Moving from the UK to France in 2026: Costs, Customs & Shipping Guide
Posted on August 11, 2026
Moving from the UK to France is an exciting prospect, whether you are relocating permanently, retiring to France, buying a holiday home or simply moving your household belongings to a new French property.
But since Brexit, moving household goods from the UK to France is more complicated than it used to be. Your belongings are crossing an international border, which means customs documentation, inventories and the correct import procedures need to be considered.
The good news is that moving your personal belongings to France can be relatively straightforward when the shipment is properly prepared.
At ClickMoves, we arrange international removals and shipping from the UK to France, including groupage services for smaller consignments and dedicated transport for larger household moves.
How much does it cost to move from the UK to France?
The cost of moving household goods from the UK to France depends primarily on the volume of belongings you are shipping, the collection address in the UK, the delivery address in France and the type of transport you choose.
As a general rule, a smaller shipment can be considerably cheaper than hiring an entire removal vehicle.
For example, someone moving a few pieces of furniture and several boxes may be able to use a groupage service, where their belongings share transport with other customers’ shipments travelling in the same direction.
A larger household move may require a dedicated vehicle or a larger shipping solution.
The main factors affecting the cost of a UK to France move include:
- The volume of furniture and boxes
- Collection location in the UK
- Delivery location in France
- Whether you require packing
- Whether there are stairs, lifts or difficult access
- Whether you need storage
- The type of transport used
- The level of insurance required
- Customs and documentation requirements
Because every international move is different, it is usually better to obtain a quotation based on your actual inventory rather than relying on a generic online moving calculator.
Is moving from the UK to France different after Brexit?
Yes.
Since the UK left the European Union, Great Britain is treated as a non-EU country for customs purposes when goods are moved into France.
This means that household goods travelling from Great Britain to France need to be handled through the appropriate customs procedures.
French Customs states that people transferring their main residence to France from a non-EU country may be able to import qualifying personal belongings free of customs duty and taxes, provided the relevant conditions are met.
For example, the French Customs rules generally require the person to have lived outside the EU for at least 12 months and the personal belongings to have been in their possession and used privately for at least six months before the transfer of residence.
The goods must also be transferred to France within 12 months of the change of residence.
This is one reason why using an experienced international removal company can make the process considerably easier.
Do I have to pay customs duty or VAT when moving my belongings to France?
Not necessarily.
If you are genuinely transferring your main residence to France and your belongings meet the French Customs conditions for duty and tax exemption, your personal household goods may qualify for admission free of customs duty and taxes.
However, the situation can be different if you are sending belongings to a second home in France.
French Customs specifically states that goods intended to furnish a secondary residence are not eligible for the same exemption. Customs duty, VAT and potentially other taxes can therefore become payable.
This distinction is particularly important for British homeowners who have purchased a holiday home in France and want to bring furniture over from the UK.
If you are unsure whether your circumstances qualify for an exemption, it is important to establish this before your shipment is collected.
What paperwork is needed to move household goods to France?
International removals require more paperwork than a domestic move.
A detailed inventory of the goods being transported is particularly important.
For a transfer of your main residence, French Customs states that you may need to provide a detailed, estimated, dated and signed inventory, together with documentation demonstrating your previous residence outside the EU and your move to France.
Your removal company will normally guide you through the information required for the customs process.
It is important that your inventory is accurate. Household goods should not simply be described as “personal effects” or “household goods” without sufficient detail.
A good inventory might include descriptions such as:
- 1 x three-seat fabric sofa
- 1 x oak dining table
- 6 x dining chairs
- 1 x television
- 10 x cartons of books
- 8 x cartons of clothing
The more accurately the shipment is described, the easier it is to deal with the customs requirements.
Can I ship furniture from the UK to France?
Yes.
Shipping furniture is one of the most common reasons people arrange an international move to France.
You can ship individual pieces of furniture, a few boxes or the contents of an entire home.
For smaller shipments, groupage shipping can be an economical option.
Groupage means that your belongings share transport capacity with other customers moving goods in the same general direction. Instead of paying for an entire vehicle when you only need part of its capacity, you pay for the space your belongings occupy.
This can make groupage particularly attractive for people who:
- Are moving a small apartment
- Have already sold or given away some furniture
- Are moving gradually
- Have purchased a property in France
- Need to send furniture after relocating themselves
- Are bringing selected possessions rather than an entire household
For larger moves, dedicated transport may be more appropriate.
How long does a UK to France removal take?
