Moving from United Kingdom to France
It is a short road move across the Channel, but Brexit turned a simple van trip into a customs papered one. Here is the honest brief on removal costs, the attestation you need before departure, the visa and residency steps, and a timeline you can plan around.
A short crossing, but Brexit added the paperwork.
Most household moves from the United Kingdom to France go by road, with the van crossing the Channel by ferry from Dover or through the tunnel. The driving is short, often a single day to northern France and two or three to the south, so transit is measured in days, not weeks. That part has not changed.
What changed is the border. Since the United Kingdom left the European Union, France treats it as a non European country, so your removal now needs customs documentation on both sides. The key document is the attestation de changement de residence, the formal declaration that you are genuinely moving your main home, and it must be in place before your shipment leaves the United Kingdom. With it, your used belongings come in free of duty and value added tax under change of residence relief. Without it, your van can be held at the border. The lesson movers learn the hard way is to sort the paperwork first and book the van second.
Prices below are in pounds sterling and indicative for 2026. France uses the euro, so budget for currency on the far side, from your rental deposit to the cost of settling in.
What it costs in 2026, by home size and method.
Because this is a short road move, the choice that drives your bill is a shared load against a dedicated van, not which ocean container to book. The figures below are indicative ranges for 2026 in pounds sterling, door to door.
Indicative 2026 ranges in pounds sterling, door to door by road. Distance into France, volume, season, and access move the figure. Summer is the peak and prices rise with it.
- +Best value for a typical home, you pay for the space you use
- +Many operators run the Channel lane weekly
- −Schedules are fixed around other deliveries
- +Faster and direct, your goods only
- +Worth it for larger homes and tight timing
- −More than you need for a small load
- +Simple for a handful of boxes
- +Useful for items you need before the van
- −Not for furniture or a full home
Get moving quotes for United Kingdom to France.
Tell us your size and timing. We pass your request to vetted movers who run the Channel route into France and handle the customs paperwork, and you compare them on your own terms.
A realistic schedule for this route.
Working back from your delivery day, here is a realistic schedule for a road move from the United Kingdom to France.
Sort your visa
If you are staying beyond ninety days, apply for the right long stay visa before anything else, because your residence status underpins the change of residence customs relief.
Get surveys and quotes
Have movers do video or in home surveys for an accurate volume and a binding price. Compare a shared load against a dedicated van for your size and timing.
Prepare the attestation
Compile the attestation de changement de residence and your inventory before the van is loaded. The paperwork must travel with the shipment, so do not leave it to the border.
Pack and load
The crew packs and loads the van for the Channel. Keep your customs paperwork, passport, and visa with you rather than in the van.
Clear and deliver
The shipment clears French customs on the change of residence declaration, then delivers to your address. Apply for your numero fiscal and start your residency registration.
Clearing your goods into France.
Since the United Kingdom left the European Union, a removal to France is an import from a non European country, so customs paperwork is required on both sides of the Channel. The good news is that people genuinely relocating their main home qualify for change of residence relief, which brings used household goods and personal effects in free of customs duty and value added tax. The conditions are familiar: you have lived outside the European Union for at least twelve months, you have owned and used the items for at least six months, and you import them within twelve months of moving.
The document that makes it work is the attestation de changement de residence, supported by a detailed inventory and proof of your move. It must be prepared before the shipment departs the United Kingdom, not improvised at the border. Alcohol, tobacco, and anything bought just before the move can be taxed, and some categories are controlled, including certain plants, foods, and weapons. Get the paperwork right and the crossing is smooth.
Bringing a vehicle is common on this route, but a United Kingdom car must be registered in France, which means swapping to a French plate and meeting French requirements within the deadline after you become resident. Check the current vehicle registration steps before you assume it is simple.
The routes in for this corridor.
Since Brexit, British citizens need a visa to live in France beyond ninety days in any one hundred and eighty. The right long stay visa depends on whether you are working, retiring, or joining family, and a carte de sejour follows once you are resident.
The long stay visa that doubles as a residence permit once validated online after arrival. Variants cover visitors, workers, and the self employed, depending on your situation.
For people moving with a job offer or under the talent passport for qualifying skills, investors, and the self employed. The category sets your right to work.
A common choice for retirees and those with independent means, requiring proof of resources and health cover. It does not by itself permit work in France.
For spouses, partners, and family members of French citizens and residents, allowing you to live in France subject to the relevant conditions.
How to pick a mover for this route, without the guesswork.
We do not rank or recommend individual companies. We teach you the criteria that separate a safe international move from an expensive mistake, then put your request in front of vetted movers who run this lane.
Check the trade affiliation. Membership of FIDI or IAM is the clearest signal a mover is financially screened and bound to industry standards for international household goods. For this route, ask whether the mover runs the United Kingdom to France Channel lane regularly and prepares the attestation de changement de residence and customs paperwork for you, because an operator who knows the border keeps your van moving.
Insist on a binding pre move survey. A real video or in home survey of your volume is the only honest basis for a price. A quote given without one is a guess that tends to grow on moving day.
Compare like for like. Read what each quote includes: packing, materials, customs clearance, destination delivery, stair or long carry charges, and insurance. The cheapest headline number is rarely the cheapest move.
Understand the insurance terms. Ask whether cover is full replacement value or depreciated, what the excess is, and how claims are handled. Read the valuation clause before you sign.
Read recent reviews for this corridor. A mover can be excellent locally and weak on international shipments. Look for verified reviews that mention the actual route and customs experience.
Questions people ask about this move.
How much does it cost to move from the United Kingdom to France?
For a two to three bedroom household by road, plan on roughly 2,000 to 6,500 pounds door to door in 2026, depending on distance into France, volume, and whether you share a load or take a dedicated van. A studio is much less and a four bedroom home more. These are indicative ranges, not a quote.
How long does a move from the United Kingdom to France take?
Because it is a short road move across the Channel, transit is usually about two to ten days door to door depending on distance into France and whether the load is shared or dedicated, plus the crossing. It is far quicker than any overseas relocation.
Do I pay duty on my household goods moving to France?
Used household goods generally enter free of duty and value added tax under change of residence relief, but since Brexit you need the attestation de changement de residence and customs paperwork in place before the shipment leaves the United Kingdom. Verify the current rules with the French customs authority before you move.
Can I take my car from the United Kingdom to France?
Often yes, but once you are resident the vehicle must be registered in France on a French plate and meet French requirements within the deadline. Check the current registration steps before assuming it is straightforward.
Do I need a visa to move from the United Kingdom to France?
Yes, since Brexit British citizens need a long stay visa to live in France beyond ninety days, and a carte de sejour follows once resident. Confirm your route with official French government sources before you move.
What should I do first when I arrive in France?
Validate your long stay visa, apply for your numero fiscal tax number, register your address, and start the process for French health cover. Those steps unlock tax, health care, and daily admin.
Last reviewed: 2 April 2026. We refresh this guide as costs, customs, and visa rules change.