Moving from France to Austria
A move within the European Union, so no customs duty on your belongings, but a registration clock that starts the moment you move in. Here is the honest brief on cost, road shipping, and the Meldezettel.
Costs are indicative ranges for 2026.
The honest summary of this move.
Moving a household from France to Austria is a straightforward European road move, because both countries are in the European Union, so there is no customs duty and no value added tax on your used belongings. For a 2 to 3 bedroom home, a shared road load runs roughly 3,000 to 6,500 US dollars in 2026, arriving in about one to two weeks door to door by truck to Vienna, Graz, Linz, or Salzburg.
This is a road move across the heart of Europe. Your goods travel by truck from France through Germany or Switzerland into Austria, so the price reflects your volume, the distance to your Austrian address, and whether you share a load or take a dedicated vehicle. Because the move stays inside the European Union customs union, there is no import declaration for your household goods and no duty to pay, which keeps the clearance simple.
The real catch on this corridor is speed of registration, not customs. Austria requires you to file the Meldezettel, the address registration, at the local registration office within three days of moving into your home. The form is free and needs no appointment, but it must be signed by both you and your landlord, so line it up before you arrive. From the Meldezettel flows almost everything else, including banking and administration.
For residence, French citizens have free movement rights in Austria and need no visa. If you stay longer than three months you apply for the Anmeldebescheinigung, the registration certificate for European Union citizens, within four months of arrival at the immigration authority. You will also register for health insurance, usually through the OGK, and obtain a tax number. Budget in euro, and expect a deposit and agency costs when you rent.
What it costs, by home size and method.
The numbers below are indicative ranges for France to Austria in 2026. It is a long road lane across central Europe, so volume and your Austrian delivery distance drive the price.
Indicative ranges for 2026 in US dollars. The main drivers are volume in cubic metres, the distance from your French city to your Austrian address, packing scope, access at both ends, and the season. A summer move costs more, since June to August is peak demand on this lane.
- + Best value for a 2 to 3 bedroom home
- + You pay only for the space you use on the truck
- - You wait for the truck to fill and run its route
- + Your goods only, fewer handoffs
- + Pays off for a 3 bedroom home or larger
- - Expensive for a small load
- + Fastest way to move essentials
- + Good for a few boxes during the wait
- - Costly by volume for a full home
A sane timeline for this move.
With one to two weeks of transit and no customs to clear, the plan is mostly about logistics and getting your Austrian registrations done on time.
Plan the move
Confirm your Austrian address, decide between a shared load and a dedicated truck, and note that as a European Union citizen you have free movement rights and need no visa.
Line up the landlord
Because the Meldezettel needs your landlord's signature within three days of moving in, agree how and when you will get it signed before you arrive.
Get three surveys
Have movers run video or in home surveys for an accurate volume and a binding quote that names your French collection point and your Austrian delivery address.
Pack and load
The crew packs and inventories your goods, then loads the truck for the drive through central Europe. There is no customs declaration for household goods inside the European Union.
File the Meldezettel
Register your address at the local registration office within three days of moving in, with the form signed by you and your landlord.
Register and settle
Apply for the Anmeldebescheinigung within four months if staying over three months, register for health insurance through the OGK, and obtain your tax number.
Bringing your household goods into Austria.
Because both France and Austria are in the European Union, your used household goods move freely with no customs duty and no value added tax, so the effort shifts to registration rather than clearance.
A move from France to Austria stays inside the European Union customs union, so there is no import declaration for your personal and household goods and no duty or value added tax on them. You do not need a transfer of residence certificate or a consular form for the belongings themselves, which is why this corridor clears so simply compared with a move from outside the Union.
The administration that matters is registration. The Meldezettel, the address registration, must be filed at the local registration office within three days of moving into your home, signed by you and your landlord. It is free and needs no appointment, but missing the window causes friction with everything that depends on a registered address, from banking to your residence certificate.
A few categories still carry rules even within the Union. A vehicle brought from France can be driven for a period but should be registered in Austria if you settle, which involves a process and the standardised consumption tax known as the NoVA, so check the current thresholds. Pets travel under European Union rules with a pet passport, microchip, and valid rabies vaccination. Items of unusual value are still worth listing clearly on your inventory for insurance and peace of mind.
Verify before you move. Vehicle registration rules and the NoVA, the Meldezettel and Anmeldebescheinigung procedures, and health insurance steps change. Confirm the current position with the Austrian authorities and your destination agent before you move.The realistic routes for this corridor.
French citizens have free movement rights in Austria and need no visa, but registration is time sensitive. These are the practical steps for this corridor.
As a French and European Union citizen you may live and work in Austria without a visa. For stays beyond three months you apply for the Anmeldebescheinigung registration certificate.
The address registration must be filed at the local registration office within three days of moving in, signed by you and your landlord. It is free and needs no appointment.
The registration certificate for European Union citizens confirms your lawful stay beyond ninety days. You apply within four months of arrival at the immigration authority.
You register for health insurance, usually through the OGK, and obtain a tax number, both of which follow naturally once your address is registered.
How to choose a mover for France to Austria.
We never name, rank, or recommend a moving company. Instead, here is the neutral checklist that matters on this exact lane. Apply it to any quote, then request comparable quotes through the form below.
FIDI or IAM affiliation
Membership of the FIDI Global Alliance or the International Association of Movers signals audited financial stability and a complaints process you can lean on if something goes wrong.
Real corridor experience
Ask how many households the company has shipped from France to Austria in the past year. A mover that runs the lane often knows the ports, the customs broker, and the paperwork by heart.
A binding pre move survey
Insist on a video or in home survey and a binding or not to exceed quote. A price built from a real volume estimate is the only quote you can compare like for like.
Clear insurance terms
Read how transit cover is calculated, what the deductible is, and whether valuation is by replacement value. Vague cover is the most common regret on an international move.
Verifiable reviews
Look for recent, specific reviews that name the destination, not just star ratings. Patterns in how a company handles claims tell you more than any single glowing note.
Written scope and timeline
Everything that matters belongs in writing: packing, customs clearance, delivery, unpacking, and debris removal, with who pays destination charges spelled out.
Get moving quotes for France to Austria.
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Questions people ask about this move.
How much does it cost to move from France to Austria?
For a 2 to 3 bedroom home, a shared road load typically costs from about 3,000 to 6,500 US dollars in 2026. Volume, your Austrian delivery distance, and the season drive the price. Base your budget on a binding pre move survey.
How long does shipping take from France to Austria?
Plan on roughly one to two weeks door to door for a shared road load across central Europe, including consolidation and delivery. A dedicated truck can run in four to eight days. There is no customs clearance to wait on inside the European Union.
Do I pay duty on my furniture moving to Austria?
No. Because France and Austria are both in the European Union, your used household goods move with no customs duty and no value added tax. There is no transfer of residence form needed for the belongings themselves.
What is the Meldezettel and when is it due?
The Meldezettel is the Austrian address registration. It must be filed at the local registration office within three days of moving into your home, signed by you and your landlord. It is free and needs no appointment.
What is the Anmeldebescheinigung?
It is the registration certificate for European Union citizens that confirms your lawful residence beyond three months. You apply for it within four months of arriving at the immigration authority.
Can I bring my car from France?
Yes, and you can drive it for a period, but if you settle you should register it in Austria, which involves a process and the standardised consumption tax known as the NoVA. Check the current rules before deciding to ship it.