UK to Germany European Removals
Relocating from the United Kingdom to Germany involves more than loading a removals vehicle and driving across Europe. Since the UK left the European Union, household goods moving from Great Britain to Germany must complete UK export and German import customs procedures.
Easy Moving London provides coordinated UK-to-Germany relocation services for individuals, couples, families, returning residents and businesses moving employees. We can arrange anything from a few boxes and selected furniture to the contents of a fully furnished family home.
Our service can include a home or video survey, professional packing, UK collection, dedicated road transport, part-load or groupage removals, customs-document support, storage and delivery across Germany. The recommended option will depend on the shipment volume, destination, preferred dates and level of service required.
Eligible household goods can normally enter Germany free of customs duty and import VAT under transfer-of-residence relief. The exemption is conditional. The customer generally needs to have lived outside the European Union for at least twelve months, owned and used the non-consumable goods for at least six months and imported them within twelve months of transferring their normal residence.
The goods must continue to be used for the same household purpose and cannot normally be sold, lent, hired out or given away during the first twelve months after customs acceptance. New goods, alcohol, tobacco, commercial vehicles and commercially used items are not covered in the same way.
Germany is one of the most accessible international-removal destinations from the UK, but the customs border created by Brexit means the move still requires careful coordination. The vehicle must leave Great Britain with the correct export records and enter the European Union under the correct import procedure.
Easy Moving London coordinates the survey, packing, collection, European transport, customs documentation and final delivery as one planned service. We begin by identifying what needs to be moved and estimating its packed volume.
A dedicated vehicle can suit a larger move, fixed dates or customers who do not want their goods combined with other consignments. A part-load or groupage service can be more economical for boxes, selected furniture and smaller homes where the dates are flexible.
Unlike most intercontinental relocations, Germany moves are normally completed by road. The vehicle travels through the Channel Tunnel or a ferry route and continues through the European road network. The route depends on the collection point, destination city, customs plan, vehicle schedule and current border conditions.
Delivery to Cologne, Düsseldorf or western Germany is usually shorter by road than delivery to Berlin, Dresden, Munich or another eastern or southern destination. Distance is only one factor, however. Customs availability, access, parking, loading restrictions and delivery appointments can also affect the schedule.
This page focuses mainly on moves from Great Britain—England, Scotland and Wales—to Germany. Northern Ireland follows a different goods and customs framework in several areas, so a move beginning there should be checked separately.
The exact services included will be confirmed in your written quotation. Depending on the shipment and destination, Easy Moving London can coordinate the following.
A survey is used to estimate the packed volume, review access at the UK property and identify goods that need specialist preparation. It gives us the information required to recommend a suitable vehicle and service.
Show the surveyor everything that may be included, including goods stored in a loft, garage, shed or external unit. Identify artwork, mirrors, musical instruments, antiques, televisions, exercise equipment, stone furniture, safes and unusually heavy items.
Professional packing can reduce the chance of damage during lifting, vehicle loading, road transport, customs examination and final delivery. The service can include cartons, furniture wrapping, picture and mirror protection and dismantling of appropriate furniture.
Fragile, high-value or unusually shaped items may need reinforced packing or custom cases. The crew also records numbered packages for the customs inventory.
Collection can be arranged from a house, apartment, storage facility or business premises. Provide parking, staircase, lift, narrow-road and loading restrictions before the date is confirmed.
Accurate access information helps ensure the correct vehicle, crew and equipment are planned. A smaller shuttle vehicle or additional labour may be required where the international vehicle cannot park close to the property.
A dedicated service reserves the removals vehicle or agreed vehicle space for one customer. It is commonly used for larger households, fixed collection dates, direct routes and customers who want the shortest practical transport schedule.
The goods are loaded in the UK and travel through the export and import process before continuing to the German address. Customs timing still needs to be allowed for even when the vehicle is dedicated.
Part-load or groupage services combine separately inventoried consignments from several customers travelling in the same direction. Each customer pays for the vehicle space used.
This can be a cost-effective option for boxes, smaller flats and selected furniture. The main trade-off is flexibility: collection and delivery are planned around a shared European route rather than one customer's dates alone.
