Moving to Guernsey from the UK
Guernsey splits its homes into two markets, asks for a permit to work and charges for a trip to the doctor. Here is how relocating from the mainland really works.
DJS Moves plans removals from across the UK to Guernsey, and the first question is nearly always the same: can I just move there? The answer is yes, but where you can live depends on which housing market you are in, and that depends on your job or your budget. Get that piece clear first and the rest of the move follows from it.
Guernsey is a Crown Dependency with its own government, tax system and health arrangements. It feels close to home, with sterling, British plugs and UK supermarkets, yet the practical rules are its own. This guide sets them out alongside what to expect when your furniture arrives on the island.
Get a Free Guernsey Removal QuoteTwo housing markets, and which one is yours
Every home on Guernsey sits in one of two markets. Which one you can live in shapes your budget, your choice of property and how quickly you can move.
Open Market
No job neededAbout seven per cent of the island's homes. Anyone can buy or rent here without a work permit, which is why most people relocating by choice look at it first.
- Buy or rent freely, with an Open Market Resident Certificate for each adult
- Larger, pricier homes, and a small supply
- Tax cap options for wealthier new residents
Local Market
Permit neededThe rest of the island's housing. To live here as a newcomer you need an employment permit linked to a job, or to be family of someone who already qualifies.
- Most people moving for work start here on a permit
- Short Term permit holders live in lodgings, not their own home
- After eight years you can become Established
Prices: States of Guernsey Residential Property Prices Bulletin, April to June 2026.
Permits and certificates you may need
Guernsey's population management rules apply to everyone, British passport or not. Each adult in the household needs a document. Employment permits are tied to a named job with a named employer, so the job offer comes first.
| Document | Who it is for | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Open Market Resident Certificate | Anyone living in Open Market housing, with no work restriction from the certificate itself | £50 |
| Long Term Employment Permit | Skilled roles. Up to eight years, and you can live as a householder in either market with your family | £700 |
| Short Term Employment Permit | Roles of up to a year, renewable to three. Lodgings only | £120 |
| Family Member Resident Permit | Partners and children of a permit or certificate holder | £50 |
| Established Resident Certificate | After eight unbroken years in the Local Market, with no ties to a job | Low or no fee |
After a further six years, 14 in all, you can hold a Permanent Resident Certificate, which keeps your right to return for life.
Bringing your belongings: customs, and GST from 2029
Guernsey has no VAT and, for now, no Goods and Services Tax. Household goods coming from the UK are not charged customs duty when you move, provided the move is declared properly.
- A full inventory of what is being moved
- A customs declaration on form C15 for a move from the UK
- Alcohol and tobacco declared separately, as they carry excise duty
- Anything packed inside a car you are sending listed on form C20
GST is on its way. In October 2026 the States voted to introduce a Goods and Services Tax of three per cent, starting in 2029. It changes nothing for a move made before then, but it is worth knowing if you are planning ahead.
When DJS Moves handles a removal to Guernsey, we prepare the inventory and complete the customs paperwork with the freight booking, so it is ready before your goods reach St Peter Port.
Island roads and your removal
This is the part most mainland removers overlook. Guernsey's lanes are narrow, often walled with granite on both sides, and the island sets firm limits on what can drive on them.
Full-size removal lorries are restricted to set routes and hours, or need a permit. That is why an island move is planned around the right vehicles, with delivery to your door made by a van that suits the lanes, not by whatever crossed on the ferry.
Tax and the cost of living
Guernsey's tax system is simple, and the island has no capital gains or inheritance tax. Property buyers pay Document Duty on the purchase price instead of stamp duty, so ask your advocate for the current bands.
Day to day, groceries and housing cost more than in most of the UK, while there is no annual road tax because it is built into the price of fuel. Inflation has been running above the UK's rate, so build some headroom into your budget for the first year.
Healthcare costs to plan for
Specialist and hospital care is covered for people who live on the island and are registered with Social Security. Seeing a GP, though, is a paid appointment, as are some visits to the Emergency Department.
GP appointment
Social Security pays a small grant towards each visit
Emergency Department
Depends on whether you need advice or treatment. Under 18s pay less
Prescriptions
Per item, with exemptions for people of pension age
Specialist and hospital care
Covered by the Specialist Health Insurance Scheme once you are registered
The UK and Guernsey arrangement for urgent care covers visitors only, so it stops applying once you live on the island. Register with Social Security as soon as you arrive.
Your car, schools and pets
Bringing a car
Register it within 14 days of arrival. First Registration Duty is based on emissions, from around £121 for an electric or low-emission car to over £2,800 for the thirstiest, and moving house does not exempt you. Swap your UK licence within 12 months.
Schools
State schools are free for residents, with three 11 to 16 high schools and a sixth form centre. Elizabeth College, the Ladies' College and Blanchelande are fee-paying alternatives.
Cats and dogs
Pets coming straight from Great Britain need no paperwork or vaccinations, as long as they are microchipped and at least eight weeks old. See our tips on moving house with pets.
Utilities are simple: Guernsey Electricity and Guernsey Water supply the whole island, and Sure and JT provide broadband and mobile.
Heading to Alderney or Sark?
Both sit within the Bailiwick of Guernsey but run their own rules, so check before you plan around the Guernsey system.
Alderney
No Open and Local Market split and no residence permits, although you still need permission to work. Property is generally cheaper than on Guernsey.
Sark
Its own residency rules and no cars at all, only tractors and mobility vehicles, so deliveries there need special planning. It is outside Guernsey's specialist health scheme.
Getting your home across
Passengers usually fly with Aurigny or take the ferry from Portsmouth, which goes daily from November 2026, or from Poole on the faster route. Your furniture travels as freight from Portsmouth into St Peter Port, which is why it needs export packing and a booked crossing well ahead of your moving date.
DJS Moves takes care of the whole chain: survey, packing for the crossing, freight booking, customs paperwork and delivery to your new home in any of Guernsey's ten parishes. You can read how each stage works in our guide to how removals to the Channel Islands work, and compare the other island in moving to Jersey from the UK.
Ready to plan your move to Guernsey?
Send us a few details about your home and your dates. We will price the packing, the crossing, the customs paperwork and the lane-friendly delivery as one fixed figure.
Questions people ask us
Can anyone move to Guernsey from the UK?
Yes, there is no visa for British citizens. What you need is the right document: an Open Market Resident Certificate to live in Open Market housing, or an employment permit tied to a job to live in the Local Market.
Can I buy a house in Guernsey without a job there?
Yes, in the Open Market. Anyone can buy an Open Market home, although supply is small and prices are high. Local Market homes are for people who qualify through work, family or long residence.
Do I pay tax on my belongings when I move?
No. Guernsey has no VAT or GST at present and no customs duty on household goods moved from the UK, as long as they are declared. Alcohol and tobacco carry excise duty. A three per cent GST is due from 2029.
Will a normal removal lorry fit on Guernsey's roads?
Often not. Vehicles are limited to 2.31 metres wide on most roads, and larger lorries are kept to set routes and times. Your removal company should plan the delivery with vehicles that suit the lanes.
How long does a move to Guernsey take?
Once your home is packed, the freight crossing and delivery usually take a few days, depending on sailings. From survey to unpacking, allow two to three weeks for a full house.