Customs documents for moving to Germany
Moving household goods from the UK to Germany needs 8 customs documents: the 6 required for any European destination, plus 2 specific to Germany — Anmeldung, Übersiedlungsgut declaration. Transfer of residence relief means you pay no duty on goods you have owned and used for six months, provided this is your main home.
Specific to Germany
On top of the 6 needed for any European move.
Anmeldung — registration certificate
Germany wants to see you registered at your new address before it grants relief. This is the single most common cause of delay on German moves.
How to get it: Book an appointment at your local Bürgeramt as soon as you have an address. Appointments in Berlin and Munich can run several weeks out, so book before you move.
Übersiedlungsgut declaration
We send itThe German customs form for household goods being moved from outside the EU.
How to get it: We prepare it from your inventory. Sign and return.
Needed for any European move
Two of these we produce for you.
Passport photo page
Customs need to see who is claiming relief. A clear photo of the page with your picture and details is enough.
How to get it: Photograph or scan the page — make sure all four corners and the machine-readable lines at the bottom are visible.
Itemised valued inventory
We make thisEvery customs authority requires a full list of what you are shipping with a replacement value against each line. It is the legal basis of your declaration.
How to get it: We build this from the inventory you already entered for your quote. Add a rough replacement value per item in your portal and we generate the signed document for you.
Proof you lived in the UK for 12 months
Relief is only granted if you lived outside the EU for twelve continuous months immediately before the move. Customs want documents that cover that whole period.
How to get it: A P60, council tax bills, or utility bills. One document rarely covers a full year — two or three spanning the twelve months is normal and expected.
Proof of your new address
Evidence that the move is genuine and that you will actually be living there.
How to get it: A signed rental contract, property deeds, or a notaire's certificate of ownership.
Authorisation for our destination agent
We send itLets our customs agent in your destination country file the declaration on your behalf, so you do not have to attend in person.
How to get it: We send it to you pre-filled — read it, sign it, upload it back.
Ownership and use declaration
We send itConfirms you have owned and used these goods for at least six months, which is one of the conditions for duty-free entry.
How to get it: We send it pre-filled from your inventory — check it, sign it, upload it back.
Only if they apply to you
Our checker asks the questions that decide these, so you are never handed a list of things you do not need.
Proof you lived in the UK for 12 months
Relief is only granted if you lived outside the EU for twelve continuous months immediately before the move. Customs want documents that cover that whole period.
How to get it: A P60, council tax bills, or utility bills. One document rarely covers a full year — two or three spanning the twelve months is normal and expected.
Ownership and use declaration
We send itConfirms you have owned and used these goods for at least six months, which is one of the conditions for duty-free entry.
How to get it: We send it pre-filled from your inventory — check it, sign it, upload it back.
Second-home move — duty and VAT will apply
We send itTransfer of residence relief only covers a move of your main home. For a second home, customs will assess duty and import VAT on the declared value of your goods. We need you to acknowledge this before we ship.
How to get it: Your coordinator will talk you through the likely cost and send an acknowledgement to sign.
V5C logbook and purchase invoice
A vehicle is a separate customs entry from your household goods and needs its own paperwork.
How to get it: Your V5C registration document and the original purchase invoice. If the vehicle is financed you will also need a letter of no interest from the lender.
Proof of inheritance
Inherited goods are relieved under a different provision from a normal household move, and need evidence of the bequest.
How to get it: The death certificate plus the will, grant of probate, or a solicitor's letter confirming the bequest.
Proof of income or pension
Where there is no employment contract at the destination, customs may ask how you are supporting yourself. This substitutes for it.
How to get it: A pension statement, or recent bank statements showing regular income.
Get your exact list
Five questions. It removes what does not apply to you and tells you what to do about each document that does.
Where are you moving to?
Each country asks for something different.
Questions about Germany customs
What customs documents do I need to move to Germany from the UK?
Moving household goods from the UK to Germany needs 8 customs documents: the 6 required for any European destination, plus 2 specific to Germany — Anmeldung, Übersiedlungsgut declaration. Transfer of residence relief means you pay no duty on goods you have owned and used for six months, provided this is your main home.
Do I pay duty moving household goods to Germany?
Not if you qualify for transfer of residence relief: the goods must have been owned and used for at least six months, and you must have lived outside the EU for the previous 12 continuous months while moving your main home. Germany requires the Zollamt Übersiedlungsgut declaration for transfer-of-residence relief, with a signed valued inventory and an Anmeldung (residence registration) or proof of a tenancy at the destination address.
Why does Germany need anmeldung — registration certificate?
Germany wants to see you registered at your new address before it grants relief. This is the single most common cause of delay on German moves. Book an appointment at your local Bürgeramt as soon as you have an address. Appointments in Berlin and Munich can run several weeks out, so book before you move.
Why does Germany need übersiedlungsgut declaration?
The German customs form for household goods being moved from outside the EU. We prepare it from your inventory. Sign and return.
How long does customs clearance take for Germany?
Transit to Germany is 3–7 days. Clearance itself is usually a day or two once the paperwork is complete and correct — delays almost always come from a missing document rather than the customs authority.
General guidance compiled from published customs information, not legal advice. Requirements change and vary by circumstance — your coordinator confirms the exact list for your move.
We handle the paperwork for Germany
Book with us and your documents live in one place, with us telling you what is needed and chasing anything missing before it holds up a lorry.