Moving to Iceland
Relocation to Iceland is very much like a journey through time. The ocean, lifeless rocks, volcanoes, frozen streams of lava, geysers, hydrogen sulphide springs, waterfalls - all this is very reminiscent of the Earth's landscapes at the dawn of the planet.
Moving to Iceland is not only emerging into completely different surroundings but encountering the unique culture and people that inhabit the island. Before packing to move to Iceland, we recommend familiarising yourself with customs regulations and ways to move household goods overseas.
Moving to Iceland by Sea Freight
The cheapest way to move to Iceland is via sea freight. Sea freight is also the most common method to ship household goods overseas. Prior to moving to Iceland, consider the next shipping types:
Moving to Iceland by Air Freight
The fastest way to move to Iceland is via air freight. Transporting your household goods overseas can be done in a matter of days if you choose to ship by plane. It is a great shipping method for fragile and highly valued possessions.
Sole use containers are used when you require to move to Iceland a big volume of cargo. If moving to Iceland using Full Container Load, you will be provided with a personal container. Only you and your moving company will have access to it.
There are 3 container sizes offered by Hercules moving company when moving to Iceland:
If the volume of the transported cargo is not big enough to fill up one full container, you can choose the shared container shipping method. All the small and additional cargo can be sent by groupage or LCL shipping when moving to Iceland.
Groupage Shipping
Groupage refers to a service that implies multiple small cargos, that have the same destination, to be collected and placed into one shipping container. Groupage is the most affordable way to move household goods to Iceland as all the shipping costs are divided between the senders.
LCL shipping
Cargo, shipped using Less than Container Load, is packed and placed in a custom wooden crate made especially for your household goods. After that, your cargo will be passed to a freight forwarder to be shipped to the desired destination.
It is known that the fastest way to move from one place to another is by plane. Therefore, shipping your household goods by air freight is a convenient way to move to Iceland if you need your items quickly and with minimum wait time. Your cargo will arrive in Iceland in a matter of days. Choose one of the following shipment sizes when moving to Iceland:
Door to Port vs. Door to Door Moving
When moving to Iceland with an international moving company, you have 2 service options to choose from depending on your needs:
Door-to-port service provides you with an opportunity to have more authority over the shipment when moving to Iceland. When choosing a door-to-port service, movers will pack and ship your items to be collected in the Icelandic port for customs clearance.
Door-to-Door service is commonly used by those who prefer the whole relocation process to be carried out by one moving company. Moving to Iceland will be easier with a door-to-door service if you have already purchased new accommodation and wish to move in as soon as possible.
Moving household goods to Iceland
Customs Regulations
- Household goods can be imported duty-free if were owned and used abroad for a minimum of 12 months
- The shipper/owner lived and held a permanent residence in the country abroad for a minimum of 12 months before the move
- The shipper/owner of goods must voluntarily declare all dutiable, restricted and prohibited items
- The shipper/owner must be present during the customs clearance
- A delivery address must be available at the time of customs clearance
Restricted and Dutiable Items
- Various types of telephonic and communications equipment ( permit from Post and Telecom Administration required)
- Angling gear and riding clothes used outside of Iceland ( a certification of disinfection from an authorized veterinary officer required)
- Firearms and ammunition ( permit is required from )
- Live animals ( permit issued by MAST required)
- Medicine ( must not exceed 100 days consumption and prescription might be required)
- Plants and flowers ( a phytosanitary certificate from MAST is required, a limited amount of flowers can be brought)
Prohibited Items
- Narcotics and heavy drugs
- Toxic and hazardous substances
- Uncooked milk, eggs and meat products
- Chewing tobacco
- Finely powdered, moist for oral use or available in bags of snuff
- Various weapons and knives (blades exceeding 12cm)
- Used riding gear
Shipping a Car to Iceland
The vehicle must be imported within 30 days after the shipper/owner’s arrival. Duty-free import of the vehicle into Iceland if the following criteria are met:
- the owner/shipper moves to Iceland for 12 months or less (work/study/travel purposes)
- The owner/shipper holds a permanent residency and lived abroad for a minimum of 12 months
- The vehicle will be solely for personal use and will not be sold, lent or used for services in exchange for profit
- The vehicle must be exported after 12 months from the date of the owner’s arrival
Moving Pets to Iceland
Wondering how to move pets to Iceland? To safely import pets to Iceland you must consider the following conditions:
- Pet must be rabies vaccinated
- Pets must have a valid ISO microchip (made 30 days prior to the move but no later than 12 months)
- You must be coming from an approved country. See the list here.
- If your country is not one of the approved countries, it must be assessed by MAST
- An import licence must be obtained from the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST)
- All the imported pets must quarantine for a minimum of 2 (arrangement and costs are on the owner/shipper)
- Pets must undergo a tick and tapeworm treatment
- Pets must enter through Keflavik Airport
Electronics in Iceland
Wish to bring your electronics to Iceland? Hold on, first, to ensure that your electronic appliances correspond to a C/F Icelandic plug type with 230v voltage power. Most of the large electronics imported to Iceland from North America will not work.
Customs Forms
Here we have collected all the necessary forms and documents you will need in order to import your personal effects into Iceland. In addition please check if you need any additional documents/forms on the official Border Iceland Website
How We Work
We could have wrote 100 beautiful words here - but instead take a look on how we move below
Hercules goes the extra mile to ensure that all of your most valuable art is protected. Expert wrapping and packaging methods start the highest quality moving & packing materials. Our mover training program ensures that every team has an expert who can safely pack any item so it arrives in the same condition it left.
Hercules can build custom measured crates and containers to meet your specific long distance shipping needs. If you are moving, and have a taxidermy collection, the experts at HMC can help. Our crateless system is effective for securing any type or size of trophy.
To avoid damage to fragile items during a long-distance move to your new residence, office or storage unit Hercules will use all the right materials and implement the proper packing techniques for maximum protection.
With the right training and proper equipment, your furniture will be handled safely in any situation.
Not all furniture is the same size. Hercules uses various materials to prepare furniture for moving: moving blankets, cardboard, bubble wrap, or alligator wrap. HMC movers and packers will pack your furniture the right way.