Easy Moving London can coordinate the household-goods information required for the UK export and German import declarations. The German customs file commonly includes Form 0350, proof of residence transfer, a passport copy and a detailed inventory.
German Customs makes the final decision on transfer-of-residence relief, inspection, duty, tax and release. The facts and documents should be reviewed before collection.
After customs clearance, the crew continues to the German delivery address. Depending on the selected service, delivery may include unloading, basic reassembly of suitable furniture and removal of used packing materials.
Customers should check parking, loading-zone, lift and building requirements directly with the landlord, building manager or local authority. Some German city centres require a temporary parking suspension or official permit for the removals vehicle.
Storage can be arranged when goods need to be held before export or after customs clearance. It can also support a phased move or a part-load collection that does not depart immediately.
Ask where the goods will be stored, how the rate is calculated, whether intake and release handling are separate, how much notice is required and whether customs clearance must be completed before destination storage.
Easy Moving London can coordinate household-goods shipments for employers transferring staff from the UK to Germany. The service can be organised around a relocation allowance, approved volume, employee start date and internal authorisation process.
Clear communication between the employee, employer and moving team helps keep requested service changes and additional charges transparent.
A Germany relocation should be planned so that the collection, customs documents, road transport and German address evidence remain aligned.
Provide the UK collection postcode, intended German destination, approximate shipment size and preferred dates. Mention storage, specialist items and any fixed employment or tenancy deadlines.
The survey establishes the expected packed volume and identifies access, packing and handling requirements. It also helps determine whether a dedicated or part-load service is appropriate.
The moving team reviews whether the relocation appears to meet the German transfer-of-residence conditions, including the previous period of residence, ownership and use of the goods and intended German residence.
The quotation should explain the service type, packing scope, collection, customs support, delivery and exclusions. Review possible charges for waiting, inspection, storage, parking permits and difficult access.
Complete the German customs form and provide the passport, inventory, evidence of UK residence and documents supporting the move to Germany. The final checklist depends on the individual circumstances.
The moving crew prepares, numbers and inventories the agreed goods. Keep passports, original documents, medication, jewellery, cash, keys and immediate essentials with you.
The removals company or appointed customs representative submits the required UK export information. The vehicle must carry the correct shipment and border references for its chosen Channel route.
The goods are presented under the agreed import procedure. The customs representative submits Form 0350 and supporting documents and requests transfer-of-residence relief where applicable.
Customs can review the documents, request further evidence or inspect the goods. Any duty or tax assessed outside the relief conditions must be resolved before release.
Once the goods are released, the vehicle continues to the German address. Delivery access, parking and building arrangements should be confirmed in advance.
Most UK-to-Germany household moves travel by road. The right service depends on the shipment volume, date flexibility, destination and whether the vehicle space is shared.
A dedicated vehicle is used exclusively for one customer's move or carries only that customer's agreed shipment. It normally offers the greatest control over collection and delivery dates.
It is often selected for a larger home, time-sensitive move, direct business relocation or shipment containing many fragile items. The service costs more than groupage because the vehicle and route are not shared.
A part-load service combines several household consignments travelling on the same European route. Each move remains separately packed, labelled and inventoried.
It can suit boxes, selected furniture, one-bedroom properties and customers who are not working to one fixed delivery day. Collection may occur before the vehicle completes the remaining route.
Ask whether the estimated period runs from packing to delivery or only from the vehicle's departure from the consolidation warehouse.
A customer does not need enough goods to fill a removals vehicle. Cartons, books, clothes, sports equipment and a small number of furniture items can often travel as part of a shared service.
Provide dimensions, weights where known and a clear item list. Customs procedures still apply even when the shipment is small.
Air freight is rarely the main method for a complete UK-to-Germany household move, because road transport is relatively fast. It may still be appropriate for a compact urgent shipment or when the final destination is not suited to the scheduled road service.
