How Removals to the Channel Islands Work
Moving to Jersey or Guernsey is not a normal van job. Your belongings cross by sea and clear customs on the way. Here is how the whole thing runs, and how we make it one job for you.
Your belongings are export-packed, taken to the port and shipped by sea to Jersey or Guernsey, then cleared through customs and delivered to your parish. Transit is usually two to four days. Jersey charges GST at five per cent (with relief for a home move); Guernsey has none. A good removals firm handles the packing, the freight and the paperwork as a single move.
A move to the Channel Islands looks like a normal removal at each end, with a survey, packing and a delivery. In the middle, though, it is a sea crossing and a customs process, which is where island moves go wrong if they are treated like a trip up the motorway. Get those two parts right and the rest is straightforward.
Why it is not a normal move
Three things set a Channel Islands move apart from a mainland one.
It goes by sea
There is no drive-all-the-way option. Your load is shipped across on freight, so it has to be packed and booked for a sea crossing, not a short road trip.
It clears customs
Belongings are declared to island customs on arrival. The paperwork is routine when it is done properly, and the removals firm normally handles it.
Packing matters more
Export-grade packing protects everything through loading, the crossing and handling at the port, where an under-packed box does not survive.
How a Channel Islands move runs
From first call to final delivery, a typical move follows six steps.
Survey and quote
We assess how much you are moving and give a clear, fixed quote, with the island, packing and any storage all built in.
Export packing
Your belongings are wrapped and boxed with materials made for sea transport, then labelled and inventoried ready for customs.
Collection and to the port
We load and take everything to the departure port on the south coast for the sailing to your island.
The sea crossing
Your load travels by freight to Jersey or Guernsey. Door-to-door transit is usually two to four days, longer for a larger or further move.
Customs clearance
On arrival the goods are presented to customs and the declaration is completed. We handle that so you do not have to.
Delivery to your parish
Everything is delivered to your new home, unloaded and reassembled, whether that is St Helier, St Peter Port or a country parish.
Customs and tax: Jersey and Guernsey differ
Both islands sit outside UK VAT, but they treat imported belongings differently. This is one of the biggest surprises for people moving over.
- GST is charged at five per cent on imported goods
- Relief is available on personal belongings when you are moving home
- An importer's declaration is made to clear your goods
- No UK VAT applies
- No GST or VAT at all, so the tax side is simpler
- You self-declare an inventory to customs
- Some excise duties can apply to specific goods only
- No UK VAT applies
See our full pages on removals to Jersey and removals to Guernsey for how each island move works in detail.
What you cannot ship
Most household goods travel fine. A few things stay off the freight, for customs or safety reasons.
Keep these out of the shipment
- Perishable food and plants
- Petrol, gas bottles and flammables
- Paints, chemicals and hazardous liquids
- Firearms or weapons without the right licences
- Damp or not-quite-dry items
- Cash, jewellery and irreplaceable documents
What affects the cost
Island moves are priced on space and handling rather than mileage. The main factors are:
The honest way to price it is a survey, so you get a fixed figure rather than a guess.
Planning a move to the Channel Islands?
Tell us what you are moving and where to, and we will handle the packing, the sea freight, the customs paperwork and the delivery to your parish as one job.
Common questions
How long does a Channel Islands move take?
Door-to-door transit is usually two to four days. Allow longer overall for a big house, a busy sailing schedule or a move from further north, up to a couple of weeks start to finish.
Do I pay tax on my belongings?
Moving to Jersey, GST is five per cent, but relief is available on personal belongings for a home move. Moving to Guernsey, there is no GST or VAT at all.
Who does the customs paperwork?
We do. Your belongings are inventoried and the declaration is handled as part of the move, so you are not left filling in forms at the port.
Can you ship a car too?
Yes, vehicles can be shipped across alongside a household move. Ask us and we will include it in the quote.