Moving to Leeuwarden: costs process & districts

Leeuwarden grew out of three terps (dwelling mounds) with the villages of Oldehove, Nijehove and Hoek, which grew together in the 14th and 15th centuries; in 1435 the city received its town charter. The Binnenstad with its canals, the Oldehove tower and the Grote of Jacobijnerkerk church is today a low-traffic area. Around the centre lie neighbourhoods such as Huizum, Bilgaard, Camminghaburen, Zuiderburen and Nijlân, and many villages also belong to the municipality. For the move, the areas differ mainly in access and loading time: in the Binnenstad the morning time window applies, while in the outer neighbourhoods there is more often space in front of the building. Which area suits you depends on your commute, schools and budget.

We do not quote specific rents, because they depend heavily on location and condition; people usually search via Dutch portals and estate agents. If you search early and are flexible about location, you will find a flat more easily. As the provincial seat of government, Leeuwarden is home to public authorities, universities of applied sciences such as NHL Stenden and a large hospital. Frisian is spoken alongside Dutch. Only sign the tenancy agreement once the moving date can be planned; you need a fixed address for registration. It is best to plan giving notice in Berlin, the loading time in Leeuwarden and registering with the gemeente backwards from moving-in day.

With a moving company, transparency is what counts most. So here are our guide prices: 1-room flats from €375, 2-room flats from €609, 3-room flats from €884, 4-room flats from €1,329. For a house or villa there is no standard price – for these we calculate an individual quote. If you move further away, a price per kilometre from €3.85 applies for the long-distance move. Click through to a free survey to secure a binding quote.

First comes the volume of your household goods, then the distance between your old and new location (from €3.85/km). The floor and a missing lift also have an effect, as does a necessary parking restriction zone. Furniture assembly and a part load can be booked as options.

Whether a flat, an office or individual pieces of furniture – we move whatever you want to move.

• Home move – into your new home without worries.
• Company relocation – minimal downtime for your business.
• Furniture transport – safe transport of individual pieces of furniture.
• Part load – low-cost transport thanks to shared load space.
• Move with assembly – we dismantle and reassemble furniture.
• Clearance – we create space and dispose of things properly.

We plan moves from Berlin (Stromstraße 21), including to the Netherlands; we have no branches at the destinations. The locations overview shows places with their own pages, and more on long routes under Long-distance moves.

Leeuwarden's city centre is designated an autoluwe binnenstad, i.e. a low-traffic area. This has a direct impact on a move. On its website, the Gemeente Leeuwarden explains that visitors from outside the area may load and unload with a motor vehicle without a permit on weekdays up to and including Saturday between 7:30 am and 12:00 noon. Outside these times an access permit (inrijontheffing) is needed. According to the gemeente, parking in the area is not allowed even with a permit.

If you cannot manage loading and unloading within the time window, you can apply for a permit, which is charged per number plate. For occasional use without parking, the gemeente names 4.60 euros per day or 11.53 euros per week per number plate (as stated on the gemeente's page at the time of our research). Applications are made online via the gemeente's parking portal. The gemeente answers questions on 14 058.

• Calculate carrying distances: As a vehicle may not stand in front of the building for long, you should plan the time window for loading and unloading tightly.
• Register the vehicle: A permit applies per number plate, so we need the removal vehicle's number plate in good time.
• Choose the date: If possible, schedule the move within the morning time window.

For questions about access to the Binnenstad (for example bans on removal vans or temporary no-parking zones), the gemeente refers you to its phone line and contact form. We coordinate vehicle planning with you. You will find information on our service abroad under international move.

Anyone moving within or to Leeuwarden must notify the gemeente of their new address. According to the Gemeente Leeuwarden, you report the move no later than five days after moving in; notification is possible up to four weeks before moving day. This can be done online with DigiD via the gemeente's e-portal. Notification by phone is not possible. If you want to come in person, go to the town hall at Oldehoofsterkerkhof 2.

The gemeente lists the following documents:

• a valid identity document (identity card, passport or driving licence),
• the purchase or tenancy agreement for the new home,
• if moving in with another person, the main occupant's declaration of consent.

According to the gemeente, you can check in MijnOverheid whether your change of address has already been processed; it can take up to three weeks to appear there. If you are moving from abroad and staying more than four months, the gemeente has a separate page on registration. For appointments at the town hall: the gemeente points out that the entrance on the Oldehove side is used while the Nieuwestad entrance is being renovated. Also read our guide Living in Leeuwarden and the tips on the long-distance move to Leeuwarden.