Moving from Ireland to Germany
An island move that ends on the mainland. No customs to clear, no visa to chase, just a ferry, a long drive, and the German habit of registering everything the week you arrive. Get the Anmeldung done early and the rest of the paperwork falls into place. Here is the honest brief.
Moving from Ireland to Germany is one of the easier corridors on this index, because both countries are in the European Union and the single market. Your belongings travel as Union goods, which means there is no customs entry, no import duty, and no tax to reclaim. The logistics are simply a question of getting off an island, so your goods leave by ferry from Dublin or Rosslare, either direct to a continental port such as Cherbourg, Rotterdam, or Zeebrugge, or across the United Kingdom landbridge, then complete the journey to your German address by road.
Because there is no border friction, the thing that actually shapes your first weeks is German bureaucracy, and it runs on one habit. Germany expects you to register your address, the Anmeldung, at the local Bürgeramt or Einwohnermeldeamt soon after you move in, usually within fourteen days. That registration triggers your tax identification number, the Steueridentifikationsnummer, which arrives by post, and almost everything else, from a bank account to a phone contract to health insurance, depends on it. Book the Anmeldung appointment as early as you can, because slots in the big cities go fast.
What it costs to move from Ireland to Germany.
What it really costs to move a household from Ireland to Germany in 2026, as indicative ranges by home size and method. As an intra European road and ferry move it is far cheaper than any sea freight corridor, and a shared load is the norm.
Indicative ranges for 2026 in US dollars, before full packing and premium insurance. A shared load splits a truck with other consignments and is the value option, while a dedicated truck moves your goods alone on your schedule. The ferry crossing is built into the price. These are not binding figures.
The biggest variable is whether you take a shared load or a dedicated truck, because sharing a vehicle with other moves is far cheaper but works to a wider delivery window, while a dedicated truck runs to your dates and costs more. Distance within Germany matters, since a delivery to Hamburg or Cologne is a shorter drive from the ferry than Munich or Berlin. Season brings a summer premium from roughly June to September. Access at both ends counts, because narrow Irish terraces and German buildings with no lift and strict parking can need a smaller shuttle vehicle or a parking permit.
A realistic schedule for an intra EU move.
There is no visa or customs to wait on, so the timeline is shorter than a sea move. The work is booking the right ferry slot and lining up your German registration for the week you arrive.
Plan the move and the ferry
Get binding surveys, decide between a shared load and a dedicated truck, and confirm whether your mover ships direct to the continent or uses the United Kingdom landbridge. Book early for summer dates.
Sort housing and the Anmeldung
Secure your German address and, where possible, pre book an Anmeldung appointment at the local Bürgeramt, since you cannot register without somewhere to live and city slots fill quickly.
Confirm logistics
Reconfirm collection and delivery dates, parking and lift access at both ends, and your inventory. Arrange any disconnection of utilities in Ireland and set up the basics in Germany.
Pack and load
The crew packs and loads in Ireland, and your goods travel by ferry and road. A shared load delivers within an agreed window, a dedicated truck to a set date.
Register and settle in
Complete your Anmeldung within about fourteen days to receive your Steueridentifikationsnummer by post, then open a bank account, arrange statutory or private health insurance, and set up utilities and broadband.
Customs when moving inside the European Union.
Because Ireland and Germany are both in the European Union and its customs union, there is no customs clearance for your household goods. Your belongings move as Union goods in free circulation, so there is no import declaration, no duty, and no value added tax to pay or reclaim on personal effects you already own. This is the single biggest advantage of an intra EU corridor and it removes the step that adds weeks and cost on a move from outside the bloc.
That does not mean there are no rules at all. Some categories still carry restrictions wherever you move them, including firearms and weapons, certain plants and live animals, and items such as alcohol or tobacco in quantities that look commercial rather than personal. If you are bringing a pet, EU pet travel rules apply, with a microchip, a rabies vaccination, and an EU pet passport or the equivalent, so check the current requirements before you travel.
A vehicle is straightforward to bring because it stays within the EU, but you will need to register it in Germany after you move, which means German registration, the local roadworthiness check known as the Hauptuntersuchung if it is due, and German insurance. Both countries drive on opposite sides, since Ireland drives on the left and Germany on the right, so think about whether a right hand drive car suits daily life in Germany before you commit to shipping it over.
How people from Ireland actually move to Germany.
Irish citizens are citizens of the European Union, so moving to Germany does not need a visa or a work permit. The task is registration rather than immigration. These are the routes and steps that matter.
As an Irish and therefore EU citizen, you have the right to live, work, study, and retire in Germany without a visa or permit. You simply move and then register your residence locally.
- Basis
- EU citizenship
- Visa
- Not required
- Work
- Permitted
- Path
- Open ended
Registering your address at the Bürgeramt is the practical equivalent of arriving paperwork. It produces your registration certificate and triggers your tax identification number.
- Basis
- Residence
- When
- Within about 14 days
- Where
- Local Bürgeramt
- Unlocks
- Tax ID, banking
With free movement you can take a job or be self employed without sponsorship. You register with the tax office through your employer or directly, and join the health and social insurance system.
- Basis
- EU citizenship
- Work
- Permitted
- Tax
- Steueridentifikationsnummer
- Path
- Open ended
Non EU family members of an EU citizen exercising free movement have their own favourable route to join you in Germany, subject to the usual proofs of relationship.
- Basis
- Relationship
- Work
- Often allowed
- Conditions
- Proof of relationship
- Path
- Toward residence
How to choose a mover for this route, with no names attached.
This site never names, ranks, or recommends a moving company. Instead, here is the neutral checklist that separates a safe international mover from a risky one. Apply it to every quote you receive on the Ireland to Germany lane.
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Questions people ask about this move.
How much does it cost to move from Ireland to Germany?
As indicative ranges for 2026, a 2 to 3 bedroom move runs roughly 2,800 to 5,500 US dollars for a shared load and up to about 8,000 US dollars for a dedicated truck, before full packing and premium insurance. As an intra EU road and ferry move it is far cheaper than any sea freight corridor, so get a binding quote from a survey.
How long does moving from Ireland to Germany take?
Most moves run one to three weeks door to door, covering collection in Ireland, the ferry to the continent or across the United Kingdom landbridge, and road delivery to your German address. A shared load works to a delivery window, while a dedicated truck runs to set dates and can be quicker.
Do I pay duty moving from Ireland to Germany?
No. Both countries are in the European Union and its customs union, so your household goods move as Union goods with no customs entry, no import duty, and no value added tax to pay or reclaim on effects you already own. This is the main advantage of an intra EU corridor.
What is the Anmeldung?
It is the German address registration you complete at the local Bürgeramt or Einwohnermeldeamt soon after moving in, usually within about fourteen days. It produces a registration certificate and triggers your tax identification number, the Steueridentifikationsnummer, which you then need for banking, work, and health insurance.
Do Irish citizens need a visa to live in Germany?
No. Irish citizens are European Union citizens with full free movement rights, so you can live, work, study, and retire in Germany without a visa or work permit. You move first and then register your address through the Anmeldung. This is not immigration advice, so confirm the current process officially.
Can I bring my car from Ireland to Germany?
Yes, since it stays within the EU, but you will need to register it in Germany, pass the roadworthiness check if due, and take out German insurance. Bear in mind that Ireland drives on the left and Germany on the right, so consider whether a right hand drive car suits everyday use before shipping it.