Declaring removal goods to customs

You must submit the customs declaration in writing:

• Download the form for "Customs declaration for household effects" (form 0350) from the website of the Federal Finance Administration.
• Complete the form in full and sign it.
  • when entering the country with household effects: hand in your customs declaration at the customs office.
  • in postal traffic: Enclose your customs declaration in a mailing bag on the parcel and mark it "Removal goods".
• The customs officials will check your declaration.
• If necessary, further checks will follow, for example an inspection of the goods.
• You will receive a copy of the customs declaration.

• As a natural person, you are moving your normal place of residence to the customs territory of the European Union.
• These are personal effects within the meaning of customs law. This means, among other things:
  • Your normal place of residence has existed outside the customs territory of the European Union for at least 12 months prior to the move;
  • Exceptions are possible if you can prove that you at least intended to live outside the European Union for 12 months or more, for example by means of an employment contract.
  • The goods belong to you or your family;
  • You or your family have used non-consumable goods for at least 6 months in your third country of origin;
  • The goods are to continue to be used by you or your family for the same purpose.
• A German customs office can clear the goods as household effects if you take up your new place of residence - temporarily if necessary - in Germany.

Proof is required that you have relocated your habitual residence to the European Union. Proof can be provided, for example, by

• Certificate of deregistration from the foreign authority stating how long you have lived outside the European Union
• a certificate from the German registration authority or
• rental agreement or
• identity papers or

If applicable, further documents such as

• Invoices, proof of purchase or other evidence that you own goods or
• employment contract

for vehicles and airplanes:

• Proof of registration for traffic in the country concerned

for weapons:

• Weapons ownership card

You can make the customs declaration free of charge.

If you import household effects before your move, you must provide a security.

• You must register the household effects within 12 months of the move.
• You can also import the household effects before your move. In this case, as part of the customs declaration, you must undertake to establish your residence in the customs territory of the European Union within 6 months.
• You may not leave the household effects to anyone for 12 months from the date of acceptance of your declaration. For example, you may not give it away, sell it or lend it out.

• usually up to approx. 1 hour

Service regulations for relocation property of the Federal Ministry of Finance (Z 0803), paragraph 1

• Articles 3 to 11 of the EC Regulation on the Community system of reliefs from customs duty (1186/2009)

• Objection

Forms: yes

Online procedure possible: no

Written form required: yes

Personal appearance required: no

• Customs declaration for household effects (form 0350)

07.05.2021