Is there customs on a move from Germany?
No duty, but there is a customs step. The Canaries are inside the EU customs territory but outside the VAT area, so your household goods need a declaration on arrival and are in principle subject to IGIC. If you move your main residence to the Canaries, your personal belongings can be exempt.
Container or truck and ferry
- Full container from Hamburg, Rotterdam or Antwerp – for a whole household or if the car comes too.
- Groupage – shared space for smaller moves.
- Truck and ferry – by road to Huelva or Cádiz, then by ferry to Tenerife.
The price depends on volume, distance to the port, insurance and season.
Transfer-of-residence relief
As a rule, personal belongings come in free of IGIC if you move your main residence to the Canaries (registered on the padrón), have owned and used them for at least 6 months, have lived at your previous home at least 185 days per calendar year, bring them within 12 months of moving and don’t sell, lend or hire them out for 12 months. Alcohol and tobacco above the allowances, commercial vehicles and professional equipment beyond portable tools are excluded. Relief is claimed in the declaration itself – there is no separate application beforehand.
Relief covers belongings for your personal use and your household: furniture, household items, clothes, pets and the portable tools of your trade, as well as bicycles, private cars, caravans or boats. Nothing may look commercial by its nature or quantity.
Step by step
- Enquiry on WhatsApp: volume, collection city and date.
- Inventory with estimated values and approximate purchase dates.
- Documents: empadronamiento, German deregistration certificate (Abmeldebescheinigung), ID.
- Shipping: container, groupage or truck and ferry.
- Declaration on arrival, claiming relief.
- Delivery to your new home.
Documents
- Passport or ID card and NIE (or EU citizen registration certificate).
- Detailed inventory.
- Empadronamiento certificate in Tenerife.
- Proof of previous residence: deregistration certificate, tenancy, employment contract or bills.
- Shipping documents.
What determines the cost
- Volume, type of shipment, distance to port, insurance and season.
- IGIC on items that don’t qualify for relief (general rate 7%).
- Clearance: depend on the job – we confirm them in your quote.
Bringing your car? See importing a car from Germany and our calculator.
Common mistakes
- Buying new furniture or appliances just before the move – they don’t meet the 6-month rule.
- A vague inventory.
- Mixing in professional equipment or goods for sale.
- Shipping more than 12 months after moving.
- Selling relieved items within 12 months.
Timing
The sea leg from northern Europe or the ferry from Huelva (around 32–38 hours) is only part of the schedule. Plan the paperwork: your empadronamiento in Tenerife is the key proof for relief. If your goods arrive before everything is ready, we agree the next steps with you.
FAQs: moving from Germany to Tenerife
Do I pay tax on my furniture?
No duty. No IGIC either if you move your residence and meet the relief conditions; anything that doesn’t qualify is subject to IGIC.
Can my car go in the same container?
Yes, that is common. The car has its own steps (IGIC, ITV, registration), which can also be tax-free when you move.
How do I claim relief?
Directly in the declaration, with the inventory and proof of residence. We prepare it for you.
What about things I buy just before moving?
Items you have owned and used for less than 6 months don’t qualify and are subject to IGIC.
Do you organise the shipping too?
Yes. We coordinate transport with our partners by container or truck and ferry, and handle customs clearance in Tenerife through to delivery.