Moving from Ireland to Iceland
A North Atlantic sea move between two islands. Here is the honest brief on container costs, why your goods clear customs despite the EEA, the strict food and pet rules, and a timeline you can plan around.
A move from Ireland to Iceland is a sea move between two North Atlantic islands. Your goods are loaded near home, trucked to Dublin port, and shipped to Reykjavik, often routed through a European hub such as Rotterdam before the final North Atlantic leg, since direct sailings are limited. Plan for a realistic door to door window of about four to seven weeks once you count loading, the sailing, customs clearance, and delivery.
The surprise here is that even though both countries are in the European Economic Area, Iceland sits outside the European Union customs union, so this is a customs event, not a free circulation move. Transfer of residence relief lets you bring used household goods free of duty and value added tax when you are genuinely relocating, but Iceland is unusually strict on what may come in at all, especially food and pets, so read the rules before you pack.
Prices below are in euros and indicative for 2026. The North Atlantic is a small, specialised freight market and the routing via a hub adds handling, so the rate can feel high relative to the distance. Volume is still the biggest lever, so what you actually ship decides most of the cost.
What it costs to move from Ireland to Iceland.
What it really costs to move a household from Ireland to Iceland by sea in 2026, shown as indicative ranges by home size and container use. Volume and the specialised North Atlantic routing drive the number.
Indicative 2026 ranges in euros, door to door by sea, before full packing, marine insurance, customs handling, and any storage. Volume, the season, the sailing frequency, hub routing, and delivery distance from Reykjavik move the figure. Book early, as capacity is limited.
Four levers move the number. Volume is the biggest, since a shared container bills by the space you use, so a hard declutter saves the most. Shared versus sole use trades cost against control, with groupage cheaper but tied to sailings. Season matters, because winter weather can disrupt North Atlantic sailings. And delivery counts, since reaching a home outside the Reykjavik area adds road distance on the island.
A realistic schedule for a North Atlantic move.
Your timeline is driven by the sailing schedule, any hub routing, and customs clearance, so confirm the next sailing and prepare your transfer of residence paperwork early.
Plan and get surveys
Have movers run a video or in home survey for an accurate volume and a binding price, then compare shared and sole use quotes like for like. Check the food and pet rules before deciding what to bring.
Book and prepare papers
Lock in your mover and a sailing, and assemble your transfer of residence documents, including an inventory and proof you are moving your residence to Iceland.
Declutter and pack
Run a hard declutter, since you pay for space, then have the crew pack and load. Set aside anything restricted, especially food, and keep documents with you.
North Atlantic crossing
The shipment sails from Dublin to Reykjavik, often via a European hub, typically a few weeks depending on the routing and any port calls.
Clear, settle, register
Your goods clear customs under transfer of residence relief, then you register and obtain your kennitala, and use it to set up tax, healthcare, and a bank account.
Customs and import into Iceland, plus strict controls.
Iceland is in the European Economic Area but outside the European Union customs union, so moving your household from Ireland is a customs event. Your shipment is declared to Iceland Revenue and Customs, known as Skatturinn, on arrival. The standard transfer of residence relief allows used household goods that you have owned and used before the move, typically for at least a year, to be imported free of import duty and value added tax when you are relocating your residence to Iceland.
What makes Iceland different is how tightly it controls certain imports to protect its isolated environment. Food, especially raw or uncooked items, is heavily restricted, and pets cannot simply travel with you. Bringing an animal requires an import permit arranged in advance and, in many cases, a stay in quarantine, organised through the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority, known as MAST. Plants, and used equipment that has touched animals or soil, also face controls.
You will provide an inventory and proof of your move for the relief, and a customs broker or your mover will present the declaration. Plan pet logistics months ahead, because the permit and any quarantine booking are the slowest part of the whole move, far slower than the furniture.
How the Irish actually move to Iceland.
As an EEA citizen you do not need a visa or work permit for Iceland. The task is to register your residence and get your kennitala, not to seek permission to live there.
As an Irish citizen you have the right to live and work in Iceland under EEA free movement, with no visa or work permit. You register your residence rather than apply for permission.
- Type
- Free movement
- Permit
- None
- Work
- Unrestricted
- Basis
- EEA citizenship
You register with Registers Iceland, known as Thjodskra, and obtain your national identity number, the kennitala, which is the key to tax, healthcare, banking, and almost every service.
- Step
- Register
- Issuer
- Registers Iceland
- Get
- Kennitala
- Then
- Everything
Your spouse and children move with you. Family members who are not EEA citizens apply for a residence permit on the basis of their relationship to you.
- Type
- Family
- EEA family
- Register
- Non EEA family
- Permit
- Work
- Allowed
EEA citizens who live and work in Iceland build a continuous record of legal residence over time, securing a long term right to stay.
- Type
- Continuous
- Basis
- Time in Iceland
- Gives
- Settled status
- Renews
- Long term
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.
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Questions people ask about this move.
How much does it cost to move from Ireland to Iceland?
As indicative ranges for 2026, a 2 to 3 bedroom move runs roughly 3,200 to 6,000 euros in a shared container and 11,500 to 17,000 euros for a sole use 40ft, before packing, insurance, customs handling, and storage. The specialised North Atlantic lane drives the number. Get a binding quote from a survey.
How long does it take to move from Ireland to Iceland?
Expect about four to seven weeks door to door. The shipment sails from Dublin to Reykjavik, often via a European hub since direct sailings are limited, then clears customs and is delivered. Shared container groupage and winter weather can both add time, so build in a buffer.
Do I pay customs duty moving from Ireland to Iceland?
It is a customs event because Iceland sits outside the EU customs union, but transfer of residence relief usually lets you import used household goods free of duty and value added tax when you genuinely relocate, subject to conditions. Confirm the current rules with Skatturinn before you ship.
Do I need a visa to move from Ireland to Iceland?
No. As an Irish and EEA citizen you have the right to live and work in Iceland under free movement. You register your residence and obtain your kennitala from Registers Iceland rather than applying for a visa. Non EEA family members apply for a residence permit.
Can I bring my pet from Ireland to Iceland?
Only with careful planning. Iceland controls animal imports tightly, so a pet needs an import permit arranged in advance through MAST and, in many cases, a period of quarantine. Start this months ahead, because it is the slowest part of the move.
What should I do first when I arrive in Iceland?
Register with Registers Iceland and obtain your kennitala, the national identity number. With it you can set up tax and healthcare, open a bank account, sign a lease, and access almost every public and private service.