Transit times vary depending on the collection and delivery locations, the volume of goods, the transport method and whether the shipment is consolidated with other customers.
A direct dedicated move can be considerably quicker than a groupage shipment.
Groupage shipments can take longer because the transport operator may need to coordinate collections and deliveries for several customers.
It is therefore worth asking your removal company whether the quoted transit time is:
- Collection-to-delivery time
- Estimated transit time
- Or the period during which your goods will be in the transport network
At ClickMoves, we can advise you on the most appropriate shipping option based on your volume and required delivery date.
What can I take with me when moving to France?
Most ordinary household possessions can be moved, including:
- Furniture
- Clothing
- Books
- Kitchen equipment
- Personal possessions
- Household appliances
- Artwork and decorative items
- Children’s belongings
- Personal electronics
However, some goods are subject to restrictions or additional requirements.
Items such as plants, food, alcohol, firearms, certain medicines and other controlled or restricted goods can be subject to specific regulations.
If you are unsure about a particular item, check before packing it.
It is much easier to resolve a potential problem before the shipment leaves the UK than after it reaches the French border.
What about my car or motorcycle?
Moving your personal vehicle to France is a separate issue from transporting household goods.
Cars and motorcycles can involve additional customs, registration, tax and insurance considerations, particularly where the vehicle is being permanently imported and registered in France.
If you are moving permanently, it is therefore worth treating the transportation of your household goods and the importation of your vehicle as two related but separate parts of your relocation.
Should I use a removal company or arrange the transport myself?
For a small number of boxes, arranging transport yourself may seem straightforward.
For a substantial household move, however, the process becomes considerably more complicated.
A professional international removal company can coordinate:
- UK collection
- Packing
- Inventory preparation
- Transport
- Customs documentation
- Border procedures
- French delivery
- Storage where required
- Transit insurance
This can be particularly valuable after Brexit because your belongings are crossing an international customs border.
There are also operational requirements affecting commercial vehicles crossing the UK-France border. French Customs introduced the Obligatory Logistics Envelope (ELO) system for movements through the Smart Border, with ELO becoming mandatory from 20 April 2026.
UK to France removals: groupage or dedicated transport?
The best option depends on how much you are moving.
Groupage
Groupage is often ideal if you only need to move a relatively small volume.
You share transport capacity with other customers, which can reduce the cost compared with booking an entire vehicle.
Dedicated transport
Dedicated transport gives you the vehicle for your move and can be preferable when you are moving a complete household or have a specific collection and delivery schedule.
Storage
If your French property isn’t ready when your belongings need to leave the UK, storage can provide a useful bridge.
For example, you might sell your UK property in June, move out in July and not take possession of your French property until September.
Rather than trying to coordinate everything around one date, your belongings can be collected, stored and delivered when your French property is ready.
Moving from London, Manchester or other parts of the UK to France
ClickMoves can arrange collections throughout the UK and deliveries throughout France.
Popular destinations include:
- Paris
- Lyon
- Nice
- Marseille
- Aix-en-Provence
- Montpellier
- Toulouse
- Bordeaux
- Nantes
- Rennes
- Brittany
- Normandy
- The French Alps
- The Côte d’Azur
- Provence
Whether you are moving from London to Paris, Manchester to Lyon, Birmingham to Provence or Edinburgh to the south of France, the basic principle remains the same: establish the volume, plan the collection and delivery, prepare the inventory and make sure the customs requirements are dealt with correctly.
Moving to France from the UK: start with your inventory
One of the easiest ways to begin planning your move is to make a list of everything you want to take.
Don’t worry about getting the volume exactly right at first.
Walk through your UK home room by room and make a simple list.
For example:
Living room
- Sofa
- Two armchairs
- Television
- TV cabinet
- Coffee table
- 15 boxes
Kitchen
- Dining table
- Six chairs
- Kitchen equipment
- 10 boxes
Bedroom
- Double bed
- Mattress
- Wardrobe
- Chest of drawers
- 12 boxes
Once you have your inventory, a professional removal company can estimate the volume and recommend the most appropriate transport method.
Get a UK to France removal quotation
Moving from the UK to France doesn’t have to be complicated.
The key is to plan the shipment properly and make sure the customs requirements are understood before your belongings leave the UK.
Whether you are moving an entire household to France or simply need to ship a few pieces of furniture, ClickMoves can help arrange the transport from collection through to delivery.
We’ll help you identify the most appropriate and cost-effective option for your move.