Moving to Ireland, handled from door to door

Where we move clients to Ireland from

Other origins we cover

• France → Ireland
• Belgium → Ireland
• Netherlands → Ireland
• Luxembourg → Ireland
• Germany → Ireland
• Austria → Ireland
• Switzerland → Ireland
• United Kingdom → Ireland
• Spain → Ireland
• Portugal → Ireland
• Italy → Ireland
• Greece → Ireland

Customs & paperwork into Ireland

Moving from another EU country

Moving to Ireland from another EU country involves no customs clearance and no import duty on your belongings.

Northern Ireland follows specific arrangements, and a move from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland is generally treated differently from a move from Great Britain. Tell us your exact origin at quote stage.

Moving from outside the EU (UK, Switzerland, Norway, USA, and others)

From outside the EU — including Great Britain since Brexit, the USA, Canada and Australia — your used belongings can enter Ireland free of duty and VAT under transfer of residence relief. To qualify:

• you have lived outside the EU for at least 12 consecutive months;
• you have owned and used your belongings for at least 6 months before the move;
• you are transferring your normal residence to Ireland;
• your goods are imported within 12 months of settling in Ireland.

The relief is claimed on Revenue form C&E 1076, which must be sent with supporting documents to the customs office at your port or airport of arrival at least two weeks before your goods arrive.

Valuable items must be listed with an estimated value; everyday clothing and toiletries can be grouped as personal belongings.

For a move from Great Britain by ferry, a pre-boarding notification is required before the vehicle checks in. We handle it for our trucks.

Documents usually required for customs clearance

• Valid passport
• Revenue form C&E 1076, completed and signed
• Proof of your previous residence outside the EU for at least 12 months (tenancy, utility bills, employment records)
• Proof of your new residence in Ireland (tenancy agreement, property purchase, employment contract)
• A detailed inventory, with values for valuable items

Late or incomplete paperwork is the most common cause of delays at Irish customs. We prepare and submit your file with you before the shipment leaves.

Vehicles and restricted items

• Vehicles Vehicles can be included under transfer of residence relief if you have owned and used them for at least 6 months. Relief from Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) also exists with its own conditions; the vehicle must then be registered in Ireland.
• Alcohol and tobacco Excluded from the relief and taxed when shipped from outside the EU.
• Gold and silver items Precious metal items require a separate declaration alongside your transfer of residence application.
• Pets Pets travel separately from household goods. They need a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and a pet passport or official health certificate; dogs also need a tapeworm treatment.

How a move to Ireland works

1. Free quote. Give us your departure address, your new home in Ireland and a rough volume. We send an online estimate right away and a written quote within a day.
2. Survey and planning. A coordinator confirms your volume and the transport mode, and reviews the customs rules that apply to your move to Ireland.
3. Packing and collection. A packing crew comes to your address, prepares every item and loads the truck or the container at your door.
4. Transport. By road across Europe, or by sea container between continents — whichever best fits your route to Ireland.
5. Customs clearance (where required). We prepare and file the documents for clearance in Ireland (Revenue form C&E 1076, submitted on time).
6. Delivery and set-up. We deliver at your new address and, if you asked for it on the quote, unpack boxes and reassemble furniture.

A single point of contact handles your move to Ireland from estimate to delivery.

Transport options and transit times

The times below are door to door and depend on the season, your exact addresses and, if the route needs it, customs clearance.

Door-to-door transit times are indicative and depend on ferry schedules, the season, the exact addresses and, where required, customs clearance.

How the price of your move to Ireland is calculated

We price every move to Ireland with the same ingredients — nothing hidden, nothing improvised:

• Volume — the single biggest lever on the price, in m³. The online calculator walks you through it one room at a time.
• Distance and route — measured on the actual road, from your door to your delivery address in Ireland.
• Transport mode — groupage, your own truck, shared or full container, air for urgent small shipments.
• Services — packing, furniture dismantling and reassembly, fragile item crating, storage, delivery to an island.
• Access — top-floor flats with no lift, narrow lanes, long carries, external hoists when the stairs will not do.
• Customs — brokerage, declaration and port handling charges on routes to Ireland that cross a customs border.
• Insurance — priced as a percentage of what you tell us your belongings are worth.

Typical volumes, as a guide:

For road moves inside Europe, the estimator returns a starting price in two minutes. Sea freight, air freight and any move that crosses a customs border go through a written quote, delivered within 24 hours.

Frequently asked questions

Do I pay customs duties when moving to Ireland from Great Britain?

Not if you qualify for transfer of residence relief and submit form C&E 1076 in time: at least 12 months living outside the EU, belongings owned for at least 6 months, and a move of your normal residence to Ireland.

When do I need to send form C&E 1076?

At least two weeks before your goods arrive, by email to the customs office at your port or airport of arrival, with your supporting documents.

I am Irish and returning home. Does the relief apply to me?

Yes, if you have lived outside the EU for at least 12 months and owned your belongings for at least 6 months. Your residence matters, not your nationality.

Is there any customs paperwork when moving from another EU country?

No. Moves between EU countries involve no customs formalities and no import duty.

How long does a move to Ireland take?

From Great Britain, a dedicated truck usually delivers within a few days plus customs clearance. From continental Europe, around a week. From North America, allow six to twelve weeks by sea container.