offers automated validity checks and verification that accounts have sufficient cover.
In case the NCTS IT system fails, please follow the attached instructions (Instructions > General information).
Instructions
The NCTS IT system is based on the exchange of electronic notifications between economic operators, national and international customs offices and the EU.
You will find general documentation on the NCTS IT programme as well as technical data, specifications and master data.
