Removals to Austria from the UK
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A move to Austria now crosses a customs border, but used household goods still go in free of duty. Here is what qualifies, which form to use, what to do in your first three days, and how the lorry gets there — in both directions.
Last updated: October 2026 · 4 min read
Written and fact-checked by the Removly editorial team · How we research prices
Do you pay duty moving household goods to Austria?
Not on goods that count as relocation goods — Übersiedlungsgut. Austria’s finance ministry sets three tests. You have lived outside the EU for 12 months without a break. You used the things at your old home for at least six months before leaving. And you declare them within 12 months of making Austria your home.
Furniture, clothes, kitchen kit, bikes, a private car, a caravan and pets all qualify. Alcohol, tobacco, commercial vehicles and equipment for running a business do not. Once cleared, the goods stay yours for a year: lending, pledging, hiring them out or handing them on within 12 months needs customs to be told first.
Source: BMF Austria — Transferring your normal place of residence from a non-EU country
Which forms and evidence does Austrian customs want?
The standard declaration is form ZBefr 2E. If your case doesn’t fit it — a split household, say, or goods arriving long after you — form ZBefr 2aE asks the customs office for a reasoned decision instead. Keep an itemised list of what is in the lorry; your removal firm’s packing inventory is the natural starting point.
Customs wants proof of both homes. For the UK side, a tenancy end, a council tax closing bill or a P45 shows you have left. For the Austrian side, your registration confirmation, an employment contract, a lease or a school place shows you have arrived.
Bringing a car? The relief covers duty and import VAT, but not NoVA, Austria’s standard consumption tax on vehicles. That is paid to the local tax office when the car is first registered, so budget for it separately and bring the purchase invoice and V5C.
What must you do in your first days in Austria?
Register your address. Anyone taking up a flat, house or room in Austria has three days to tell the registration office, online or in person, and missing it risks a fine of up to €726. The confirmation you get back — the Meldezettel — is also the document customs asks for, so it pays to do it before the lorry is unloaded.
Since Brexit, British citizens also need a residence title to stay longer than three months. We cover the move itself; for residence, work and tax, the Austrian government portal oesterreich.gv.at is the place to start.
How do removals to Austria travel, and what stays behind?
By road: across the Channel, then through France or Belgium and down the length of Germany to the Austrian border. Vienna sits at the far eastern end of the country, so a move there runs noticeably further than one to Salzburg or Innsbruck. Ask whether your quote is for a part load sharing the lorry, with a delivery window, or a dedicated vehicle on fixed dates.
Alpine homes bring their own access questions. Steep drives, narrow village lanes and winter snow can rule out a full-size lorry, so tell the firm early and expect a shuttle van for the last stretch if the survey calls for it.
Empty the fridge before packing day: meat and dairy from Great Britain have been barred from EU personal belongings since January 2021. We don’t publish a price for Austria — no source we could check gives one. Our European removals guide compares the wider continent.
Moving from Austria to the UK
Coming back has its own relief. Claim Transfer of Residence relief on form ToR01 before you move — HMRC won’t grant it once the goods have landed. The tests mirror Austria’s: 12 consecutive months living outside the UK, goods owned for at least six months, and everything brought in within 12 months of arriving.
Deregister your Austrian address before you leave; it is the cleanest proof that your home has moved. If the UK property isn’t ready, short-term storage can bridge the gap.
Removals to Austria: FAQs
Is there duty on household goods moved to Austria from the UK?
Not if they qualify as relocation goods. You need 12 months in a row living outside the EU, and goods you used at your old home for at least six months. Declare them within 12 months of setting up home in Austria.
Which customs form does Austria use for a house move?
Form ZBefr 2E is the standard declaration for relocation goods. Where it does not fit your case, form ZBefr 2aE asks the customs office for a formal decision instead.
Does the relief cover my car?
A private car you have used for six months can come in free of customs duty and import VAT. Austria’s standard consumption tax, NoVA, is separate: it is paid to the local tax office when the car is first registered.
How soon do I have to register my address in Austria?
Within three days of moving in. You register with the local registration office, online or in person, and the confirmation (Meldezettel) is one of the documents customs asks for.
Can I pack cheese and bacon from home?
No. Since January 2021, meat and dairy from Great Britain cannot enter the EU in personal belongings, and Austria applies the rule like every other member state.
What about moving from Austria to the UK?
Apply for Transfer of Residence relief on form ToR01 before the goods travel. You need 12 consecutive months living outside the UK and goods you have owned for at least six months.