MRN (Movement Reference Number)
The number the EU customs system assigns to an export (EX1) or transit (T1) declaration — the key to tracking the goods and confirming their exit.
Definition
MRN (Movement Reference Number) is the registration number that the EU customs system assigns to a declaration — an EX1 export declaration or a T1 transit declaration. It has 18 characters: two digits for the year, the country code and a unique part.
The MRN is used to track the movement of the goods, and the customs office at the EU exit records the actual departure against it — this is what “closing” the EX1 means.
How it works in practice
When Tranzit3 lodges the EX1 through a customs agent in the country of dispatch, the declaration receives an MRN. We give it to you and to the driver together with the accompanying documents. At the EU exit, customs record the departure against this number and an electronic confirmation of export appears in the system.
That confirmation is exactly what you need to apply the zero VAT rate. We monitor the closure of every declaration via its MRN and pass a copy to your Russian customer — for their accounts and for Russian customs, where it supports the value and origin of the goods.
MRN: frequently asked questions
Where can I find the MRN?
The number is printed on the export accompanying document (EAD) that travels with the goods, and it reaches the supplier or forwarder in the notice of acceptance of the declaration. If you cannot see it, ask whoever lodged the EX1.
What does “EX1 not closed” mean?
A declaration with this MRN exists, but the customs office of exit has not recorded the departure. For the supplier the export is not confirmed and national VAT has to be charged — usually passed on to the buyer. Closure is monitored via the MRN and, if something goes wrong, restored through the customs office of exit.
Does a transit declaration have an MRN too?
Yes. A T1 transit declaration also receives an MRN, used to track goods not released for free circulation in the EU — for example, Chinese cargo moving via Rotterdam to Russia.
Related terms and services
More in this section
Request a quote
Reply within 2 business hours