The Trader Support Service (TSS) is moving to a new platform on 20 October 2026. If you move goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, every goods movement from that date must go through the new system, so you need to pre-enrol, reset your password and check your profile before then.
HMRC has written to more than 66,000 registered businesses urging them to get ready (gov.uk). This guide explains what is changing, the dates that matter, how to pre-enrol, and what happens if you leave it too late.
What is the Trader Support Service?
The Trader Support Service is a free government service that helps businesses move goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework. It can complete the customs and safety and security declarations required for those movements on your behalf, and it offers training and guidance on the rules (gov.uk).
It is used by traders moving their own goods and by hauliers and intermediaries acting for someone else. Because the declarations for Northern Ireland movements are complex, many small businesses rely on TSS rather than buying their own customs software. The service has supported these movements since it launched in 2020.
What is changing on 20 October 2026?
HMRC is replacing the TSS platform. The next phase of the service goes live to all users on 20 October 2026, and from that date every new goods movement must be submitted on the new platform. The current platform will stop accepting new movements, so you cannot keep using the old system as a fallback.
The new platform is operated by Netcompany under a five-year contract, with two potential one-year extensions. It has been running in private beta since July 2026, with hundreds of declarations already submitted successfully, so this is a switchover of a tested system rather than an untried launch.
What are the key dates for the new TSS platform?
There are two dates to plan around: when your invitation to pre-enrol arrives, and the hard cut-over when the new platform takes over all movements.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| From 1 October 2026 | HMRC starts emailing current TSS users with instructions to pre-enrol, plus access to a test environment |
| July to October 2026 | Private beta continues; hundreds of declarations already submitted on the new platform |
| Before 20 October 2026 | Pre-enrol, set a new password and check your profile and permissions are up to date |
| 20 October 2026 | New platform goes live to all users; all new goods movements must use it; the old platform stops accepting new movements |
Old platform versus new platform: what is different?
You do not need to register for TSS again. Your account carries over, but you do have to activate it on the new platform and set fresh login details.
| Area | Current platform | New platform (from 20 October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Operator | Existing TSS provider | Netcompany (5-year contract) |
| New movements | Accepted until the switchover | All new movements from 20 October 2026 |
| Registration | Already registered | No need to re-register; pre-enrol instead |
| Login | Existing credentials | New password required |
| Getting ready | n/a | Invitation email plus a test environment from 1 October |
Who is affected by the change?
Anyone who uses TSS to move goods to or from Northern Ireland needs to act. HMRC has contacted more than 66,000 registered businesses. In practice that includes:
- Online sellers and retailers shipping orders from Great Britain to customers in Northern Ireland.
- Wholesalers and distributors sending stock to Northern Ireland branches or trade customers.
- Hauliers, couriers and freight agents making declarations on behalf of their clients.
- Manufacturers and importers whose supply chain runs through Northern Ireland.
How do I pre-enrol for the new platform?
Pre-enrolment is the step that keeps you trading on 20 October. From 1 October 2026, watch for your invitation email from TSS and follow its instructions. The core steps are:
- Open the invitation email HMRC sends from 1 October 2026 and follow the pre-enrol link.
- Create a new password for the new platform.
- Check your business details, contact information and user permissions are correct and up to date.
- Use the test environment to get familiar with how the new platform looks and works before the switchover.
HMRC says updating a profile takes between 5 and 30 minutes, depending on the size of your business and how readily you have the information to hand. The sooner you do it, the more time you leave to fix anything that is missing.
A worked example
A Manchester homeware seller ships around 40 parcels a week to customers in Northern Ireland and uses TSS to handle the declarations. On 2 October 2026 the owner receives the pre-enrol invitation. They spend about 20 minutes setting a new password, confirming the company EORI and address, and adding their warehouse manager as a second user. They then log a test movement in the practice environment. When the new platform goes live on 20 October, their Monday despatch runs normally. A competitor who ignores the emails cannot submit a declaration that morning and has to pause shipments to Northern Ireland while they scramble to set up access.
What happens if I do not pre-enrol in time?
If you have not pre-enrolled by 20 October 2026, you will not be able to submit goods movements on the new platform, and the old platform will no longer accept new ones. In plain terms, you cannot complete the customs and safety and security declarations your Northern Ireland movements need, so goods can be delayed or held until you get access. For a business shipping daily, that is lost time and unhappy customers, not just paperwork.
Does the Trader Support Service still cost anything?
No. The Trader Support Service remains free to use, as it has been since launch (gov.uk). The change of platform does not introduce a fee. If you currently pay nothing to use TSS, that stays the same on the new system.
How does this affect VAT and customs declarations?
The underlying rules for moving goods to Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework are not changing with this switchover. What is changing is the platform you submit declarations through. You still need the right customs and safety and security declarations, a valid EORI number where required, and accurate commodity and value details for your goods (gov.uk).
VAT on Northern Ireland movements continues to follow the special arrangements for NI, which sit alongside normal UK VAT. If you are getting to grips with import charges more generally, our guide to customs duty versus import VAT explains how the different charges stack up, and our Shopify import VAT and EORI guide covers the numbers you need before you ship. If selling into new territory pushes your turnover up, check our ecommerce VAT registration guide too.
What should businesses do now?
With a hard deadline of 20 October 2026, the safest approach is to treat pre-enrolment as a job for early October, not the last week. Practical steps:
- Confirm who receives the emails: make sure the TSS contact address is one someone actually monitors, so the invitation is not missed.
- Pre-enrol as soon as the email lands from 1 October, set your new password and review your profile and user permissions.
- Use the test environment so your team is comfortable before the live switchover.
- Keep your EORI, addresses and commodity details current so declarations go through cleanly from day one.
- Brief anyone who submits movements for you, including hauliers and agents, so nobody is caught out on 20 October.
If moving goods to Northern Ireland is a core part of your business, getting the customs and VAT side right is worth proper support. Our VAT services and dedicated help for logistics businesses and small businesses can take the compliance load off your desk. Book a free call with Zmartly and we will map out exactly what applies to you.
Frequently asked questions
When does the new Trader Support Service platform go live?
The new TSS platform goes live to all users on 20 October 2026. From that date, every new goods movement between Great Britain and Northern Ireland must be submitted on the new platform, and the current platform stops accepting new movements.
Do I need to re-register for the Trader Support Service?
No, you do not need to register again. Your account carries over, but you must pre-enrol on the new platform from 1 October 2026, set a new password, and check your business details and user permissions are up to date before 20 October.
Is the Trader Support Service still free?
Yes. The Trader Support Service remains free to use after the platform change. There is no fee to pre-enrol or to submit your customs and safety and security declarations through the new system.
What happens if I miss the 20 October 2026 deadline?
If you have not pre-enrolled by 20 October 2026, you will not be able to submit goods movements on the new platform, and the old one will no longer accept new movements. That can delay or hold your goods, so pre-enrol as soon as your invitation email arrives.
