Moving to Alkmaar: Costs Process & Districts

Alkmaar's city centre, with its canals, the Waag (weigh house) and 399 national monuments, is a protected conservation area; parking is scarce and many houses have steep staircases. To the south lies the Westerhoutkwartier, one of the first urban extensions, also protected and home to the Alkmaarderhout city woods. The village of Oudorp has been part of Alkmaar since 1972 and has six windmills; on Wednesdays there is a market on the Nijenburgplein.

Larger residential areas lie to the north: Huiswaard, between Alkmaar and Koedijk, was built when Alkmaar became a growth centre for newcomers from the Randstad. In Overdie there is a market on Tuesdays on the Frederik Hendriklaan, in De Mare on Wednesdays on the Europaplein, which is also where Alkmaar Noord station is. Since 2015 the villages of Schermer and Graft-De Rijp have also belonged to the municipality. In total the municipality divides its territory into five areas, eleven wijken (districts) and 66 buurten (neighbourhoods).

The cost of a move to Alkmaar depends on the volume, distance and accessibility of the property. From Berlin-Moabit it is around 687 km; by lorry we allow about 11 hours including breaks, which means two drivers or an overnight stay. Narrow streets in the city centre or stairwells without a lift often require a furniture lift, which we show in the fixed price.

The search for a home is also part of the budget: current rents and purchase prices can be found on Dutch property portals, and prices differ considerably between the city centre and the outer districts. Only plan the moving date once the rental contract and handover are fixed – you need the rental contract anyway for registering with the municipality.

Whether a small flat or a large house – our prices are fairly calculated. For 1 room we start from €365, for 2 rooms from €605, for 3 rooms from €915 and for 4 rooms from €1,344. For houses and villas you always receive an individual quote, as many factors play a role here. If you move further away, our long-distance moves start from €4.20/km. Take advantage of our free survey for a personal quote.

• Volume as the basic factor
• Distance from €4.20/km
• Floor, lift available or not
• Parking restriction zone (Halteverbotszone) needed or not

Can be booked in addition: furniture assembly and shared load.

So you need not worry about a thing, we offer the following services.

1. Home move – best equipped for your change of home.
2. Furniture transport – fast and safe furniture transport.
3. Clearance – professional clearing of every kind.
4. Company move – your business moves without downtime.
5. Part load – the inexpensive transport option.
6. Move with assembly – we reassemble your furniture.

We also plan moves from Alkmaar back to Berlin, via the A1, A30 and A2 to Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21). More destinations can be found under Long-distance moves, and places with their own pages in the locations overview.

If you are moving into or out of Alkmaar's city centre, you should clarify access early. According to the Gemeente Alkmaar, you apply for the exemption (ontheffing) from P1, the city's parking service. This expressly applies to moves "with a removal company or a private car" and likewise to entering the closed-off city centre. The request is made via P1's website; on the municipality's page you will find the button "Ontheffing bij P1 aanvragen". The page states no fixed lead time, so we recommend submitting the application as soon as the date is set.

If a person moves into a house within a residents' parking zone, there is also the verhuisvergunning, a temporary parking permit for the move. It is applied for digitally via the P1 portal with DigiD or in person at the Servicepunt Parkeren (Mallegatsplein 8), once per address per year.

• Coordinate the time window with the exemption
• Take events in the centre (such as the cheese market) into account when planning
• Have the vehicle details ready for the application

During the survey we clarify access, the loading route and the floor so that the fixed price matches the situation on site. More about how a trip abroad works can be found in our long-distance moving guide for Alkmaar and under International removal.

After arriving in Alkmaar you must register with the municipality if you are staying longer than four months – according to the Gemeente Alkmaar within 5 days and in person by appointment; you book the appointment by phone on 14 072. All family members being registered attend the appointment, including children. Registration is free; you pay for translations or certifications of documents you bring yourself. According to the municipality, processing takes no more than four weeks; the confirmation arrives by post or email, and you receive the BSN (citizen service number) automatically after registration.

On customs: the procedure for duty-free removal goods (form 0350) is described by German customs for moves from countries outside the EU. Between EU member states such as Germany and the Netherlands no customs duties are levied at internal borders, as the Federal Ministry of Finance explains regarding the customs union. Excise duty rules still apply to alcohol and tobacco.

What else you should know about papers, deadlines and costs is summarised in these guides:

• Moving to the Netherlands: customs, formalities and process
• Living in Alkmaar

Schedule the registration appointment as early as possible, because you have to attend in person. When booking, clarify which documents to bring and have certificates translated in good time if needed. We coordinate our arrival time with your key handover so that you are on site when the van pulls up.