Moving to Poland: no customs but registration by day 30

As Poland is a member of the European Union, there is neither a customs declaration nor import duty for private removals between Germany and Poland. Random checks are possible, so keeping your own inventory list is sensible; prohibitions and restrictions, for example on weapons, still apply. For a car that comes to Poland permanently, registration at the Wydział Komunikacji is mandatory – according to gov.pl within 30 days of import. Whether further charges apply is something to clarify with the Polish tax office.

Poland has a registration requirement: according to gov.pl, you register with the municipality no later than the 30th day after moving in (zameldowanie). EU citizens staying longer than three months also need to register their residence. You need to bring the registration form, an identity card or passport and proof relating to the flat, such as the tenancy agreement.

The process of an international move to Poland begins with a free survey and volume calculation, followed by the fixed-price quote. Before departure you deregister in Germany – at the earliest one week before moving out, at the latest two weeks afterwards. On moving day we pack and load in Berlin, drive to Poland without border clearance and reassemble the furniture in the new flat.

After arrival come the steps you handle yourself: zameldowanie at the municipality, the PESEL number (it is assigned automatically on registration for more than 30 days) and, if applicable, registering the car. Forms are usually only available in Polish; foreign-language vehicle documents other than the EU registration certificate must be translated by a sworn translator. Set aside time for these errands in the first few weeks.

Many customers ask: what will my move cost? The answer depends on the size. 4-room flats start from €1,289, 3-room flats from €915. Smaller moves are cheaper: 2 rooms from €609 and 1 room from just €369. Larger properties such as houses or villas always receive an individual quote. For a long-distance move we charge from €4.15 per kilometre. The quickest way to find out your exact price is a free survey.

We calculate transparently based on volume, distance (from €4.15/km), floor and lift. A required parking restriction zone (Halteverbotszone) is also included in the price. Extra services such as furniture assembly and a part load are shown separately.

For your move to Poland you can book these services individually or together.

We are based in Berlin and carry out moves across Germany and abroad – to Poland as well as from Poland back to Berlin. You can find further destinations in the locations overview, and more about long-distance moves here.

Anyone moving from Berlin to Poland stays within the EU single market. German customs points out that goods for personal use may in principle be brought from another EU country without customs duties. The special rules for removal goods (Übersiedlungsgut) on zoll.de concern moves from non-EU countries. Prohibitions and restrictions, for example on medicines or fireworks, still apply. In special cases such as weapons or larger quantities of alcohol, please ask customs in advance.

More important is the paperwork in Germany. Under § 17 of the Federal Registration Act (BMG), deregistration must be made at the registration office no later than 14 days after moving out, and at the earliest one week before. Have these documents ready before moving day:

• identity card or passport of all household members
• deregistration confirmation from Germany
• tenancy agreement or proof of ownership for the flat in Poland
• vehicle documents, if a car is travelling too
• an inventory list of your belongings for your own reference

The road is part of the planning too: according to etoll.gov.pl, Poland charges an electronic toll (e-TOLL) for heavy lorries on the GDDKiA toll sections. This concerns the transport company; you do not need to deal with it yourself. The journey starts from our depot in Berlin-Moabit.

We agree the loading list and date with you. Costs and planning are covered in the guide Moving to Poland: costs and planning, and our offer for journeys abroad under International move.

Poland has a registration requirement. According to the government portal gov.pl, you register no later than the 30th day after moving in at the municipality (urząd gminy) where you live. For a permanent residence you choose pobyt stały, for a stay of more than three months pobyt czasowy. Registration is free. In person you need the registration form, an identity card or passport and proof relating to the flat, for example the tenancy agreement. Online, the procedure runs via ‘ZAMELDUJ SIĘ’ on gov.pl.

According to gov.pl, foreigners receive the PESEL number automatically when they register for more than 30 days. Alternatively, you can apply at any municipal office, free of charge. According to gov.pl, the registration certificate for permanent residence is also free; for a temporary stay it costs 17 zł.

If a car is travelling too, registration is handled by the Wydział Komunikacji at the Starostwo Powiatowe (district office) or city office. According to gov.pl, you have 30 days after import. An EU registration certificate with harmonised codes does not need to be translated, but other foreign-language documents do, by a sworn translator or a Polish consul. For registration, gov.pl gives 66.50 zł for the registration certificate and stickers plus 80 zł for number plates. For the route itself, read the guide to long-distance moves to Poland.