Held at Customs: What Happens to Your Belongings, and Who Pays?

“Held at customs” is one of the most worrying phrases in an international move. It sounds as though something has gone badly wrong, and it usually arrives when you are already living out of suitcases in a new country.

Most of the time, it is less serious than it sounds. But there is a part of it that people are rarely told about until it happens: while your belongings wait, charges build up by the day, and they generally land on you. This guide explains what a hold really is, what it costs, who pays, and how nearly all of it can be avoided before your container leaves the UK.

Quick answer: Every international removal passes through customs, and some are inspected at random. A real hold happens when customs will not release your belongings until something is resolved, most often a missing visa, an unclear inventory, a duty-relief form that has not been approved, or a restricted item. While it is resolved, the port and the shipping line charge daily storage fees, which are normally billed to the owner of the goods. Getting documents in place before the sailing date is what prevents it.

What does “held at customs” actually mean?

It can mean three different things, and it helps to know which one you are dealing with.

A routine inspection. Customs authorities X-ray or physically examine a proportion of all containers. Some countries inspect every household move as standard: Argentina X-rays arriving household goods, and Australia and New Zealand carry out biosecurity checks on anything that may carry soil, plant or animal material. This adds days, not weeks, and it is planned for.

A documentation hold. Customs has everything it needs physically but not on paper. A document is missing, has not been approved, or does not match the inventory. Your belongings stay at the port until it is supplied. This is the most common kind of real hold, and the most avoidable.

A prohibited or restricted item. Something in the container is not allowed, or needs a permit or duty payment. Customs may remove the item, charge duty, or keep the whole consignment until it is dealt with.

Why do belongings get held? The five usual causes

1. Your visa or residence permit is not issued yet. Several countries will not release household goods until the owner can prove their right to live there. In the UAE, if a container reaches the Port of Jebel Ali before your residence visa is issued, it goes into customs storage at your cost until the visa is confirmed. Our Dubai guide calls this the most common avoidable delay on that route.
2. Duty-relief paperwork is missing or late. Most countries let you bring in used household goods free of duty when you move there, but only with the right form. For moves into the UK, that is Transfer of Residence relief, applied for through GOV.UK using the ToR1 form. If approval has not come through when the container lands, it waits.
3. The inventory is vague. “Miscellaneous” and “kitchen items” invite questions. Customs wants to know what is in each carton, and whether it is used or new.
4. A restricted item is in the load. Alcohol, certain foods, plants, untreated wood, some medicines and anything on a destination’s own list. Our guide to what you can’t ship when moving abroad covers these.
5. Random selection. Sometimes there is no cause at all. A properly documented container can still be pulled for examination. In that case the delay is usually short.

Four of those five are decided in the UK, before the vessel sails.

What does it cost while you wait?

This is the part to understand in advance. Three kinds of charge can apply, and they are separate from your removal quote.

Every container gets a number of free days at the destination port. A straightforward clearance fits inside them. Charges begin when the free days run out, and they are usually charged per day and tend to rise the longer the container stays. Rates vary by port and shipping line, which is why no reliable single figure exists and why you should be wary of any guide that quotes one.

Who pays?

In general, the owner of the goods. Customs treats you as the importer, and across the removals industry the standard position is that storage, demurrage and inspection charges caused by a customs hold are passed on to the customer, because they arise from the customer’s documents, visa status or belongings rather than from the transport itself. Inspection fees charged by a customs or quarantine authority are payable locally before the container is released.

There are exceptions. If a hold was caused by an error in paperwork your removal company prepared, you would reasonably expect them to bear it. This is exactly why it is worth reading the section of any contract that deals with delay and storage before you sign. Our terms set out how these charges are treated, and your move manager will go through them with you before you book. Our guide to hidden charges in a removal quote lists the other questions worth asking at the same time.

One more point, because it is often misunderstood: MoveProtect, our move liability cover, protects against loss or damage to your belongings. It is not a policy against customs charges.