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A move to South Africa is a long sea journey with two rules at the far end that differ from most other countries. Your belongings must have been yours, and in use, for at least 12 months to come in free of duty. And anything that has been outdoors has to arrive clean, or it is held at the port and treated at your expense.
Both are easy to get right when you know about them before packing day. This page explains them, along with what the move costs and how long it takes.
Your move starts with a survey by one of our removal specialists. From there, a dedicated move manager is your primary contact throughout: they receive the full survey file, tell you which of your belongings qualify for duty-free entry and which need cleaning, put together your customs documents with you, and coordinate with our South African partner, who clears your belongings at Durban or Cape Town and delivers them to your door.
You will not need to explain your move twice. How we work sets out who does what.
Household moves to South Africa travel by sea, in a shared container or one of your own.
| Service | What it is | Guide price |
|---|---|---|
| Shared container (groupage), 1-bedroom volume | Your belongings share a container with other households’ and you pay for the space you use | £2,000 to £3,500 |
| Shared container, 2 to 3 bedrooms | As above, larger volume | £3,500 to £5,500 |
| Dedicated 20ft container (around 2 bedrooms) | A container for your home only, sealed for the whole journey | From £4,500 |
| Dedicated 40ft container (3 bedrooms or more) | As above, larger | £5,500 to £7,000 |
| Stage | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Port to port by sea | 25 to 40 days |
| Customs clearance after arrival | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Collection to delivery, in total | Allow 6 to 10 weeks |
These are guide prices. Your own figure depends on volume, access at both addresses and your destination, which is why every quote starts with a pre-move survey. The South Africa guide covers the route in more detail.
Duty-free entry. The South African Revenue Service (SARS) allows household goods to be imported free of duty when you change your residence to South Africa, provided you have owned and used them for at least 12 months. Most countries ask for six. If you bought a sofa eight months ago, it does not qualify.
New and recent items. Anything owned for less than 12 months, including furniture or appliances bought for the move, is subject to South African import duty and VAT. Your move manager will ask you to list these separately so they do not delay the rest of your home.
The forms. SARS form DA 304 is your declaration of household effects on a change of residence; form P.1.160 declares any restricted items. Our South African partner supplies and submits them. You will be asked for your passport with your South African visa or proof of residency, proof that you have been living in the UK for the past 12 months (bank statements, utility or council tax bills), and a full inventory, which our crew produces on packing day.
You need to be there. Customs clearance can only take place once you have arrived in South Africa. Your move manager plans the sailing so your belongings do not reach the port weeks before you do.
South Africa does not allow soil, seeds or plant material into the country in any form. In practice that means anything that has lived outdoors must be clean before it is packed:
If items arrive with soil or organic matter on them, they are held at the port, inspected and fumigated at the owner’s expense. That typically adds two to three weeks and a fee that can run into hundreds of pounds. Your surveyor will point out what needs attention, so you have time to deal with it before packing day. Our guide to belongings held at customs explains how holds work and who pays.
We handle your relocation to South Africa with ease and confidence.
Get in touch with our team today to learn how we can support your international move to South Africa from start to finish.
Our international removals services are fully comprehensive, helping to ensure you feel minimal stress when it comes to moving your belongings.
Our professional team uses high-quality materials for packing and expert techniques to carefully wrap and protect your belongings for their international move to South Africa. From delicate ornaments to large furniture, everything is packed with international transit in mind for your peace of mind.
We handle everything from single pieces to full household shipments as part of our international removals. Our team ensures your furniture is carefully disassembled (if needed), securely wrapped, and expertly loaded for safe transport to South Africa.
Special care is taken with items that are fragile, valuable, or sentimental. We offer custom crating and enhanced protection for artwork, antiques, electronics, and more to ensure they arrive safely and intact.
The perfect move ensures your whole life leaves one destination and arrives at the other without issue, and our door-to-door delivery service makes this happen. Leave the worry behind with international removals that take your move seriously, so you can seamlessly start building your new life without the hassle
Unsure about complex customs forms and legal requirements? You can trust us to provide a lending hand to make this as simple as possible for you. Part of the service is making sure all of your paperwork is up to date and ready, so you can move to South Africa without the worry and any unexpected delays.
Need flexibility during your move? We offer secure short and long-term storage solutions in both the UK and South Africa. Whether you need to store your belongings before departure, during transit, or after arrival, we’ve got you covered.
Moving from the UK to South Africa? Your move will follow 4 simple steps:
Get A Move
Quote
Packing &
Collection
Sea, Air or Road
Transport
Delivery and
Unpacking
South Africa offers a unique mix of natural beauty, culture, and opportunity, making it a popular destination for international moves. At Gerson Moving Services, we specialise in supporting relocations from the UK to key South African locations such as Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, and more.
With a focus on detailed preparation, regional expertise, and reliable execution, we make sure your move is professionally managed from start to finish.
Gerson Moving Services is a member of the British Association of Removers, with the BAR Advanced Payment Guarantee protecting money you pay in advance. We are IAM accredited, hold FIDI FAIM, the international quality standard for removal companies, and are part of the AGM Group. Disputes can be referred to the Furniture & Home Improvement Ombudsman.
Here’s some real feedback from people who’ve trusted us and loved the results
“Shipped the contents of a three-bedroom house from Surrey to Cape Town. Everything was wrapped really carefully, the inventory was easy to follow, and delivery was on the agreed date.”
“Our move to Durban was well organised from the first survey. The crew packed everything in a day, kept us updated while it was at sea, and unloaded without fuss.”
“Honestly, the paperwork for South Africa was my biggest worry. Our contact explained what was needed, sorted the rest, and everything was delivered to Johannesburg exactly when promised.”
Allow 6 to 10 weeks from collection to delivery. The sea leg takes 25 to 40 days, customs clearance usually one to two weeks, and delivery to Gauteng adds a day or two by road from Durban.
As a guide, £2,000 to £3,500 for a one-bedroom volume in a shared container, £3,500 to £5,500 for two to three bedrooms, and £5,500 to £7,000 for a dedicated 40ft container. A survey gives you an exact figure for your home.
Not on household goods you have owned and used for at least 12 months, provided you are changing your residence to South Africa and the SARS declaration is supported by the right documents. Newer items attract import duty and VAT.
Yes. Clearance takes place after you have arrived, so your move manager times the sailing around your travel date. If your plans change, tell them early; storage is far cheaper to arrange in advance than at the port.
Anything that has been outdoors: garden furniture, tools, lawnmowers, bicycles, golf clubs, camping gear and boots. Soil or plant material leads to a hold and fumigation at your cost.
We recommend MoveProtect, our move liability cover, for every move. It raises our contractual limit of liability above the standard level, there is no excess, and your move manager handles any claim with you.
Tell us where you are moving from, where to, and roughly when. A move manager will come back to you with your customs position, a realistic timeline and the next step.
