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Here’s the detail that catches out more UK movers than any other part of a Netherlands move: duty-free relief on your household goods isn’t automatic. It has a proper name – Verhuisboedelvrijstelling, the removal goods exemption — and it has to be actively applied for with Dutch customs and approved before your shipment arrives, not claimed after the fact at the border.
Your move manager handles this application as part of planning your move, so it’s already sorted by the time your belongings reach the Netherlands.
Because the exemption application has to go in before your goods arrive, timing is everything on a Netherlands move – leave it too late, and you risk your shipment arriving before approval is confirmed. Your move manager submits this early, coordinates the UK export declaration and the Dutch import side together, and stays your one continuous point of contact through to delivery, working with an in-country partner who manages clearance with Dutch customs (Douane) directly.
Under the Verhuisboedelvrijstelling, household goods import free of duty and VAT, provided:
Your move manager will confirm a specific cost range for your shipment once they understand your volume and application timeline – get in touch for a personalised quote.
Once your shipment departs the UK with a full export declaration, it typically arrives under a T1 transit document and goes through import processing by Dutch customs (Douane). Getting the Verhuisboedelvrijstelling application in early is the single most important planning step – it’s not something that can be sorted out reactively once your goods are already in transit.
Your move manager and in-country partner prepare and submit this on your behalf as part of the move.
Generally permitted, under the removal goods exemption: used household goods, furniture, clothing, and personal effects owned for 6+ months, declared as part of a genuine change of residence.
Outside the relief: goods that don’t meet the ownership and residency criteria, or shipments where the exemption application wasn’t approved before arrival – these are treated as standard imports instead.
Gerson Moving Services holds British Association of Removers (BAR) membership with the BAR Advanced Payment Guarantee, International Association of Movers (IAM) accreditation, Planet Mark sustainability certification, and is part of the AGM Group of companies. Disputes are handled through the Furniture & Home Improvement Ombudsman (FHIO).
When moving with us, you have a comprehensive choice of services that ensure removals to the Netherlands are secure, safe and efficient.
Experts in packing and wrapping, we use only premium materials to ensure all of your belongings stay in great condition throughout the journey. Everything you want to take will have extra care and attention from us, so you won’t need to worry about any mishaps during the long trip to the Netherlands.
If you have bulky furniture to take with you, leave it to us to ensure it arrives safely. We can handle everything from large tables to wardrobes, beds and sofas, ready for use when you move in. If required, we can also disassemble furniture where this is possible for easier transit.
Have valuable or fragile items that need extra protection? Take advantage of our specialist packing services for these items that go above and beyond to protect them during their onward journey. Everything from antiques to your priceless sentimental possessions will be securely wrapped.
Get from A to B with minimal effort with door-to-door delivery during international removals to the Netherlands. Wherever in the country you’re moving to, we can provide onward transit after shipping to ensure you’ve got all your items ready to unpack in your new home.
Make the complicated aspect of customs and immigration as simple as possible with our help. We’ve assisted many individuals and families filling in confusing or time-consuming documentation for the Netherlands, so we’ll ensure nothing important is missed.
We offer temporary storage if you need this both in the UK and once you’ve arrived in the Netherlands. Both short and long-term options are available if you need them, so that you won’t have to rush if you need more time before the move or after arrival.
We offer a simple 4 step process for all international removals to the Netherlands that makes it simple for you:
Get A Move
Quote
Packing &
Collection
Sea, Air or Road
Transport
Delivery and
Unpacking
Get in touch for a personalised quote. Your move manager will confirm your eligibility and get your exemption application started early, since approval needs to be in place before your goods arrive.
Real feedback from people who chose our international moving company.
“Moving from Birmingham to Amsterdam felt daunting with a canal house and those narrow stairs, but Gerson’s crew managed the hoist perfectly. Everything arrived intact and on schedule.”
“We relocated to Rotterdam for work with barely six weeks’ notice. Gerson sorted the survey, packing and shipping without fuss, and kept us updated the whole way.”
“Our family move to The Hague went far smoother than expected. The team unpacked the children’s rooms first, which made an enormous difference to those first few nights.”
No. The Verhuisboedelvrijstelling (removal goods exemption) must be applied for with Dutch customs in advance and approved before your shipment arrives – it isn’t claimed automatically at the border.
At least 12 months immediately before your move, which includes time spent in the UK post-Brexit.
Within 12 months of your date of arrival in the Netherlands.
Your goods would be treated as a standard import rather than duty-free, which is why applying early is the most important planning step for a Netherlands move.
Yes. Your dedicated move manager is your primary contact from the initial survey through to delivery in the Netherlands, working alongside a local partner for customs clearance and final delivery.
