Moving to France: Customs Registration & Formalities
From Berlin to France
Moving to France: formalities before and after moving in
Customs & official steps
A move to France is a move within the EU: there is no customs declaration and no import duty on your household goods at the border. The formalities lie elsewhere – you deregister in Berlin, tenants in France need home insurance, the car gets a new carte grise, and many large cities have low-emission zones requiring a Crit'Air sticker. What we handle on cross-border moves is described under International moving.
We come from Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and handle packing, transport and reassembly all the way to your new address. You take care of dealings with the French authorities yourself – this guide shows which ones they are. We quote the fixed price after a survey; we are liable for your belongings under § 451e HGB at €620 per cubic metre of loading space. Call us on 01625978461 for no-obligation advice.
Request a quote for your move to France
Survey, fixed price, date to match the handover
Plan your move to France early so that your notice, deregistration and handover fit together. After a survey you will receive a written quote. Contact us by phone on 01625978461 or read more on our services page.
Offers available individually, depending on effort, scheduling and the scope of services required.
What we handle – and what stays with you
Transport from Berlin, formalities with you
We have no branch in France; instead we drive our lorry from Berlin-Moabit all the way to your new home. We pack, carry, transport and reassemble; we plan in driving times, tolls and the low-emission zone of the destination city. You take care of deregistering in Berlin, home insurance, the carte grise and health insurance – we tell you which order makes sense. We quote the fixed price after the survey.
Packing service
Office move
Senior moves
Furniture transport
To do before and after the move
A move to France involves no customs, but it does involve a few steps in Germany and France. Keep these six points on your list – valuables such as jewellery and important documents are best transported by you personally.
Deregistering in Berlin
Inventory list
Home insurance
Carte grise
Health insurance
Pet passport
Part load: move affordably
For single pieces of furniture or a small household, a part load to France can be cheaper: your belongings travel with other consignments on the same route. You do not need customs papers for this, but your own inventory list is still useful.
Moving
service without compromise
As well as private moves, we also plan company relocations and senior moves to France. Each type of move needs a different process, for example with office equipment or with breaks for older people on the long journey. This guide explains the formalities around customs, address, insurance, car and pets. For small loads, a part load is an option. Places in Germany with their own pages can be found under Locations.
Planning safely and calmly
Furniture, boxes, carrying routes
Costs, timing and special cases
Common questions
Customs and formalities when moving to France
Like Germany, France is a member of the European Union: there is no customs declaration and no import duty on your household goods. An inventory list with numbered boxes is still useful – for insurance, for the handover and when unpacking. Cars and pets have their own rules: the car is re-registered in France, and dogs and cats need a pet passport, microchip and rabies vaccination.
France has no registration office like the German one. However, EU citizens who stay permanently register with the mairie within three months under Art. L. 231-2 CESEDA; you do not need a residence permit (titre de séjour). In Berlin you deregister before leaving. Keep your identity card, tenancy agreement and deregistration certificate to hand in case a bank, insurer or health insurance fund in France asks for proof.
Process and costs of your move to France
A move to France begins with a survey or video call in which we record the volume of your belongings. You then receive a written fixed-price quote covering packing, transport, tolls and reassembly. On moving day we dismantle, pack and load; we plan the journey in line with EU driving-time rules. From Berlin it is around 760 km by road to Strasbourg and around 1,050 km to Paris – by lorry, two travel days or one day with two drivers.
The costs depend on distance, volume and additional services; what counts in detail is explained in our guide to costs and planning. For smaller loads, a part load can reduce expenses, because the journey is shared with other consignments. Ask us for a no-obligation quote for your private move.
Price overview for your move
The cost of your move depends on the size of your home: we move a 1-room flat from as little as €344, a 2-room flat from €605, a 3-room flat from €884 and a 4-room flat from €1,289. For houses and villas we prepare an individual quote. For long-distance moves a per-kilometre price from €3.85/km applies. Arrange your free survey today.
How we calculate your move
The basis of every price calculation is volume and distance – the latter is charged at €3.85/km. Individual factors such as floor, lift and parking restriction zone are added. For a complete service we recommend furniture assembly and part load.
What sets us apart as a moving company
You can book these services for your move to France individually or together.
- Moving with assembly: we take care of your furniture assembly completely. Moving with assembly
- Clearance: quick disposal of items you no longer need. Clearance
- Part load: save money with shared transport space. Part load
- Private move: for a relaxed change of home. Private move
- Company relocation: your office move in professional hands. Company relocation
- Furniture transport: safe and quick, for every piece of furniture. Furniture transport
Moves from Berlin – at home and across the border
We plan moves from Berlin (Stromstraße 21), within Germany and to other European countries. Places with their own pages can be found in the locations overview, and more about long distances under Long-distance moves.
France: official steps and checklist after moving in
After arriving in France, several official steps are due. The page "Je déménage en France" on Service-Public.gouv.fr lists these as typical steps:
- Change of address: a single online declaration is enough for several bodies. In addition, you inform the tax office, bank, insurer and employer.
- Home insurance: it is compulsory for tenants in France.
- Contracts: take out energy and telecommunications contracts for the new home and read the meters.
- Carte grise: the car's registration certificate must show the new address.
- Electoral roll: registration with the municipality is possible online, in person or by post, with proof of residence no older than three months.
The page also advises checking, when choosing a moving company, whether it is listed in the register of transport companies. According to Your Europe, anyone coming from another EU country does not need a residence document in the first three months; after that, registration may be required depending on the country.
The page describes moving within France and serves here as guidance for newcomers. You clarify the specific deadlines for your situation with the municipality and the local authorities. A complete list is provided in the checklist for moving to France, and the costs page explains the price and schedule.
France: carte grise, Crit'Air and low-emission zones for your car
If your car is coming with you to France, two topics come together: registration and the emissions sticker.
Registration: according to the EU platform Your Europe, when moving permanently you should register the car in the new country and pay vehicle taxes there. Each country sets its own deadlines. As an example, the page mentions a driver who had to re-register her car in France within one month of establishing her main residence. Anyone who fails to register or does not pay the taxes can be fined. The French vehicle registration agency ANTS lists the topics "Immatriculation d’un véhicule venant de l’étranger" and "Quitus fiscal" on its home page; check the current steps there.
Crit'Air: according to the Ministry of the Environment, the Crit'Air sticker is required to enter a low-emission zone (ZFE). The municipality sets the rules; according to the ministry's page there were 25 zones. The rating is based on emissions, vehicle type, drive and Euro standard. The page gives no information on foreign vehicles; this is clarified by the city or traffic information services.
Destinations such as Paris, Lyon or Strasbourg are covered in the notes in the long-distance moving guide for France. We coordinate the lorry's approach with the zone rules of your destination city.
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