AIS V2 in Ireland: AIS V1 deadline extended to 27 January 2027

Irish Revenue has extended the AIS V1 migration window. Instead of closing in mid-December 2026, AIS V1 will remain available for new import declarations until 27 January 2027. From that date, AIS V2 becomes mandatory. The extra weeks give importers, customs brokers and freight forwarders room to migrate outside the busy trading period, but the deadline still stands. Here’s what changes and how to prepare.

What is AIS V2?

AIS (Automated Import System) is the system Irish Revenue uses to process import declarations into Ireland. AIS V2 is its new version, aligned with the revised Annex B data set of the Union Customs Code (UCCThe Union Customs Code (UCC) is the European regulation that harmonises all customs rules and customs procedures across EU member states. ...).

AIS V2 introduces a new data set and new message structures. Software that lodges declarations in AIS V1 must be updated to keep working.

AIS V2 also runs alongside Centralised Clearance at Import (CCI), which allows authorised operators to declare goods in one EU Member State while presenting them in another.

What has changed: the 27 January 2027 extension

On 5 November 2026, Irish Revenue announced an extension of the migration period, initially set to end on 15 December 2026:

• Until 27 January 2027, traders can still lodge import declarations in AIS V1 while completing their move to AIS V2.
• From 27 January 2027, it will no longer be possible to lodge import declarations in AIS V1. AIS V2 will be mandatory for all new import declarations.
• After 27 January 2027, declarations already lodged in AIS V1 can still be amended or invalidated, until a date still to be confirmed by Revenue.

Revenue’s stated aim is to support traders migrating during the busy trading period. The extension gives you more time, not an exemption.

AIS V2 Key dates:

• 31 December 2025: CCI phases 1 and 2 go live
• 15 September 2026: AIS V2 goes live with the new data set and messages
• 1 October 2026: updated trader specifications (business rules, schemas)
• 5 November 2026: Revenue extends the migration window
• 27 January 2027: AIS V2 becomes mandatory for all new import declarations

Who is affected by AIS V2 in Ireland?

Every operator that lodges import declarations in Ireland must switch to AIS V2:

• importers with their own customs team
• customs brokers and freight forwarders acting for clients
• carriers and logistics providers on GB→IE lanes, since goods arriving from Great Britain require an Irish import declaration

If your software or service provider has not completed the migration, you will no longer be able to lodge new import declarations from 27 January 2027.

What changes from AIS V1 to AIS V2?

Compared with AIS V1, AIS V2 brings three main changes for Ireland import declarations:

• A new data set. Some fields are new, others are restructured to match Revised Annex B.
• New business rules. Revenue updated eight rules, removed four and added two in October 2026. Declarations that passed in V1 may be rejected in V2.
• New schemas. Messages are structured differently, so integrations and interfaces need to be updated.

How Conex supports your AIS V2 migration in Ireland

Conex has supported customs teams for 40 years and equips more than 2,000 customs departments across Europe. In Ireland, our Dublin team works alongside importers, customs brokers and carriers on their AIS declarations, and the AIS V2 migration is no exception.

• AIS V2-ready declarations. CUSTOMS via conex™ lodges your import declarations in Irish Revenue’s AIS and follows the new data set, business rules and schemas, so you don’t have to rebuild your integrations yourself.
• End-to-end support, in-house. Our teams handle set-up, testing, training and helpdesk support from start to finish, with no third-party integrator. We plan your cut-over with you, outside the December peak and well before the 27 January 2027 deadline.
• Smoother GB→IE flows. With data mirroring between CUSTOMS via conex™ environments, a UK export declaration can pre-fill the matching Irish import declaration: no re-keying, fewer errors.
• Fewer classification errors. TARIFF via conex™ and ALBA, our AI classification assistant, help you get classification right before you declare.
• Pre-boarding covered too. SAFE via conex™ handles your Irish Pre-Boarding Notifications, so both obligations sit with one partner.

4 steps to prepare for AIS V2 before 27 January 2027

1. Check your software version. Confirm it runs the latest AIS V2 specification, including the October 2026 updates.
2. Test in Revenue’s PIT environment. The Public Interface Test environment lets you validate your declarations before going live.
3. Audit your master data. Missing or badly structured data is the main source of rejections after a migration. Check it against the new Annex B fields now.
4. Plan the cut-over around the Christmas peak. Migrating at peak volume is the worst time to discover a problem: use the extension to switch early in January, with a margin before the deadline.

AIS V2 FAQ:

When does AIS V1 stop working?
On 27 January 2027. From that date, all new import declarations in Ireland must be lodged in AIS V2. Declarations already lodged in AIS V1 can still be amended or invalidated for a period still to be confirmed by Revenue.

Does AIS V2 apply to goods coming from Great Britain?
Yes. Since Brexit, goods imported into Ireland from Great Britain require an import declaration in AIS.

What is the difference between AIS and PBN?
AIS handles import declarations. The Pre-Boarding Notification (PBN) is the authorisation a vehicle needs before it can board a ferry to Ireland. They are two separate obligations.

Where can I find the AIS V2 specifications?
On the Irish Revenue website, in the AIS V2 and CCI technical documentation.

Sources :

• Irish Revenue – AIS V2 (Revised Annex B) and CCI
• Irish Revenue – eCustoms Notification 20/2026
• Irish Revenue – eCustoms Helpdesk Notification 24/2026 (5 Nov 2026)