The Complete Guide

Cost depends on four things: the total weight and volume of your goods, the collection and delivery postcodes, the speed of service you choose, and any specialist handling requirements such as fragile items or temperature control.

As a general guide, sending a standard 20 kg parcel from London to Munich costs roughly £35 to £60 on a standard five-day service.

A half-van load of household furniture (approximately 10 cubic metres) typically costs between £350 and £600. A full dedicated van (around 24 cubic metres) runs from £700 to £1,200 depending on origin and destination city. These figures are indicative; the only way to get your exact price is to call or use our online quote tool.

Import VAT in Germany is currently 19%, and this is payable by the recipient unless you are using a duty-deferment account or the goods are exempt.

For personal household removals, German customs allows relief from import duties and VAT under specific conditions, provided you have been resident outside the EU for at least 12 months and the goods are for personal use. Giant Van's team will advise you on if your shipment qualifies for this relief, which can save you a significant sum on a full house move.

Since Brexit, many UK senders have been caught out by changes they were not aware of.

Here is a plain-English summary of what matters in 2025 and 2026.

All goods leaving the UK for Germany are now subject to UK export customs declarations.

This was not required before 2021. The UK operates the Customs Declaration Service (CDS), and export entries must be filed by a registered customs agent. Giant Van handles this on your behalf.

Germany, as an EU member state, applies the EU's Import Control System 2 (ICS2) rules for security and safety declarations.

These apply to all goods entering the EU by road, rail, or sea. Giant Van's agents file these declarations as part of the standard booking.

De minimis thresholds matter for commercial goods.

The EU's de minimis threshold for customs duty relief is €150. Goods valued above €150 are subject to German import duty at the applicable rate, plus 19% German VAT. Goods valued below €150 are VAT-free if sent to a private individual under the IOSS scheme, but this primarily applies to small parcels sent by registered e-commerce sellers.

UK EORI numbers are required for any business shipping commercial goods.

If you do not have a UK EORI number, apply through HMRC's website before your first shipment. The application is free and takes five to ten working days to process. Giant Van can guide you through this if needed.