Moving Abroad from Ireland: What to Ship, Store, or Sell

Moving abroad from Ireland puts two processes on the same timeline: the physical work of clearing and shipping a home, and the administrative side of unwinding your life from Irish systems — Revenue, An Post, NDLS, banks, utilities. Neither is complicated in isolation. Doing both at once, while also starting a new job in Amsterdam or Sydney, is where things come undone.

We have been handling international removals from Dublin since 1982. Here is how we see the key decisions.

Container Shipping vs Groupage: Which Option Suits You?

Groupage — also called LCL, or less than container load — means your belongings share a container with other customers’ shipments. You pay for the space your load takes up, measured in cubic metres. For most household moves abroad, groupage is the right choice. It costs considerably less than a full container and works well for everything from a one-bedroom flat in Rathmines to a three-bedroom semi.

A full 20ft container makes sense for large family homes moving to a destination where the household plans to keep all its furniture. A three-bedroom house typically fills a 20ft container; anything larger may need a 40ft. The decision comes down to volume and how much you plan to sell or clear before going.

Transit times vary by destination and matter for planning. Dublin to the UK by road takes four to seven days. Dublin to the US east coast by sea runs three to five weeks. Dublin to Sydney takes eight to twelve weeks. If you have a fixed start date abroad, work backwards from those figures to set your collection date.

How Much Does Moving Abroad from Ireland Cost?

Costs depend on destination, volume, and whether packing is included. As a guide for 2026:

Dublin to UK (road/sea, groupage): €600–€1,500 for a one-bedroom apartment load; €1,200–€2,200 for a three-bedroom house. Post-Brexit customs handling on the UK side adds a modest administrative charge. See our Dublin to UK removals page for destination-specific detail.

Dublin to mainland Europe (road/sea, groupage): €800–€1,600 for a smaller load; €1,500–€2,800 for a full house. No Irish export customs paperwork is needed for EU destinations.

Dublin to North America (sea, groupage): €1,800–€3,500 for a smaller load; €4,500–€7,500 for a full 20ft container depending on the destination port.

Dublin to Australia or New Zealand (sea, groupage): €2,000–€3,800 for a one- or two-bedroom load; €4,500–€8,500 for a full 20ft container. Biosecurity inspections on arrival add a fixed charge on the destination side.

These are realistic estimates, not ballpark figures. Get a fixed quote based on your actual inventory — a video survey takes about 20 minutes and lets us give you a written price with nothing added later.

Customs, Revenue Clearance, and the Paperwork Side

Moving within the EU — to France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands — involves no Irish customs export process. Household goods move freely between member states.

Moving outside the EU means declaring your goods for export. The receiving country may levy import duties unless you claim Transfer of Residence Relief (ToR), which exempts personal and household effects owned for at least six months from import duty. Most destination countries offer some version of ToR. Your removal company should provide a detailed inventory to support the claim — we do this as standard for all international jobs.

For Revenue: notify them of your new address and departure date. A split-year basis may apply to your final Irish tax return, depending on when in the year you leave. This determines which income is taxed in Ireland versus your new country. That is a conversation for an accountant rather than a removal company, but it is worth addressing before your departure date, not after.

Other Irish admin to clear before you go: An Post address redirection, ESB and gas account transfers, NDLS notification if you are switching to a foreign driving licence, and your bank’s address change process. None of these are difficult individually, but they all have lead times.

What Is the 183 Day Rule in Ireland?

If you spend 183 or more days in Ireland in a calendar year, Revenue considers you tax resident in Ireland for that year. Spending 280 or more days across two consecutive years also triggers residency. Leaving mid-year can create a split-year situation — Revenue recognises a departure date in certain circumstances, which determines which income is Irish-taxable.

The practical implication: if you leave in September and plan to work abroad before the year end, the days you have already spent in Ireland in that calendar year count. Most people leaving for work will have exceeded 183 days by then. Get professional tax advice if you have any Irish income source, rental property, or pension to manage. Revenue’s online myAccount portal is the right place to notify them of a change of residence.

What Countries Are Easy to Move to from Ireland?

The UK, Australia, Canada, the UAE, and EU member states — particularly Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Spain — are the most common destinations for people leaving Ireland. Each has different requirements on arrival.

UK moves are logistically straightforward but now involve customs declarations both ways since Brexit. EU moves have no Irish export paperwork but require setting up a local tax number equivalent to a PPSN in the destination country. Australia and Canada use points-based immigration systems that suit skilled workers and professionals. The UAE draws a significant number of Irish workers on fixed-term contracts, mainly for the tax-free income.

From a shipping perspective, EU moves are fastest and cheapest. Australia and New Zealand have the longest sea transit times and the most rigorous biosecurity process on arrival — certain goods including untreated timber, some foodstuffs, and some plant materials will not clear inspection.

What to Put in Storage vs What to Sell Before Moving

Storage makes sense in three situations: you are leaving on a fixed-term contract and expect to return, you are not certain your furniture will suit the new home, or you have belongings you want to hold on to while you settle abroad.

Our storage service runs on a flexible monthly basis with no minimum term — suited to one- and two-year work visas. A standard unit holds a one-bedroom apartment’s worth of furniture; a larger unit handles a full three-bedroom house. Units are dry, secure, and accessible during business hours.

The case for selling instead: large Irish furniture often does not suit apartments abroad. Sofas and beds are not always built to European or American standard sizes. White goods are not worth shipping — it is cheaper to buy locally on arrival. Anything unused in the past twelve months is a strong candidate for donation to SVP or Oxfam, or disposal through the DCC civic amenity sites.

One practical note: management companies in Dublin apartment blocks often require advance notice and a skip permit for large clear-outs. Check with the management company at least two weeks before your moving date. Our house removals team can handle a clear-out on the same day as the loading job — what goes on the truck, what goes to storage, and what stays behind, sorted in one visit for a house in Clontarf or a flat in Ranelagh.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 183 day rule in Ireland?

If you spend 183 or more days in Ireland in a calendar year, Revenue considers you tax resident for that year. Leaving mid-year may create a split-year situation — which income is taxable in Ireland depends on your departure date. Get professional tax advice before you go, not after.

What countries are easy to move to from Ireland?

The UK, EU member states, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UAE are the most common destinations for people leaving Ireland. EU moves need no customs export paperwork on the Irish side. UK moves have required customs declarations since Brexit. Non-EU moves need Transfer of Residence Relief documentation to avoid import duties at the destination.

How much does it cost to ship belongings from Ireland?

Groupage shipments cost roughly €600–€1,500 for a one-bedroom apartment load to the UK, €1,200–€2,500 to mainland Europe, and €2,000–€3,800 to Australia or North America. A full 20ft container to Australia runs €4,500–€8,500. Costs depend on volume, destination, and whether professional packing is included.

Ready to Move?

Moving abroad from Ireland is one of the bigger logistical challenges a household takes on. J Hanway Removals & Storage handles the physical side — packing, loading, international shipping, and storage of what stays behind. We have been doing this since 1982 and are well used to the complexity that comes with international moves from Dublin.

Call +353 85 194 9801 or get in touch through the contact form for a fixed quote and a clear timeline before you commit to anything.