How do you get a GMR for a lorry using GVMS?

GVMS and the GMR in plain words

GVMS is HMRC's Goods Vehicle Movement Service. It links the customs declarations for the goods to the vehicle carrying them. The GMR is the one reference that shows the declarations were made in advance, and goods cannot move through a GVMS port without one. At Dover and Eurotunnel it is always needed for lorries coming into Great Britain.

How a GMR is made

• The customs work comes first: the import, export or transit declaration, so there is a reference to link.
• The haulier, registered for GVMS, creates the GMR and adds those references with the vehicle or trailer details.
• The driver shows the GMR at check in. The carrier only lets the lorry board if the GMR is valid.

What references go in

• The import declaration MRN, for goods declared before arrival.
• The transit MRN from NCTS, for goods moving under transit (a T1).
• The export references, for goods leaving Great Britain.
• The EORI number, where goods are declared in the importer's own records.

After the crossing

On arrival, the driver puts the GMR into HMRC's ‘Check if you need to report for an inspection’ service. If the goods are called for a check, the driver must go to the inspection site named. For Dover and Eurotunnel that is the Sevington inland border facility today. HMRC expects these checks to move to sites run by the Port of Dover and Getlink from early 2027, with the exact date still to be confirmed. Ignoring an instruction can lead to a penalty of up to £2,500.

Where it goes wrong

• The declaration is not ready, so there is nothing to link and the GMR cannot be completed.
• A reference is mistyped, or belongs to another vehicle.
• The driver does not check the inspection result and drives on.

Checked against HMRC guidance on GOV.UK in November 2026: Get a goods movement reference, List of ports using GVMS, What to do when attending an inland border facility, Future customs arrangements at Sevington and Holyhead. Rules change, so talk to us before you rely on this for a movement.