Charges are affected by actual and volumetric weight. Compare the complete airport, customs and delivery cost with a dedicated road shipment before choosing air.
| Service | Usually suitable for | Main benefit | Main consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated vehicle | Larger homes and fixed-date moves | Direct and date-focused service | Higher cost because the route is not shared |
| Part-load or groupage | Boxes, flats and partial household moves | Pay for the space used | Broader collection and delivery window |
| Small-shipment service | Cartons and selected items | No need to book a full vehicle | Minimum charges and shared scheduling may apply |
| Air freight | Compact urgent consignments | Fast international transport | Often unnecessary or expensive for this route |
Road transport is shorter than an intercontinental sea shipment, but the goods can still be handled several times and may be examined by Customs. Correct packing and a clear inventory remain important.
Furniture can be wrapped, suitable cartons selected for different contents and fragile goods given additional protection. Custom cases may be recommended for artwork, antiques, mirrors, glass, stone or unusually shaped items.
German properties range from modern apartments and suburban houses to older Altbau buildings with narrow staircases and limited lifts. Measure large sofas, wardrobes, bed frames and appliances against the destination access.
In some cities, external furniture lifts are used to move goods through a balcony or window. This requires suitable access, local permission and a separate quotation.
Germany uses a 230-volt, 50-hertz electricity supply. Many UK appliances are electrically compatible, but plugs, installation rules, warranties and local servicing differ. Built-in appliances may not suit the German kitchen or utility connection.
Owner-packed cartons may be possible for some services, but insurance or shipment-protection terms can differ. Ask how owner-packed goods must be described and which items should only be prepared professionally.
Great Britain is treated as a non-EU customs territory for goods moving to Germany. Household goods therefore require an export declaration from the UK and an import declaration into the European Union.
Germany normally allows eligible household goods to be imported free of customs duty and import VAT as transfer-of-residence goods, known as Übersiedlungsgut. The relief is conditional and must be claimed through the customs declaration.
The customer must generally have maintained their normal place of residence outside the EU customs territory for at least twelve consecutive months before moving.
An exception can be considered where the person can prove that they intended to remain outside the EU for at least twelve months, for example through an employment contract, even when the actual period was shorter.
Non-consumable goods should belong to the customer or family and should generally have been used by them in the previous country of residence for at least six months before the move.
New furniture, recently purchased electronics and goods bought specifically for the relocation can fall outside the relief and may be assessed for customs duty and import VAT.
The imported goods should continue to be used by the customer or family in Germany for the same household, personal or professional purpose.
Normal personal professional equipment can be included where it is needed for the customer's occupation or craft. Commercial vehicles and commercially used objects are excluded from the ordinary household-goods definition.
Household effects should normally be declared within twelve months of transferring the normal place of residence to Germany. The goods can arrive in one or several shipments during that period.
Goods can be imported before the customer moves, but the customer must undertake to establish residence in the EU customs territory within six months. Customs can require security when the goods arrive before the residence transfer.
Goods admitted under the relief cannot normally be lent, hired out, sold, given away or transferred during the first twelve months after Customs accepts the declaration.
Inform the supervising customs office before disposing of a relief-approved item during that period. Duty and tax can become payable if the restriction is broken.
Other goods can require licences, certificates or separate customs treatment. The shipment should not be treated as an opportunity to import new merchandise or commercial stock.
Form 0350 is the written German customs declaration used for transfer-of-residence goods. It must be completed and signed and is normally submitted by the customer, moving company or appointed customs representative with the supporting records.
Customs reviews the declaration and can examine the shipment. The customer receives a copy of the accepted declaration.
German Customs can inspect the vehicle or selected packages and compare the goods with the inventory. Customs can also request evidence of ownership, period of use, previous residence and new residence.
Accurate records and early disclosure of new, restricted or unusual items can support the process, but no moving company can guarantee that a shipment will not be examined.
This information is general guidance rather than legal or tax advice. German Customs and the relevant authorities make all final decisions.
The final checklist depends on the customer's circumstances, goods and customs office. Commonly requested documents include:
Proof of the transfer can be built from more than one record. German official guidance lists examples such as a foreign de-registration certificate, German registration certificate, rental agreement, personal documents and employment contract.
Names should remain consistent across the passport, inventory, Form 0350, transport documents and power of attorney. Tell Easy Moving London promptly if the passport is renewed or the consignee changes.
