Long-distance move Berlin – Leeuwarden: route process & deadlines

As the Netherlands and Germany are both in the EU, there is no customs clearance for your household goods when moving to Leeuwarden, and you do not need to inform the Dutch Douane. A simple box list still helps when unloading and in the event of damage. If you are staying longer than four months, you register with the gemeente: according to the Gemeente Leeuwarden, with an appointment arranged within 5 days of arrival and in person. On registration you receive your BSN, which you need for your bank, employer and health insurance. For your car, you can apply for an exemption from the BPM (vehicle registration tax) when moving, under certain conditions; the Belastingdienst (Dutch tax authority) sets out the conditions. We come from Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21); the route is already included in the fixed price.

Leeuwarden, Ljouwert in Frisian, is the largest city and the administrative seat of the province of Friesland; in 2018 it was European Capital of Culture together with Valletta. The city grew out of three terps (dwelling mounds) with the villages of Oldehove, Nijehove and Hoek and received its town charter in 1435; today the municipality includes many villages. Frisian is spoken alongside Dutch. The city centre with its canals is low-traffic, so loading times and carrying distances matter for the move. We do not quote specific rents, because they depend heavily on location and condition; people usually search via Dutch portals. If the flat is not yet free, we store your belongings in Berlin in the meantime. Dates at the end of the month are in demand, so it pays to enquire early. Get in touch – by phone on 01625978461 or via the contact form.

Our moving service offers clear prices: 1-room flats from €359, 2-room flats from €599, 3-room flats from €879 and 4-room flats from €1,309. Larger properties such as a house or a villa always receive an individual quote. For long-distance moves we charge from €3.80/km. For a tailor-made quote we recommend a free survey.

• Volume of household goods
• Route length from €3.80/km
• Floor level
• Available lift
• Parking restriction zone needed?
• Additional services: furniture assembly, part load

Good planning makes your move simple and safe.

• Part load – share the transport and save costs.
• Company relocation – professional move planning for businesses.
• Clearance – we dispose of what is no longer needed.
• Home move – your new home, our effort.
• Move with assembly – furniture is reassembled on site.
• Furniture transport – also suitable for single-item transports.

We plan long-distance moves from Berlin (Stromstraße 21), including to the Netherlands; we have no branches in other places. More information under Long-distance moves and in the locations overview.

When moving from Germany to Leeuwarden, a short deadline applies from the day of arrival. The Gemeente Leeuwarden writes: anyone coming from abroad and staying in the Netherlands for longer than 4 months should register with the municipality and arrange an appointment within 5 days of arrival. Without an appointment the municipality cannot help, and only the appointments shown in the online system are available.

You must attend in person; your partner and children come along if they are being registered too. The municipality lists the following documents:

• passport or identity card
• if applicable, marriage certificate or divorce certificate and the children's birth certificates
• proof of residence, such as a tenancy agreement, proof of ownership or a declaration from the main occupant
• if born abroad, the birth certificate, which may need to be legalised

The municipality does not require proof of lawful residence from EU residents. Registration is free of charge. The town hall is at Oldehoofsterkerkhof 2; because of renovation work the Nieuwestad entrance is temporarily closed, and visitors use the entrance on the Oldehove side. Telephone: 14 058; you can also reach the municipality via WhatsApp and a contact form.

So plan your appointments so that your tenancy documents are in your hand luggage and not in the removal van. More on everyday life locally: Living in Leeuwarden.

Leeuwarden's city centre is an “autoluw” (low-traffic) area. On its page on the access exemption (Inrijontheffing), the Gemeente Leeuwarden describes the following rules:

• Anyone based outside the area may enter without a permit from Monday to Saturday between 7.30 am and 12.00 noon to load and unload.
• Outside these times an exemption (ontheffing) is required. According to the city, this also applies to anyone driving a rented or borrowed vehicle.
• Parking in the area is never allowed, not even with an exemption.
• The exemption applies per number plate and is applied for online at parkeervergunning.leeuwarden.nl.

For businesses and organisations outside the area, the city names an annual exemption for 102.20 euros per number plate; a one-off exemption costs 4.60 euros per day or 11.53 euros per week. The page does not explicitly mention removal vans. If your moving date in Leeuwarden falls outside the loading times, we therefore clarify access with the municipality in good time.

The municipality answers questions on 14 058 or by email at [email protected]. Whether a no-parking zone outside the building is also needed depends on the street; you can read how this works in Germany under Parking restriction zone. An overall overview is provided by Moving to Leeuwarden: costs and districts.