Removals to Croatia from the UK
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Croatia treats a move from the UK as an import now — but your household goods can still go in free of both customs duty and VAT. Here is what qualifies, which papers to gather, why a car is the exception, and how the lorry gets to the Adriatic.
Last updated: October 2026 · 4 min read
Written and fact-checked by the Removly editorial team · How we research prices
Do you pay duty or VAT moving to Croatia after Brexit?
Not on household goods that qualify — and in Croatia the relief covers VAT as well as customs duty. Three conditions apply. You have lived outside the EU for at least 12 months without a break. You owned and used the goods in your household there for at least six months. And they are for the same use in your new Croatian home.
That covers furniture, appliances, books and pictures, hobby kit, bikes and a reasonable stock of household supplies. It does not cover alcohol, tobacco, commercial vehicles or the tools of your trade. Goods can come in several shipments, all within 12 months of settling.
Source: gov.hr — Preseljenje predmeta kućanstva u Republiku Hrvatsku: carinski postupak
What documents does Croatian customs ask for?
Proof of the 12 months abroad first. Croatia accepts a confirmation from a Croatian embassy or consulate, employment records, or a rental contract covering the period — for a UK move, a tenancy agreement and payslips usually do it. Then receipts or other proof showing you owned the goods, and an itemised inventory of what is in the lorry.
Timing is more flexible than people expect. If the goods need to arrive before you do, customs can release them against a signed declaration that you intend to move, backed by a guarantee or a cash deposit. Once you have settled, the security is released.
Can you bring your car to Croatia tax free?
Only partly. A private car you have owned for six months can come in as personal property, free of customs duty — bring the registration document as proof. But Croatia’s special tax on motor vehicles, known as PPMV, is charged whatever the car’s origin, along with any environmental fee.
Factor that in before deciding whether to drive the car over, ship it with the furniture or sell it in the UK.
When do you register your address in Croatia?
Croatian citizens moving home register their residence at the local police station within 15 days of settling — the same station issues identity documents. Foreign nationals, including Britons, arrange their stay through the Ministry of the Interior; start at mup.gov.hr. We handle the move, not immigration, so check that side before fixing a date.
How does a removal lorry reach Croatia?
By road. After the Channel crossing the usual route runs through Germany and Austria, then Slovenia, into Zagreb — and on down the coast for Rijeka, Split or Dubrovnik. Island addresses add a ferry leg, so mention one when you ask for quotes.
For a flat or a few rooms a part load shares the lorry and the cost, with a delivery window instead of a fixed day. Narrow old-town streets on the coast rarely take a full-size lorry, so expect a shuttle van for the last part.
Meat and dairy from Great Britain can’t enter the EU in personal belongings, so empty the fridge. We don’t quote a Croatia price — no source we could verify gives one — but a survey gets you a fixed figure. See the European removals guide for other routes.
Moving from Croatia to the UK
Coming to Britain, claim Transfer of Residence relief on form ToR01 before you move. You need to have lived outside the UK for 12 consecutive months, owned the goods for at least six, and bring them in within 12 months of arriving.
Alcohol, tobacco and commercial vehicles are excluded. If the UK home isn’t ready, storage covers the gap.
Removals to Croatia: FAQs
Do I pay duty or VAT moving my furniture to Croatia?
Neither, if you qualify. Croatia exempts household goods from both customs duty and VAT when you have lived outside the EU for 12 months in a row and used the goods in your home for at least six months.
Can my belongings arrive before I do?
Yes. Croatian customs can release them before you move if you sign a declaration that you intend to settle and lodge a guarantee or cash deposit, which is returned once you have moved.
Is my car free of tax if I bring it to Croatia?
Not entirely. A car can come in duty free as personal property, but Croatia still charges its special motor-vehicle tax (PPMV) and any environmental fee, wherever the car comes from.
How quickly do I need to register my address?
Croatian citizens register their residence at the local police station within 15 days of settling. Foreign nationals arrange their stay through the Ministry of the Interior.
Can I pack British bacon or cheese?
No. Since January 2021 meat and dairy from Great Britain cannot enter the EU in personal belongings. Eat it, give it away or leave it behind.
How do I move back from Croatia to the UK?
Apply for Transfer of Residence relief on form ToR01 before you move. You need 12 consecutive months living outside the UK and goods owned for at least six months, imported within 12 months of arriving.