Keep electronic and paper copies available during the move. Original or newly issued German documents may be requested before final customs release.
People living in Germany are generally required to register their address with the local residents' registration office within two weeks of moving into the property. The process is commonly known as Anmeldung.
The name of the office varies by city and may include Bürgeramt, Einwohnermeldeamt, Kreisverwaltungsreferat or Bürgerservice. The document issued after registration is commonly called an Anmeldebestätigung or Meldebestätigung.
This registration confirmation is frequently used as evidence that the customer has transferred residence to Germany. However, official customs guidance also recognises other evidence, such as a rental agreement, personal records and employment documents.
The exact evidence accepted depends on the customs office and stage of the move. Ask the destination customs representative whether registration must be completed before the goods arrive or whether an alternative document is acceptable.
Easy Moving London does not arrange the property, tenancy or address registration itself. The customer, employer, relocation adviser or landlord remains responsible for those arrangements.
The inventory supports the customs declaration and helps identify whether the goods appear consistent with a genuine transfer of residence.
Each carton or wrapped item should have a package number corresponding with the packing list. Clear descriptions are more useful than repeatedly using the word “miscellaneous”.
Items owned and used for less than six months should be identified accurately. Customs may request an invoice and can assess duty and import VAT.
Removing the original packaging does not change the date of purchase or period of use. Do not describe a new item as used to obtain relief.
A private car or motorcycle should be listed separately and supported by the registration documents. The customer must also meet the ownership, use, residence and non-disposal conditions for customs relief.
Portable tools and equipment needed for the customer's occupation can qualify where they are normal personal professional equipment. Business inventory, commercial vehicles and goods intended for resale do not qualify in the same way.
Do not use a household removal to import stock, samples, merchandise or goods intended for sale. Several identical new items can appear commercial rather than personal.
Transfer-of-residence relief does not override German or EU rules on restricted goods. Controlled or unusual items should be checked before packing.
Personal imports of meat, milk and products containing them from Great Britain into the European Union are restricted because of animal-health risks. Household shipments should generally exclude these products.
Other foods may also have import conditions. Discuss unusual or substantial food quantities before packing.
Imports of plants and many plant products from Great Britain are subject to the European Union's phytosanitary requirements. A phytosanitary certificate and inspection may be required.
Do not place houseplants, soil, seeds or untreated plant products in the removals vehicle without written confirmation that they can be imported.
Keep essential medication with you in its original packaging, together with the prescription or supporting medical letter. Some medicines can be restricted or require additional documentation.
There is no single reliable price for a UK-to-Germany move. The total depends on shipment volume, service type, collection location, German destination, packing, access, customs, storage and specialist requirements.
Volume is one of the main cost factors. A survey is more accurate than an estimate based only on bedroom count because two homes with the same number of rooms can contain very different amounts of furniture and stored belongings.
Reducing the volume before the survey can lower packing, handling and vehicle costs. Compare the cost of moving low-value bulky furniture with replacing it after arrival.
A dedicated vehicle costs more because its route and capacity are reserved for one customer. Part-load services divide transport costs between several moves and are normally more economical for smaller consignments.
A collection in southern England has a shorter journey to the Channel than a collection in Scotland or northern England. Distance, overnight planning, crew time and access all affect the cost.
Western destinations such as Cologne, Düsseldorf and Frankfurt are closer to the UK route than Berlin, Dresden or Munich. The final cost also depends on city access, parking and whether the route is shared with other deliveries.
A complete packing service requires more labour and materials than a collection of owner-packed cartons. Artwork, antiques, instruments, stone, safes and unusual items may require custom packing or specialist equipment.
German city-centre moves can require a temporary no-parking zone or official permit. External furniture lifts, long carries, small lifts and upper-floor stair access can add cost.
Storage charges may include intake handling, a weekly or monthly rate and a later release or delivery fee. Ask where the goods will be stored, the minimum period and how much notice is required.
Eligible transfer-of-residence goods are normally relieved from duty and import VAT. New goods, alcohol, tobacco, commercial items and goods outside the relief conditions can create additional taxes and customs charges.
