Moving to the Netherlands – verhuisgoederen duty-free, carefully planned

The basic conditions of the Dutch Douane (customs) for duty-free removal goods are listed above. In practice, though, households rarely trip up over the furniture itself, but over the things that travel along with it: wine, cigarettes, the car or the cat. The Douane has its own guidance on exactly these points.

Alcohol and tobacco: stricter than many expect

According to the Douane, alcohol, tobacco, business vehicles and professional equipment are excluded from the exemption. If wine or spirits are among your removal goods, import duties are payable on them. With tobacco the Douane goes further: only tobacco products bearing valid Dutch tax stamps are permitted. Goods without these stamps are seized, and the taxes are still charged.

Opened cartons of cigarettes from Switzerland therefore do not belong in the moving boxes. List wine and spirits separately on the inventory so that the duties can be calculated correctly.

Something similar applies to the self-employed: tools, practice equipment or a business vehicle are not covered by the removal exemption, according to the Douane. Such items belong on a separate list, so that private household goods are not mixed with goods used for work and clearance does not stall.

Car or motorbike: BPM exemption on paper

For a vehicle among your removal goods, the Dutch registration tax BPM is due unless an exemption applies. You apply for the exemption to the Belastingdienst (Dutch tax authority); according to the authority, the procedure is on paper and not online. When moving from a non-EU country, the vehicle must also be inspected by the vehicle registration authority RDW.

Only after the inspection do registration with the RDW and the Dutch vehicle documents follow. Motor vehicle tax (motorrijtuigenbelasting) is payable despite the BPM exemption. Expect the car to be on the road with Swiss papers for a while, and clarify the permitted period in advance.

Dogs and cats: their own requirements

The Douane includes dogs and cats on its list of things you cannot simply take into the Netherlands. On the Swiss side, the BLV (Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office) names a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and a pet passport; for exports to EU countries the same requirements apply as for imports, supplemented by national rules. According to the BLV, there are no checks on export.

The animal does not travel in the removal lorry anyway, but with you. The documents therefore belong in your hand luggage, not in a box. Check the exact Dutch requirements before the moving date, so that your pet and your household goods can arrive on the same day.

• Use up tobacco products without Dutch tax stamps before the move or leave them behind.
• List wine and spirits separately on the inventory.
• Apply in writing to the Belastingdienst for the BPM exemption and plan in the RDW inspection.
• Carry the pet passport and proof of vaccination, and check the Dutch requirements in advance.
• Declare the export in Switzerland during the opening hours of a customs office handling commercial goods (BAZG).

The information from the Dutch Douane and the Belastingdienst is authoritative; please check the details there beforehand. If the route passes through a neighbouring country, it is also worth looking at removals to Belgium and removals to Germany.

Frequently asked questions

Who hands over my Swiss flat if I already live in the Netherlands?
Our cleaning team, if you book the final cleaning as well. Thanks to the handover guarantee, we attend the handover appointment with the property management and put right any complaints immediately free of charge. You can give us the keys beforehand, so you do not have to travel from Amsterdam or Rotterdam for the inspection.

How does the drive through Germany to Amsterdam, Rotterdam or Utrecht work?
Your household goods stay in the same vehicle from loading in Switzerland to the new address, secured with straps and insured. We agree a fixed delivery date with you in advance, so that you have the keys to the Dutch flat in time. You do not need to take care of anything on the way; the customs papers travel with us in the lorry.

Where are the customs formalities for a move to the Netherlands handled?
On both sides, by us: we declare the export with Swiss customs (BAZG), and the import takes place with the Dutch Douane. Your part is limited to the signed inventory list and proof of your new residence. We prepare both together before the removal lorry leaves Switzerland.

When should registration with the Dutch municipality be completed?
Ideally before your household goods arrive, because the Douane requires proof of taking up residence for the exemption. If this is not yet available on the moving date, we can store the furniture temporarily in our dry, alarm-protected warehouse and only deliver it once the proof is in hand. That way you avoid duties due to missing documents.

What applies to practice equipment and tools of self-employed people moving to The Hague?
They may come along, but they are not covered by the Douane's removal exemption. We therefore pack such equipment separately from your private household goods, label the boxes clearly and list them on a separate inventory. Delicate electronics or laboratory equipment are handled as in our IT and laboratory moves, padded and loaded without jolts.

Which items should go in my own luggage when moving to the Netherlands?
Everything you need immediately on arrival or would rather not let out of your hands: passports, contracts, keys, medication, jewellery and laptop. Also pack a bag for the first few days, in case the furniture arrives after you.

What should I bear in mind if my own car is moving to the Netherlands too?
You drive the car yourself; only the household goods travel in the removal lorry. Declare the vehicle separately for export and put a copy of the vehicle registration document in the folder with the customs papers. Until the RDW inspection, keep the Swiss registration document in the glove box so that you have all the papers to hand on the way.