The sender may submit a draft e-AD before the start of transport, no earlier than 7 days before the shipment date indicated in the draft.
The validity of an e-AD depends on the estimated duration of transport entered for the goods.
When specifying the duration of transport, the estimated normal time required for transport must be stated, taking into account the mode of transport used and the distance from the point of departure to the delivery location. A general statement regarding the maximum duration of transport that is technically possible is (in principle) not permitted.
As set out in the technical documentation, the maximum transport times possible, depending on the chosen mode of transport, are listed below:
| Code | Mode of transport | Max. transport duration |
| 0 | Other | 45 Days |
| 1 | Sea transport | 45 Days |
| 2 | Rail transport | 35 Days |
| 3 | Road transport | 35 Days |
| 4 | Air transport | 20 Days |
| 5 | Postal consignment | 30 Days |
| 7 | Fixed transport installations | 15 Days |
| 8 | Inland waterway transport | 35 Days |
If a deadline is missed:
As soon as an EMCS submission exceeds the deadline, it is displayed on the EMCS Filing desktop and marked with a warning icon in the overview .
Open the relevant transaction and submit a statement to the main customs office, by the specified deadline at the latest, to explain the delay. Instructions on how to proceed can be found in the EMCS Filing documents in the Documentation Center.
Please note: Electronic responses or changes of destination are no longer possible after the deadline. For further instructions, please contact your local main customs office directly.