Ask what protection is included, what optional cover is available and how high-value and owner-packed goods must be declared. Keep invoices, photographs and valuations where appropriate.
Germany removals are normally completed by road rather than intercontinental shipping. Current industry estimates commonly place dedicated transport at around two to five days, depending on the UK collection point and German destination.
Part-load and groupage services are commonly estimated at around seven to fourteen days because the vehicle follows a shared collection and delivery schedule.
Customs clearance can add approximately one to three working days in straightforward cases, but the timing varies according to the route, customs office, documents, inspection and border conditions.
A realistic complete plan may therefore range from several days for a direct dedicated move to approximately two or three weeks for a shared service. Dates remain estimates unless the quotation expressly confirms a fixed delivery period.
Keep passports, medication, laptops and immediate essentials with you. Do not place anything required on the first day in Germany inside a shared road shipment.
Berlin is one of the most common destinations for UK-to-Germany relocations. Deliveries can involve Altbau apartments, courtyards, restricted streets and upper floors without large lifts.
A temporary no-parking zone or external furniture lift may be needed for some addresses. Provide the district, floor and lift details before delivery.
Munich is a major destination for professional and corporate relocations. The longer road distance from the Channel affects the route and schedule.
Central access, parking restrictions and appointments should be checked in advance. Munich's local registration office is commonly known as the Kreisverwaltungsreferat.
Frankfurt and the Rhine-Main area are common destinations for financial, professional and employee relocations. Road access is generally direct, but city apartments and controlled loading areas still require planning.
Hamburg is a major northern German city and international business centre. The route from the UK is shorter than many southern destinations, subject to the selected crossing and traffic.
Cologne, Düsseldorf and the wider Rhine-Ruhr region are among the closest major German destinations to the UK road route. They are well suited to both dedicated and regular part-load services.
Stuttgart is a common engineering, automotive and corporate-relocation destination. Hilly neighbourhoods, narrow streets and underground parking limits can affect the final delivery.
Leipzig and Dresden require a longer eastern route after customs clearance. Part-load timing depends on the complete European delivery schedule.
Easy Moving London can discuss relocations to Hanover, Bremen, Nuremberg, Heidelberg, Freiburg, Bonn, Dortmund and smaller towns or rural areas. Provide the full postcode so the route and access can be assessed.
A private passenger car can qualify as transfer-of-residence property when it meets the same residence, ownership, six-month use and continued-use conditions. The vehicle must generally remain in the customer's possession for twelve months after the relief declaration.
Customs relief is separate from German road registration. The vehicle must also meet registration, insurance, technical inspection, emissions and road-use requirements.
UK vehicles are right-hand drive and may require lighting or other modifications. Compare the total registration and modification cost with selling the vehicle in the UK and purchasing another in Germany.
Vehicle transport and documentation should be quoted separately where the car is not being driven by the customer.
Dogs, cats and ferrets travelling from Great Britain to Germany follow the EU pet travel rules. They normally need a microchip, valid rabies vaccination and an animal health certificate issued by an official veterinarian.
The animal health certificate is generally valid for entry into the EU for ten days from issue. At least twenty-one full days are normally required after the first rabies vaccination before travel.
Pets must enter through an approved travellers' point of entry and travel under the correct non-commercial or commercial movement rules. Use a specialist provider for complex or unaccompanied pet transport.
Employers may need a defined shipment allowance, approval procedure and reporting structure. Easy Moving London can coordinate the physical move with the employee and the nominated employer contact.
The employer can also provide evidence of the previous assignment and new German employment where this supports the transfer-of-residence application.
A student, temporary assignee or customer furnishing a secondary home may not fit the ordinary transfer-of-main-residence conditions. Customs duty and import VAT can apply according to the circumstances.
Tell Easy Moving London whether Germany will become the main residence and how long the customer expects to remain before booking the transport.
A post-Brexit Germany move requires more than booking a vehicle. The survey, inventory, UK export, German import declaration, residence evidence and final delivery all need to work together.
Easy Moving London helps coordinate those stages from the UK. We assess the shipment, explain the practical difference between dedicated and part-load services and work with the customs and delivery teams through to the German address.
We also encourage customers to compare complete quotations. A low transport-only figure may exclude packing, UK export work, German customs handling, waiting time, parking permits, storage and difficult-access delivery.
Easy Moving London coordinates the practical stages that make a Germany relocation work: survey planning, packing, UK collection, road transport, customs support and destination delivery.
The cost depends on shipment volume, dedicated or part-load service, collection location, German destination, packing, access, customs and storage. A survey followed by a written door-to-door quotation is the most reliable way to establish the price.
Dedicated road services are commonly estimated at approximately two to five days. Part-load and groupage services are commonly around seven to fourteen days. Customs can add approximately one to three working days, although every move is different.
A part-load or groupage service is often the most economical option for a smaller shipment because the vehicle space and route costs are shared with other customers.
Yes. Boxes and smaller personal-effects consignments can often travel as part of a shared European route. Customs documentation still applies.
A dedicated service reserves the removals vehicle or agreed capacity for one customer. It generally offers more control over dates and a more direct route than groupage.
A part-load service combines separately packed and inventoried moves travelling on the same European route. Each customer pays for the vehicle space used.
Yes. Household goods moving from Great Britain to Germany cross a UK–EU customs border. UK export and German or EU import declarations are required.
Eligible transfer-of-residence goods can normally be imported free of customs duty and import VAT. The customer and goods must meet the residence, ownership, use, import-timing and continued-possession conditions.
The general rule is at least twelve consecutive months outside the EU customs territory before transferring residence. An exception can be considered where the customer proves an intention to remain outside the EU for at least twelve months.
Non-consumable household goods should generally have belonged to and been used by the customer or family for at least six months before the move.
Transfer-of-residence goods should normally be declared within twelve months of moving the normal residence to Germany.
Germany can allow household goods to be imported before the residence transfer if the customer undertakes to establish residence in the EU customs territory within six months. Customs can require security.
Goods admitted under transfer-of-residence relief cannot normally be sold, lent, hired out, given away or transferred during the first twelve months after customs acceptance.
Form 0350 is the written customs declaration used to request transfer-of-residence treatment for household goods entering Germany.
Common documents include Form 0350, passport copy, detailed inventory, proof of previous residence outside the EU and evidence of the new German residence. Rental, employment and registration documents can also be requested.
Anmeldung is the process of registering a German address with the local residents' registration office. People living in Germany are generally required to register within two weeks of moving into the address.
Registration confirmation is commonly used as evidence of the move, but German official guidance also recognises other records such as a rental agreement, personal documents and employment evidence. Confirm the exact requirement for the selected customs office.
German Customs can review the documents and examine the vehicle or selected packages. No moving company can guarantee that a shipment will not be inspected.
Alcoholic products, tobacco and tobacco products are excluded from the ordinary transfer-of-residence household-goods definition. Do not include them without specific customs advice.
Meat, milk, plants, seeds, soil and other agricultural goods can be prohibited or require certificates and inspection when entering the EU from Great Britain. These goods should generally be excluded unless written approval is obtained.
We can arrange UK collection for Germany removals from London and many other UK locations. Customers should provide the full postcode and property access details because distance and access affect the quotation.
Moving services can be discussed for Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart, Leipzig, Dresden and other German destinations.
Storage may be available before export or after customs clearance. Confirm the location, recurring rate, handling fees, minimum period, release notice and later delivery arrangements.
A qualifying private vehicle can be included in transfer-of-residence relief when the applicable conditions are met. German registration, insurance, technical and emissions requirements remain separate.
Dogs, cats and ferrets moving from Great Britain normally need a microchip, rabies vaccination and animal health certificate and must enter the EU through an approved point of entry.
Suitable cover should be considered because the goods are packed, loaded, transported across borders and delivered. Ask what protection is included and how high-value or owner-packed goods are treated.
Starting around six to ten weeks before collection gives time for a survey, customs documents, route planning and parking arrangements. Begin earlier during summer, school holidays or when the German address is not yet confirmed.
Tell Easy Moving London what you need to move, where it is being collected and which part of Germany it needs to reach. We can assess the shipment, explain the available dedicated and part-load options and prepare a quotation for your UK-to-Germany relocation.